Tennessee ranks in top 10 of Nielsen index of best college basketball fan bases

Tennessee has one of the top fan bases in the nation for men's and women's basketball, according to Nielsen's newest study.

The media audience research firm released its inaugural Nielsen Scarborough Fandom Index on Nov. 3, which ranks the country's most devoted fan bases by analyzing data across seven metrics – apparel purchases, event attendance, digital streaming, social media engagement, TV viewership, radio listening and overall interest level.

The inaugural index included the top 20 "most avid college basketball markets" for both men's and women's basketball.

Knoxville checked in at No. 8 with an index score of 178, which was the third-highest mark among SEC fan bases. Lexington (Kentucky) took the No. 1 spot, while Birmingham (Alabama) ranked No. 6.

Nielsen's research showed that smaller markets like Knoxville and Birmingham generate higher merchandise sales than big hubs like Atlanta, "proving that deep local affinity often generates higher marketing ROI than sheer audience size."

The Lady Vols have one of the biggest, most loyal fan bases in college basketball, built through legendary coach Pat Summitt's dynasty of eight national championships during her 38 seasons. The Vols have become one of the top programs in the SEC under Rick Barnes, who has led Tennessee to three straight trips to the Elite Eight.

Nielsen's college basketball Fandom Index rankings

1. Lexington (Kentucky Wildcats): 289
2. Louisville (Louisville Cardinals): 277
3. Des Moines/Ames (Iowa State Cyclones, Iowa Hawkeyes): 256
4. Raleigh/Durham (Duke Blue Devils, UNC Tar Heels, NC State Wolfpack): 193
5. Indianapolis (Butler Bulldogs, Indiana Hoosiers, Purdue Boilermakers): 190
6. Birmingham (Alabama Crimson Tide, UAB Blazers): 185
7. Omaha (Creighton Blue Jays, Nebraska Cornhuskers): 180
8. Knoxville (Tennessee Volunteers): 178
9. Kansas City (Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers) 173
10. Wichita/Hutchinson (Wichita State Shockers): 173
11. Memphis (Memphis Tigers): 171
12. Tucson (Arizona Wildcats): 170
13. Charleston/Huntington (Marshall Thundering Herd, West Virginia Mountaineers): 161
14. Little Rock/Pine Bluff (Arkansas Razorbacks): 157
15. Syracuse (Syracuse Orange): 157
16. Cincinnati (Cincinnati Bearcats, Xavier Musketeers): 154
17. Columbus (Ohio State Buckeyes): 150
18. Hartford/New Haven (UConn Huskies): 146
19. Oklahoma City (Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys): 143
20. Spokane (Gonzaga Bulldogs): 141

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee ranks in top 10 of Nielsen index of best college basketball fan bases