The Tampa Bay Lightning ranked the #1 franchise in all sports.

[DaGoose]

And yet more people are willing to shell out the $300 to watch the weaker team... What does that say?

The vacation in Tampa to watch them play. They do the same in Detroit.

 

[Hoek]

Here's the full article about it:

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...ning-no-1-franchise-sports-ultimate-standings

Also here's a breakdown so people understand what they're actually ranking here.

The Lightning rank in the top 10 in six of our eight categories -- and in the top 25 in all eight.
Overall: 1
Title Track: T23
Ownership: 2
Coaching: 15
Players: 8
Fan Relations: 3
Affordability: 4
Stadium experience: 3
Bang for the buck: 4
Change from last year: +2

I love some of the responses in this thread. So HF. How dare the Lightning be good. How DARE they!

 

[molon labe]

I have a few contacts there that never have anything bad to say at all. Just another reason they're not having troubles re-signing their players.

 

[Hoek]

I looked it up and the last time an NHL team was #1 in this ranking was the Buffalo Sabres in 2007. The Lightning were #3 and #2 in past years, and Carolina also was #2 at one point.

 

[Mad Brills*]

makes sense.

Best GM in hockey.

 

[bert]

Tampa?? What have they done since winning in 2004?? Are they just trying to reword what defines a classy organization is? So I guess Detroit was nowhere to be found? If any team should at the top it's Detroit. Biggest fanbase in hockey and the loyalty knows no bounds both ways. And we had Lidstrom on the team for 20 yrs for christ sakes. The classiest most respected guy ever to play hockey. They call him the "The Perfect Human" even. This is why I hate ESPN. Yeah when they get it right( nominating a hockey team) they get it wrong.

LOL you may not like ESPN but wow I dunno about this argument.

 

[txpd]

umm...that doesn't make any sense. at all. watching the recap video. 69 consecutive sell outs. that's good for the lightning for sure, but its pretty far off the league lead. the team is good on the ice and has a cup but that's better than Chicago? There are lots of teams that are very close in their communities.

So....I don't get it. Red Sox? Redskins? Dodgers? Seahawks? Spurs?

 

[Skobel24]

Tampa?? What have they done since winning in 2004?? Are they just trying to reword what defines a classy organization is? So I guess Detroit was nowhere to be found? If any team should at the top it's Detroit. Biggest fanbase in hockey and the loyalty knows no bounds both ways. And we had Lidstrom on the team for 20 yrs for christ sakes. The classiest most respected guy ever to play hockey. They call him the "The Perfect Human" even. This is why I hate ESPN. Yeah when they get it right( nominating a hockey team) they get it wrong.

lol, who the **** calls Lidstrom the perfect human?

 

[VinikToWinIt]

And yet more people are willing to shell out the $300 to watch the weaker team... What does that say?

Except for the fact that the Lightning have a ~50 game sellout streak...

 

[VinikToWinIt]

lol, who the **** calls Lidstrom the perfect human?

TheYman does.

 

[Willy Stylez]

Some of their criteria used were brutal. Low ticket prices should lower a team's ranking, not help it...

That makes no sense.

 

[Cherpak]

Take anything that ESPN ranks/does/says with a HUGE grain of salt.

ESPN lost its sports credibility a long time ago. They are to sports what MTV was to music videos.

 

[BonMorrison]

Preds are #2 in the NHL as well.

 

[Naych_PHX]

And yet more people are willing to shell out the $300 to watch the weaker team... What does that say?

It says that fans aren't getting their money's worth. Which I think is part of the criteria for this list.

 

[tony d]

Good for them, they are a very solid team and look like a team to beat in the NHL this year.

 

[respect the D]

Take anything that ESPN ranks/does/says with a HUGE grain of salt.

ESPN lost its sports credibility a long time ago. They are to sports what MTV was to music videos.

yes, this ESPN is the Fox of the news world

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

Tampa Bay fans dumping all over Lidstrom. Odd.

Anyways, this list makes sense. Must be nice to pay low prices and live in literal paradise. Also you don't have to deal with those mean opposing fans during the playoffs.

 

[Mattilaus]

Tampa Bay fans dumping all over Lidstrom. Odd.

Anyways, this list makes sense. Must be nice to pay low prices and live in literal paradise. Also you don't have to deal with those mean opposing fans during the playoffs.

You wanna blame someone for that then blame the Detroit fan who started dumping all over Tampa and shoving Detroit down everybody's throats right after the OP.

 

[Dylonus]

How doesn't Chicago, LA or Pittsburgh crush them in this regard?

 

[Zaddy]

"In all of sports" -> ranks only north american teams/leagues/sports.

Anyway, not that I know much of NA organizations outside of hockey but it doesn't shock me that Tampa is up there. It's probably the franchise I respect the most in the league. Just really well run from top to bottom.

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

You wanna blame someone for that then blame the Detroit fan who started dumping all over Tampa and shoving Detroit down everybody's throats right after the OP.

Yes, because that poster failing to understand what the poll was about certainly warrants Lidstrom hatred. Didn't think anyone disliked the guy. Just odd is all.

 

[Butchered]

It's very, very easy to see who didn't read one bit of this article before just fainting with the back of their hand over their forehead.

This a ranking of the best franchise from THE POINT OF A FAN.

Good ownership, low ticket prices, good fanbase and a good, competitive product. There is literally nothing to NOT like in TB from a FAN PERSPECTIVE.

It's also super funny to see people brag about paying double for a mediocre product, as if that's a reason to be happy?

 

[Hoek]

Tampa Bay fans dumping all over Lidstrom. Odd.

Anyways, this list makes sense. Must be nice to pay low prices and live in literal paradise. Also you don't have to deal with those mean opposing fans during the playoffs.

Literally only one Tampa Bay fan said anything about Lidstrom, and it was more about how silly the argument was than anything negative about him. The rest were all fans of other teams.

 

[seafoam]

Tampa?? What have they done since winning in 2004?? Are they just trying to reword what defines a classy organization is? So I guess Detroit was nowhere to be found? If any team should at the top it's Detroit. Biggest fanbase in hockey and the loyalty knows no bounds both ways. And we had Lidstrom on the team for 20 yrs for christ sakes. The classiest most respected guy ever to play hockey. They call him the "The Perfect Human" even. This is why I hate ESPN. Yeah when they get it right( nominating a hockey team) they get it wrong.

Have you ever been to a Lightning game?

 

[Sky04]

And yet more people are willing to shell out the $300 to watch the weaker team... What does that say?

That hockey is more popular in Toronto than in Tampa? or in Canada in general. Doesn't have anything to do with fan experiance or mean that those tickets are worth it.