The New Jersey Devils have the NHL’s best fans. Everyone knows that. But there’s actually a study now that proves it.
In a study published by Casino Guru, Anna Ryan describes what sports fans are willing to give up in order to land a lottery win. While some fans proved to be fickle, others remained extremely loyal to their favorite teams.
Some fans remained loyal to a fault.
NHL fans, on the whole, were the most loyal in the 4,000-person survey. The data showed that 11% of hockey fans would “never give up their chance of winning the Stanley Cup for a lottery win, no matter how big the prize is.”
That’s a pretty bold statement, especially if there’s a massive jackpot in play. But what seemed even more interesting is that Devils fans were the most loyal. The study showed that 16% of New Jersey fans would never stop supporting their favorite team, regardless of how high the jackpot is.
Sure, millions of dollars would be nice and all. But the money wouldn’t be enough to forsake their hometown team.
The study says a lot about how loyal Devils fans are, especially for a team with a strong history of success.
Devils fans contrast with other not-so-loyal fan bases
While Devils fans top the list of NHL loyalty, other fan bases have proven to be less than unwavering. The data shows that fans in states like Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Georgia reported their willingness to dump their favorite team regardless of the jackpot amount.
Tennessee, home of the Nashville Predators, led the way with 67% of respondents stating they would sacrifice seeing their favorite team win a championship for any jackpot win. Meanwhile, 50% of fans in Massachusetts and 41% of fans in Georgia reported the same attitude.
The data could mean that the Boston Bruins fans could be willing to drop their support for the club, given a solid chunk of change.
While Georgia doesn’t have an NHL franchise, it’s worth noting that the state had two teams in the past. The original Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary, with the second incarnation, the Atlanta Thrashers, moving to Winnipeg.
To make matters worse, the fans in the aforementioned states would be willing to support a rival for any-sized jackpot. 47% of fans in Tennessee reported their openness to supporting rivals, for just about any sum of money.
So, it seems that Devils fans care more about their team than money. While we all need to make a living, it seems that supporting the team is more important than cash to fans in New Jersey.
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