24/7 Insights

• Basketball is the third most popular sport in the US, and baby boomers are big fans. 
• We used data from YouGov to look at the most popular teams according to baby boomers. 
• The most popular team probably isn’t the first name to come to mind.
• Also: Discover the next NVIDIA

When it comes to basketball, there is a passionate fanbase for teams that rivals that of football and baseball. With 82 games in a season, there is room for joy and heartbreak during a basketball season. For baby boomers, watching the sport of basketball go from a second-tier event and then jumping into the spotlight with the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics must have been something incredible to see. 

Of course, while these teams are frequently cited as hugely popular, they are not the only ones with adoring fans. To find out more about the most popular basketball teams according to baby boomers, YouGov to the rescue. Using data from its second quarter 2024 study, we can see which basketball teams are the most popular and if any team can dethrone the Lakers. 

Why Is This Important? 

While it might be surprising to see this article on 24/7 Wall St, having this type of coverage makes a lot of sense. Basketball is a big business with plenty of sponsorships from brands we regularly cover on this site. It’s safe to say that billions of dollars are invested in basketball, which helps these brand partners and the local economies where these teams play. 

15. Denver Nuggets

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 24%

One of the best teams in basketball today, the Denver Nuggets are a force to be reckoned with. Led By three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the team has been on a roll lately, having won the 2022-2023 NBA Championship. When you consider the team’s performance as of late, there has been plenty for long-time boomer fans of the Nuggets to cheer about and likely much more to cheer about in the years to come. 

14. Florida State Seminoles 

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 24%

The Florida State Seminoles are not the first team that comes to mind when you think about college basketball, but YouGov’s data says it’s the 14th most popular team with baby boomers. While the team hasn’t won an NCAA title since 1972 or made the Final Four, Florida State remains a popular university. There’s an argument to be made that because of Florida’s popularity with the boomer audience, the Seminoles get a residual bounce. 

13. Minnesota Timberwolves 

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 26%

When you think about the Minnesota Timberwolves, their 2023-2024 season should excite the team’s boomer fanbase. While they didn’t make it to the NBA Finals, their Conference Final appearance showed that this team is on the cusp of greatness. Hopefully, Anthony Edwards will continue to be the team’s breakout young star next season and lead them right back to where they left off this season. 

12. Cleveland Cavaliers

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 26%

When it comes to professional basketball teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers are often overlooked. While the team had something of a moment with Lebron James and won the championship in 2016, the rest of its history is somewhat forgettable. Yes, there have been conference and division titles, but the Cavaliers still snuck into boomers’ hearts. 

11. Miami Heat

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 26%

The Miami Heat is unsurprisingly popular with baby boomers thanks to its sunshine-friendly location. As South Florida is full of baby boomers looking for better weather, the Miami Heat are among the most popular sports teams in the area. The team’s most successful squads came with Dwayne Wade and Shaq and then again with the “Big Three” with Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Heat look promising in the Jimmy Butler era, and the Miami area boomer population will hopefully see another championship soon. 

10. Orlando Magic

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 27%

While Orlando might be home to Mickey Mouse, it’s also home to the Orlando Magic. Unfortunately, the team has never won an NBA title since its founding in 1989. However, boomers love the underdog story, which perfectly describes the Orlando Magic. Even with the team having some strong runs during the days of Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee Hardaway, it never quite captured the right formula to make it all the way. 

9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Basketball

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 29%

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish is the most popular college basketball team with baby boomers. Even though the men’s team has an all-time record of 1961 and 1108, the Fighting Irish haven’t won an NCAA tournament championship since 1936. However, none of this is to say that the team isn’t popular, as Notre Dame will draw in baby boomer fans, win or lose, to watch both the men’s and women’s squads. 

8. San Antonio Spurs

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 29%

With five NBA championships, the San Antonio Spurs are one of the best NBA teams to play in a smaller market. The team’s success between 1999 and 2007 was undeniable, and head coach Gregg Popovich is one of the sport’s most popular coaches. Between David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the Spurs have long had a staple face for baby boomers to really root for. The Spurs still hold the record for the largest attendance at an NBA final game from 1999. 

7. New York Knicks

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 30%

The New York Knickerbockers, as they were originally known, are another staple NBA team. Playing in the sport’s most famous stadium, Madison Square Garden, attending New York Knicks games is a right of passage. Established in 1946, the team has only won two titles, the last coming in 1973, but it was enough to show baby boomers that the Knicks are an exciting team to watch and root for. 

6. Golden State Warriors

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 30%

Potentially the last great basketball dynasty in the sport, the Golden State Warriors have given their fan base plenty to cheer about. Players like Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin popularized the team for baby boomers in the 1980s, but the dynasty of the Steph Curry-led team during the 2010s is undeniable. Even if you were never a Warriors fan before, it’s safe to say that boomers jumped on the train later on. 

5. Dallas Mavericks

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 31%

The 1980s Dallas Mavericks were the beginning of a team founded in 1980. However, the Mavericks became a contender when they drafted Dirk Nowitzki and built a championship team that even took down the Lebron James-led Miami Heat. Baby boomers instantly gravitated toward rooting for the Mavericks, and fan support grew even more as soon as Mark Cuban took over and became the sport’s most visible owner. 

4. Philadelphia 76ers

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 35%

When you think about the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s easy to see why baby boomers love the team, even in the shadow of the Lakers and the Celtics. The team’s prominent history, led by Dr J and Wilt Chamberlain, made for exciting times as baby boomers grew up. This success continued with the addition of players like Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson. While the 76ers have only won three titles, they are still a basketball staple. 

3. Los Angeles Lakers

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 43%

It’s safe to say that the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers of the late 1970s and 1980s helped propel the NBA into the sports giant it is today. Before the Lakers, the NBA was considered a second-tier sport without major TV viewerships and limited fan excitement. After Magic Johnson came to town, the Lakers began to entertain and play the game of basketball, and fans loved every minute of it. 

2. Chicago Bulls

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 44%

The pre-1990s Chicago Bulls did not give fans much to cheer about, but that changed when Michael Jordan came to town. With the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft, the Bulls selected Michael Jordan and the rest is history. However, Jordan didn’t have much support in the middle to late 1980s, and it wasn’t until 1987, when Scottie Pippen came to town, that the Bulls began finding a groove. As baby boomers grew up watching all of this, it’s no surprise the Bulls are ranked so high. 

1. Boston Celtics

• Percentage of baby boomers with a favorable opinion: 47%

When you think through the history of the Boston Celtics, with 18 championships as of 2024, it’s easy to understand why it’s the most popular with baby boomers. Founded in 1946, the Celtics are not only one of the league’s original teams but also the team with the most wins of any NBA franchise. Between Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird, there were plenty of Celtics heroes for boomers to cheer for. 

 

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