According to Public Policy Polling (yes, the same people who do political polls), Florida's favorite NFL team is the Dolphins. The state's favorite college football team are the Florida Gators. And the state's favorite baseball team doesn't even play in Florida. Turns out the Atlanta Braves are twice as popular in Florida as the Miami Marlins, and almost twice as popular as the Tampa Bay Rays.
The poll found that 22 percent said the Braves were their favorite team followed by 13 percent for the Rays, 11 percent for the Marlins, 10 percent for the Yankees and 9 percent for the Red Sox.
The Braves popularity in Florida pretty consistent across the board. They're the favorite team of every demographic slice except for Hispanics (23 percent prefer the Yankees) and the "somewhat liberal" (edged out by Rays). Braves home games were broadcast for years nationally on TBS and they did have a solid streak during the '90s (not to mention a fine season this year). They're pretty much the cream of the southern team crop. We also understand why the Marlins are unpopular. We have the two brain cells required to understand that, but the Rays have been the playoffs four of the six past seasons, but they can't even catch a break in their popularity.
Over in the NFL, the Dolphins reign supreme. Twenty-one percent picked the Fins followed by 15 percent for the Buccaneers, and 7 percent of the New England Patriots. The Jacksonville Jaguars are stuck at 6 percent in a tie with the Cowboys and the Packers.
The Dolphins popularity is also pretty consistent, except for two key bases Stephen Ross better pay attention if he wants to sell more tickets. Only 14 percent of Floridian Hispanics pick the Dolphins compared to 18 percent of the Bucs and 15 percent for the Cowboys. In comparison, the Marlins are more popular among Florida Hispanics than they are the general populace.
More telling is the age discrepancy:
Yep, the Dolphins are officially grandpa's team. Perhaps is this the difference between people who actually remember watching Dan Marino games and those who can't.
In college football PPP restricted the answers to only division I FBS teams in Florida (sorry to Florida's ridiculously large proportion of Ohio State fans, haha, just kid, we'll never apologize to them).
The Florida Gators came out on top with 22 percent followed closely by the Seminoles at 20 percent. The Hurricanes had 12 percent and UCF 9 percent. FIU, FAU and USF were all stuck at 2 percent.
As it turns, amongst those who are "very liberal," the Hurricanes take 28 percent of that group (tied with the Gators).
The poll also asked for approval ratings amongst fans of the big three. Forty-six percent approve of the job Will Muschamp is doing at Florida, 56 percent of FSU fans approve of Jimbo Fisher, and 58 percent of Hurricanes fans approve of Al Golden.
NBA and NHL teams were not included.
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