The state of Pennsylvania is known for many things, from its amazing history to its talented musicians and incredible food, including the cheesecake and pretzels. The state is also famous for its successful and riveting sports teams, and that’s what we’ll talk about today. This is a list of the most popular sports teams in Pennsylvania. These are the incredible basketball, baseball, hockey, football, and college teams that entertain fans every year, and they have a lot more to do and prove.
To determine the most popular sports teams in Pennsylvania, 24/7 Tempo reviewed attendance records for the past year as well as fan sentiment. To get this information, we checked various sources, including ESPN and Sports Illustrated, as well as the MLB, NFL, and NBA websites, among others. This is the definitive list of the Pennsylvania sports teams that are the very favorites of the state. (Click to read about the most popular teams in pro sports.)
Philadelphia Phillies
The MLB team in Philadelphia is the Phillies, and they have been one of the most popular teams in the state for a while. In fact, the Phillies had their inaugural season way back in 1883, and they haven’t left. They hold the record for the longest-tenured sports team in history to never leave their original city, so there are currently many fans who have had parents and grandparents who have also loved the team for many years.
During the 2023 season, 3,052,605 fans attended the home and away games of the Phillies. The team is beloved, but they haven’t always had their stadiums sell out. However, the Phillies have shown a lot of progress in recent years, and during the 2022 season, they really stunned the world. After an 87-75 season, they went on to win the National League Pennant and made their way to the World Series. While they lost, they did get the people of the state excited, which explains their higher attendance last year. The Phillies continue to trade for great players, so the season looks bright, and the team will likely retain their popularity.
Philadelphia 76ers
The beloved NBA team in Pennsylvania is the 76ers. Often referred to as the Sixers, this team has been around since 1946, so they have a lot of fans both young and old. Until 1963, they were the Syracuse Nationals. Since 1963, they’ve been the Philadelphia 76ers, and they’ve been a dominant force in the NBA. Many famous basketball players have been on the team over the years, including Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson, among others. Under both names, the team has won three championships, so there’s a lot to be excited about.
The 76ers continue to have a major fanbase. During the 2023 season, over 839,000 fans attended their games, and so far, over 439,000 have attended during this current season. The stadium is always fully loaded, and that’s because the team has had a couple of great seasons as of late because of a lot of great players, including Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris, among others. The team is considered to be one of the best and is considered a favorite to get to the championship game, so the fans won’t be giving up on them any time soon.
Pittsburgh Steelers
There are two NFL teams in Pennsylvania, and they are both very popular among the citizens of the state. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a favorite of many fans for years since they’ve had a great deal of success. During the 2023 season, the Steelers saw over 602,000 fans attend their home and away games. That attendance isn’t the best in the league, but much of the football season is played during the winter, and Pittsburgh can get quite cold, so that doesn’t encourage people to head to a game.
Still, cold or not, many people in the state love the Steelers. While the team typically has a winning record, they’re past seasons have been less than stellar. Still, they’ve won six Super Bowls, including wins in 2005 and 2008, and those fans have stuck around.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have existed since 1933, and while the team has had its ups and downs, they have die-hard fans. During 2023, the team had over 559,000 fans attend their home and away games. Although they’re not number one for attendance, part of it may be the size of their stadium since they have sold out every home game since 1999. Fans in Pennsylvania are excited about going to their games.
This team has also retained fans over the years because they’ve done fairly well over the years. They have 30 playoff appearances as part of the NFL. Including the time before the NFL merged with the American Football League, the Eagles have four championship wins, including one in 2017. Since securing quarterback Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback in 2021, the team has had a couple of great seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl. The people of Pennsylvania continue to root for their hometown Eagles and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Philadelphia Flyers
There are two NHL teams in Pennsylvania, and both are beloved by the people of the state. The Philadelphia Flyers bring in fairly large crowds, with an average attendance of over 723,000 fans at home games and an average attendance per game of 17,635 fans. In a cold place like Pennsylvania, it only makes sense for the fans there to want to see an exciting hockey game.
The Philadelphia Flyers give fans in the state a lot to be excited about. While it’s been many years, the team has won two Stanley Cups (1974 and 1975). They also have eight conference championships and 16 division championships. Though the team has had its ups and downs in recent years, they are doing quite well in this current season with a winning record, so fans will likely get even more excited about this team as time goes on.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins is the other NHL team and is one of the most popular sports teams in Pennsylvania. During the previous season, the Penguins had an average home game attendance of 17,816 and a total attendance for the season of 730,458.
There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to the Penguins. They have an incredible history, and they’ve had a lot of success. They’ve won the Stanley Cup five times, including two back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, which has made the people in the state very excited. Since their foundation, they have also had six conference championships and nine division championships. Long story short, they’ll likely have a huge fan base for years to come.
Penn State Football
According to Sports Illustrated, the Penn State football team is the 4th most popular college program in the country, with over six million fans. This team, from Pennsylvania State University, is one of the most well-known in the country, and the team is often the first thing that people in the area think about when they hear the name of the college. Fans in the state have loved the team for years, especially when Joe Paterno coached the team, and they won game after game. He was responsible for 409 victories, which is the most wins in NCAA Division I history. The team remains great to this day, and people are still going to the games.
University of Pittsburgh Sports Teams
Finally, we have the much-loved sports teams from the University of Pittsburgh. The school’s football and baseball programs are top-notch, and many people in the state are fans. The football program has been a big deal since 1980 and it’s supplied many great players, including Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, Larry Fitzgerald, and Aaron Donald, among others, so there’s a lot to be excited about.
The basketball program at Pitt has been around since 1905, and they started winning early and often. The teams in the program really started to impress during the 2000s under coach Jamie Dixon, and they spent a lot of time impressing during NCAA championships. They continue to impress until this day, and many people in Pennsylvania consider themselves big-time fans.