There are several things that Texans take very seriously. There’s their BBQ, big trucks, cowboy hats, and, of course, their sports. Texas has had a long history of amazing teams in many different sports, and today, we’ll celebrate the most beloved of them all. We’ll tell you about the most popular sports teams in Texas, what makes them so great, and why the people of this state love them so much.
To gauge the most popular teams in the state, 24/7 Tempo is going off of fan attendance during the past year. To find this information, we combed many sources, including ESPN, Pro-Football-Reference.com, and others. We also looked at local websites and papers, including the Houston Public Media, to see what makes these teams so special to folks in the state. (Click here to learn about the most popular team in pro sports.)
Dallas Cowboys
Undoubtedly, the Cowboys are among the most popular sports teams in Texas. According to ESPN, they had 748,755 fans attend their games in 2023. That’s a lot of people, and that’s more than any other team in the National Football League. The next highest attendance is for the New York Jets, and that was just over 701,000 fans. That’s one of the reasons why the Cowboys are often referred to as “America’s Team.”
The Cowboys are doing quite well this season, and they can get into the Super Bowl. However, that’s not the only reason there are so many fans at the games this week. This startling attendance has been a trend in recent years. In 2022, the Cowboys had over 841,000 fans attend their games during the entire season versus 688,000 fans for the team that came in second, the New York Giants. Texans really love the Cowboys and will stick through the thick and thin, and they likely always will. As a side note, their stadium is pretty great, too.
Houston Texans
Another of Texas’s most popular sports teams is the Houston Texans, which have had over 640,000 fans watch their home and away games. They’re the fourth most-watched team this year. The Texans are doing okay this season with a winning record and some promising players, but they’re far from the best team in the league. While they have good seasons here and there, they’re far from elite.
Still, true Texans will stick by their team no matter what, and this team is no exception. On average, about 71,000 fans show up to the games, which is more than the population of many small towns.
University of Texas Longhorns
Texans love their football, and it’s not only the NFL teams in Texas that get all the attention. There are many successful and beloved college football teams, and one of the best is the Texas Longhorns out of the University of Texas. This team has four national championships and 28 conference championships. This team has the fifth-best record in NCAA football history, with over 900 wins. Other factors are going into the Longhorn’s favor, including the fact that they are the first football team in the state and play in one of the largest stadiums in the country so that they can pack in a lot of fans.
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs
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Another fan favorite in Texas is the Horned Frogs out of Texas Christian University. This is another distinguished football team that has a great record of two national championships and 18 conference championships. It’s another long-running program that’s been in action since 1896, and they’ve amassed a major number of fans since that time. While the program is old, it’s still relatively small, which shows how die-hard the fans are and why this Texas team is so popular.
Texas A&M University Aggies
Ask many Texans about their favorite college football team, and they’ll tell you about their love of Texas A&M, which has three national championships and 18 conference championships under its belt. This is another long-running school in action since 1894, and they have the second most national championships in Texas. The team has played on the same field since 1905, and a lot of Texans love that tradition and will stick with them through their highs and lows.
Houston Astros
Moving onto baseball, we have the Astros, which have become much more popular than ever over the last several years, which a winning record will get you. During the 2023 season, the Astros brought over three million fans into the stands during their home and away games. They haven’t always been this popular. Back in 2015, they brought in just over 2.1 million fans, making them the 22nd most popular out of 30 teams. However, World Series wins in 2017 and 2022 have made the team a force to be reckoned with, and they will likely continue to be popular for many years to come. Even after the Astros were accused of cheating and stealing signs during the 2017 season, the Texas fans still stuck with them.
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers had a pretty good 2023 season. They were a surprise hit, and they were able to get the same winning record of 90-72 that the Astros had. While that was exciting, the Rangers haven’t always had the best years, but as we know, Texans will stick with their teams through thick and thin, so they are still one of the most popular sports teams in Texas. During this 2023 season, they saw over 2.5 million fans in the stands during the home and away games. While the Astros are the cool team to like, the Rangers have always been one of the beloved MLB teams in Texas, and they’ll always have a steady fanbase.
Dallas Mavericks
Texas also has many popular basketball teams, and one of the absolute favorites is the Mavericks, with stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Though the team hasn’t won a championship lately, they typically have a winning season and people in the state love to watch, making them one of the favorite NBA teams in Texas. There are many reasons why the Mavericks are so popular. Part of it is due to their talent, some is the courtside antics of owner Mark Cuban, and a lot of it is the fact the fans can depend on them to do their best. So far, during the 2023-2024 season, the team has attracted over 827,000 fans to the home and away games. They’re currently the third most attended team.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have a great history, including many championships and rosters, including some of the best players ever to hit the NBA. Still, recent years have not been promising, and as of the time of this writing, the team still hasn’t reached 10 wins during this season. Still, basketball is fun to watch regardless, and Texans never leave a team behind, so the Spurs are still one of the most popular sports teams in Texas. During this current season, they’ve had almost 695,000 fans at their games, which puts them ahead of several other teams.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets are another one of those teams that have their hit-and-miss years. When they’re doing well, they’re exceedingly popular in the state. During an off-season like this one, they are one of the teams with the lowest attendance. Still, even though they’re not great, they have managed to bring over 688,000 fans into the seats this season. There have been many big seasons over the last decades with stars like James Harden, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Yao Ming where the team was able to cement a fan base, and many of them are sticking around.
Dallas Stars
There is one major hockey team in Texas: the Dallas Stars. Even though they’re the only option for hockey, Texans enjoy the team and are still one of the most popular sports teams in Texas. Over the 2023-2024 season, the team brought in over 18,500 fans, which easily puts them in the top 10 of all NHL teams at the time. The Stars have been doing pretty good in recent years, and they do have a championship under their belt, so they’re no slouch. Overall, the team has five Stanley Cup appearances, so it’s worth going to their games, and many Texans do. (Click here for the most popular teams in pro sports.)