Top 10 Most Passionate College Basketball Fan Bases

If you want to talk about numbers in attendance for basketball games, the Wildcat fans can make an argument for being among the best in the entire country. Since 1984, the McKale Center, the home to the Wildcats, has led the entire Pac 12 conference in terms of attendance on an annual basis. Approximately 14,000 fans pack the arena on gameday and their student section is like no other. With fans cheering and often dressed in costumes or paint, one can say it’s where the party’s at during gametime. Although the team has only won a single championship, fans remain loyal to the team.

Despite not possessing a history as iconic as other NCAA teams, its fans are among some of the most energetic. In addition, the cold weather in the state of Iowa doesn’t stop them from attending games, with many even camping outside in order to purchase tickets. The fans are rewarded for their support, as the Cyclones have won approximately 80% of their games since moving into the Hilton Coliseum venue back in 1971. Nicknamed the Hilton Magic, the team’s impressive home record makes us wonder if perhaps there is some magic behind both the fans and venue after all.

While University of Michigan fans are passionate about their sports, it’s moreso towards football whereas MSU's soul runs deep in basketball. These fans are not only known for their love for their Spartans, but their creativity as well. One such instance of this creativity is when they gave an unofficial name to the student section of Michigan's stadium the "Izzone," named after head coach Tom Izzo. When it comes to taunts, they’re creative in that too, as they’ve been known to use copies of their school newspaper to intimidate opposing team players. If you ever decide to attend a game, make sure you’re in the Izzone as we can confidently say that’s where you’ll get the true Spartan fan experience.

Don’t let the size of this university fool you. Despite a small student body, fans come in packs to the Hinkle FieldHouse to support their bulldogs. Not to mention how they take pride in their team’s work ethic and skill, so much so that writers and critics have coined the phrase “The Butler Way” to describe both these qualities and the team’s fandom. However, what distinguishes the Butler fan base from most is their undying loyalty to the team. When former head coach Chris Holtmann left Butler to take a job at Ohio State, he received a $1 bill by mail which included a return address that simply read “The Butler Way”. Considering this, we don’t think anybody plans on switching ships from Butler anytime soon.

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#6: Indiana Hoosiers

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Whether they’re winning or losing, these fans will never stop supporting their Hoosiers. Considering the fact that the team is not nearly as dominant as they once were back in the day, it’s all the more impressive that these fans still continue to show their support. During one particular game back in 1989, the crowd got so disruptive that former head coach Bob Knight had to use a microphone to address fans in attendance. However, despite their regression over the years, the team has nonetheless shown an ability to still play at a competitive level, much to the pleasure of the faithful Hoosier Hysteria.

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#5: UNC Tar Heels

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Although their fans are not nearly as noisy as some of the others on our list, they make their presence felt when it matters most. During a 2005 conference final game against the state rival Duke Blue Devils, the team was behind by nine points. In the final 3 minutes of the game, not only did the team attain the lead and later win the game, but the crowd absolutely erupted, with one reporter stating that the arena was practically shaking. They’re also known to rush to the center of the court after hard-earned victories. When they do, their passion is on full display and it’s a sight to behold.

When your arena is nicknamed the loud house, it’s not hard to see why this group of fans make it to our list. But what distinguishes them from the rest are their in-game traditions, the most notable being the stand-and-clap. During the beginning of each half, fans stand up and clap until the team makes their first basket. Along with often dressing up in orange, the school also has Taco Time, a promotion where if the team scores over 70 points, all those in attendance get free tacos. Basketball and free tacos? It’s no wonder why these fans are so fired up.

It can be argued that there’s no fan base that gets more excited about basketball than the Jayhawk’s. And if there’s one word to sum up these fans, it would be this: noise. Considered the loudest college basketball fans in the entire country, noise levels at the Phog Allen Fieldhouse have gone up to 130.4 decibels. This loudness can often be attributed to the Rock Chalk chant, which is the fans’ most well-known tradition and perhaps one of the most popular cheers in college sports. Considering there aren’t any other professional or good college sports teams to root for in the area, it’s easy to see why these fans show so much passion during games.

Often referred to as the “Cameron Crazies”, these fans are known for being brash and cocky. But it’s these very characteristics which have earned Duke University a reputation of possessing one of the most intense and passionate college fan bases in the country. Some fans even go as far as doing research on opposing team players and yell unique taunts that are targeted towards them. The fact that the team plays in a small arena doesn’t affect them either, as it’s been said that they produce noise levels that can reach up to 121 decibels. And the best part of all; it actually seems to help the team, as the Blue Devils have a reputation for winning games when trailing behind. Well done, Cameron Crazies. Well done.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

NC State Wolfpack

Villanova Wildcats

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Louisville Cardinals

Considering how much the team has won since its inception, it’s no wonder why these fans have remained so loyal. The university’s basketball program has the most successful track record in NCAA Division 1 history in terms of both wins and winning percentage. With an arena that can hold up to 23,500 people, fans show up loud and proud to support their team. Other than generating noise, this fanbase is also known to travel well. Commentators often remark how many fans are in attendance to support the team during away games. Whether it’s with blue face paint or repeated C-A-T-S chants, Big Blue Nation is not slowing down anytime soon.