West Coast Sports Fanbase Rankings: The States with the Strongest Fanbases

Long characterized as relaxed and less emotionally invested in sports, the West has quietly undergone one of the most significant sports fandom transformations in the United States. Driven by sustained championship runs, the arrival of star talent, and the continued expansion of major-league franchises, the region has moved from last place in sports fandom composition to one of the fastest-growing nationwide.

Today, the West represents a diverse and increasingly engaged sports market, where momentum is no longer concentrated in just a handful of coastal cities, but stretching across states and fanbases once considered secondary players in the national sports landscape.

Colorado

Colorado continues to solidify itself as one of the strongest sports markets in the West, with nearly nine-in-ten residents identifying as sports fans. The state’s fandom growth has been fueled by consistency and championships, led by the Denver Nuggets’ NBA title in 2023 with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and All-Star Jamal Murray, and the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup championship in 2022 fueled by Hart Trophy and Norris Trophy winners, Nathan Makinnon and Cale Makar. These titles have helped propel fan engagement in the state and making Colorado rank sixth in the country amongst tracked states in sports fandom composition. Not to mention the staple the Denver Broncos bring to the state where over two-thirds of Coloradans are fans.

With strong engagement across all Big 4 Sports Leagues and a passionate college sports culture following the hiring of Deion Sanders as head football coach at the University of Colorado, the Centennial State delivers a balanced and highly reliable fanbase. This stability makes the state especially attractive for brands seeking long-term sponsorship equity rather than short-term spikes.

In markets like Colorado, the challenge isn’t identifying fandom, it’s measuring how loyalty sustains once championship momentum normalizes. SponsorPulse enables brands to understand which engagement signals persist beyond title runs and which regress, helping partners plan for durability rather than volatility.

Washington

Washington’s sports fandom growth mirrors the resurgence of its professional franchises and expansion of its sports landscape.

The Seattle Seahawks’ quick turnaround under head coach Mike Macdonald and star additions Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have paid dividends, delivering the franchise the 2026 Super Bowl. Also, the Seattle Mariners’ improved on-field play has helped them grow their fanbase even further. However, the depth that other franchises bring is a major reason why Washington is a top 10 sports fan market in the country based on composition.

Along with the Seahawks and Mariners recent success, the University of Washington Huskies made the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2024, while the Seattle Kraken’s addition to the NHL has further strengthened fan engagement across the state.

Also, the possible expansion in the NBA and return of the SuperSonics to Seattle would give the state a professional franchise in each of the Big 4 Major Leagues, further cementing itself as only one of 11 states to have that status.

The state of Washington provides a large offering of franchises to partner with and connect with deeply passionate and loyal fans, but too much can also lead to paralysis. SponsorPulse can quantify how quickly new franchises convert casual interest into loyalty, helping brands assess risk and upside in emerging properties.

For sponsors, Washington is an ecosystem play. Quantifying how fans move between franchises, leagues, and moments is critical in an ecosystem market like Washington.

Arizona

The Grand Canyon State has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sports fan states in the West, posting double-digit growth (10.1%) from 2022 to 2025. This surge has been driven by recent success at the professional level, helping to reshape the state’s sports identity and taking it from the 20th largest tracked sports fan state in 2022 to 11th in 2025.

The Phoenix Suns have made the playoffs five times in the past six seasons, including an NBA Finals in 2021, while the Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series in 2023.

As markets like Arizona mature, the risk is misreading growth as permanence. SponsorPulse’s fan tracking metrics like intensity, passion, momentum and excitement help brands distinguish between newly activated fans and those forming durable attachment, before sponsorship strategies harden around the wrong signals.

California

Despite being the country’s largest and most fragmented sports market, California continues to quietly grow its sports fandom. While the state’s growth rate trails some Western peers, its sheer scale and concentration of iconic franchises make it one of the most impactful sports markets in the U.S.

Due to its size and regional separation, there are two distinct markets that allow for greater local partnerships that brands can link up with.

In Southern California, there are 16 tracked teams or universities that see over a third of the entire state identify as fans of, led by iconic franchises Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers and recent Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams. It’s unsurprising these teams standout in a crowded field thanks to their name, championship success and star athlete power in the likes of LeBron James and Luka Doncic (LA Lakers), Shohei Ohtani(LA Dodgers) , and Matthew Stafford (LA Rams).

Even outside of those three major franchises, the massive depth and support of teams show the large number of opportunities there are in the greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas.

In particular, following the relocation of the Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017, the Padres have seen a steady increase in fandom, growing 47% between 2019 to 2025, coinciding with being the only franchise of the Big 4 Sports Leagues in the market and strong on-field success, as they have made the playoffs in four of the past six seasons.

Not to be outshone by their Southern counterparts, Northern California also has nearly a dozen tracked teams or universities that have a third or more of Californians’ identifying as fans of.

The San Francisco 49ers have made the playoffs five times in the past seven seasons, including two Super Bowls, seeing the benefit of its deep historic fan loyalty, mixed with recent success.

Also, the dynasty the Golden State Warriors created, led by Steph Curry and Draymond Green, resulting in four NBA titles, six NBA Finals appearances and ten playoff appearances in the last 13 seasons, has brought a standard of winning and excellence to the Bay Area.

For brands, California is less about growth velocity and more about the reach, cultural relevance of iconic franchises and athletes, and global amplification it can provide for a mature market. SponsorPulse helps surface just how this fandom intensity, intent, and cultural relevance vary sharply between regions

Oregon

Oregon has seen the most notable percentage increase (17.3%) in sports fandom in the country based on states with professional sports franchises, however, like Ohio, collegiate sports lead in fandom in the state.

The University of Oregon Ducks remain the cornerstone of the state’s sports identity, commanding deep loyalty and statewide engagement where over half of Oregonians identify as fans.

At the professional level, teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC provide additional touchpoints for fan connection.

Oregon’s growth reflects how strong college programs can anchor fandom even in states with a limited professional sports footprint. In 2022, Oregon ranked last in sports fandom composition based on tracked states, to where they are now ahead of Arkansas and Kentucky and pushing that four-in-five sports fan composition level.

Utah

Utah’s sports fandom growth reflects both consistency and evolution. The Utah Jazz have struggled recently, but have made the playoffs in six of the last nine seasons, slowly building out a loyal fanbase, where nearly two-thirds of residents consider themselves Jazz fans.

This will be a state to monitor following the relocation of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes in 2024 to Utah, where they rebranded as the Mammoth. A new stadium housing both the Jazz and Mammoth is in the works and presents a great opportunity for brands to latch onto the excitement in the market as the two sports franchises level up.

Nevada

Nevada presents a unique case within the West region. While overall sports fandom growth has been modest, the state’s market is defined less by scale and more by event-driven engagement, along with the potential growth it could see in the future.

The Vegas Golden Knights have secured themselves as the top sports franchise in the state for fans, thanks in large part to winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, in just their sixth year as a franchise.

As well, the expected arrival of the Athletics from the Bay Area to Vegas and the potential NBA expansion into the market offers brands new opportunities to partner and sponsor with. These relocations and expansion would make the state become the 12th to have at least one franchise in each of the Big 4 Major Leagues in the country.

For brands, Nevada’s value lies in visibility, tourism-driven reach, and experiential activations tied to marquee events. SponsorPulse can help brands distinguish between resident loyalty and visitor-driven engagement, ensuring sponsorship success is measured by the right audience.

Structural, not seasonal

Long perceived as casual or fleeting in its sports loyalties, the West has undergone one of the most significant fandom transformations in the United States. Championship success, superstar arrivals, and franchise expansion have reshaped the region into a fast-growing and increasingly dependable sports market.

What defines the West is diversity, not just of teams and leagues, but of fandom models themselves. Growth is being driven by a blend of dynastic success, college anchors, new franchises, and event‑driven engagement, producing a landscape where no single playbook applies universally.

For brands, the West demands nuance. The opportunity is substantial, but it requires understanding which fanbases reflect durable loyalty versus moment‑driven enthusiasm, and where cultural relevance, not just scale, delivers the greatest return.

If your brand is looking for ways to increase awareness and sales in the West, reach out to see how SponsorPulse can help with your sponsorship strategy.

For a detailed look at the Northeast region click here

For a detailed look at the Midwest region click here

For a national overview look click here.

Want to get the full view on U.S. Sports Fandom and access the full ranking of all 36 teams? Download it here: