NBA’s Most Fickle Fans: They No Longer Trust The Process In Philly

Philadelphia 76ers
The fans in Philly tried to love the 76ers, but too often the 76ers don't love them back. (USA TODAY)

The NBA asks a lot of its fans. To watch your favorite team each play all 82 games, you need to access a local broadcast rights holder, in addition to ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Amazon Prime. Tickets aren’t getting any cheaper. Nor are concessions, parking and souvenirs. So it’s no wonder fans can be fickle? What team has the NBA’s Most Fickle Fans?

Given its recent history of postseason disappointments, failed top draft picks, and a process that never deserved anyone’s trust, the Philadelphia 76ers have earned the NBA’s Most Fickle Fans. On the flip side, the most loyal fans in The Association root for Denver, Minnesota, Indiana and Oklahoma City.

Using InsideHoops.com, Bookies.com developed a ranking system that factored in the year-over-year change in home game attendance to see who the ficklest NBA fans are, basing it on teams with the greatest drops in attendance year-over-year. Teams with the lower average rank had the biggest overall average year-over-year drops in attendance between the 2022-23 to 2024-25 seasons.


NBA Ball

NBA’s Most Fickle Fans

Here’s the breakdown of the NBA’s Most Fickle Fans entering the 2025 season:

RANKTEAMAVERAGE RANK
1Philadelphia 76ers24.00
2Chicago Bulls22.33
3Atlanta Hawks21.00
T4Washington Wizards20.00
T4Toronto Raptors20.00
T6Utah Jazz19.67
T6Portland Trail Blazers19.67
T6Brooklyn Nets19.67
9Charlotte Hornets19.00
T10Los Angeles Lakers18.67
T10Boston Celtics18.67
12Milwaukee Bucks18.33
13Golden State Warriors18.00
T14Miami Heat17.33
T14Dallas Mavericks17.33
16Los Angeles Clippers16.67
17Phoenix Suns16.00
18Memphis Grizzlies15.33
19New Orleans Pelicans14.00
20Cleveland Cavaliers13.33
21Sacramento Kings13.00
22New York Knicks12.67
23Houston Rockets10.67
24San Antonio Spurs10.33
25Orlando Magic10.00
26Detroit Pistons9.00
T27Denver Nuggets7.33
T27Indiana Pacers7.33
T27Minnesota Timberwolves7.33
T27Oklahoma City Thunder7.33

What Our Most Fickle NBA Fans Numbers Show

Fans in Philadelphia have gone 42 years without a championship. The last time Philly raised a championship banner, it went up in the fall of 1983 inside long-gone Spectrum. They cheered a team led by the likes of Dr. J. Moses Malone, Andrew Toney, Maurice Cheeks and Bobby Jones. The Sixers reached the NBA Finals only once in the 21st Century, some 24 years ago. They were summarily dispatched by Kobe, Shaq and the Lakers in 5 games.

Beyond the faded days of glory gone by, the Sixers fanbase has been mercilessly teased and taunted by draft busts and trades that soured. And stars like Joel Embiid only add to the angst, given their inability to deliver in the most-season.

Conversely, the fan bases in Denver, Indianapolis, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City have tasted success of late. The Nuggets and Thunder have won the NBA Finals in this decade, with OKC taking home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. The Pacers reached the 2025 Finals, and the Timberwolves boast one of the most dynamic lineups in the league.


Here’s What You Need To Watch NBA Games

When is each national broadcaster carrying games this season? Here’s what you need to watch national games all season long:

* Sunday: ESPN/ABC (afternoon games) & NBC/Peacock (night games)

Monday: Peacock

Tuesday: NBC/Peacock

Wednesday: ESPN

* Thursday: Amazon Prime

Friday: Amazon Prime & ESPN*

* Saturday: Amazon Prime (afternoon games) & ESPN/ABC (night games).
*- Denotes mid-season after NFL and college football


Oklahoma City Thunder fans
Fans in Oklahoma City can't stop cheering these days. (USA TODAY)

NBA’s Most Fickle Fans: Questions & Answers

Q: Which NBA team has the most fickle fans according to Bookies.com?

A: According to Bookies.com’s analysis using data from InsideHoops.com, the Philadelphia 76ers have the most fickle fans in the NBA. The study ranked teams based on the largest year-over-year drops in home game attendance between the 2022–23 and 2024–25 seasons. Philadelphia topped the list with the highest average rank (24.00), indicating the biggest overall decline in fan turnout compared to changes in team performance.

Q: How were the “most fickle fans” ranking in the NBA calculated?

A: Bookies.com developed a data-driven ranking system using InsideHoops.com attendance data to determine which NBA fans were the most fickle. The analysis focused on year-over-year changes in home game attendance, highlighting teams with the largest average declines in attendance between the 2022–23 and 2024–25 seasons. In this context, a higher average rank meant a greater drop in attendance, reflecting fanbases that were more sensitive to their team’s performance swings.

Q: Which NBA teams have the most loyal fanbases based on this study?

A: The study also revealed which fanbases stayed most loyal, maintaining steady support even during challenging seasons. At the bottom of the fickle fan rankings were the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder, each with an average rank of 7.33. Their consistent attendance suggests that these teams have some of the most dedicated and loyal fans in the NBA, showing up regardless of how the team performs on the court.