Kansas Basketball lands a spot in 2018 Fandom 250
Kansas Basketball fans watched their prized program make yet another Final Four appearance. Where did they rank in the annual Fandom 250?
Around this time every year, the FanSided network celebrates fans all over the country with Fandom 250, a ranking of the top fanbases from a variety of different categories. One of them includes the college division, which arguably includes the most fanatical of them all.
One of them high up on the list has to be the fans for the Kansas Jayhawks, who makes a big jump from last year’s list to grab the No. 34 spot, good for 9th in the whole division.
Once again, there was a lot to cheer about if you’re a fan of Kansas Basketball. The Jayhawks went to their 28th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and reached the program’s third Final Four appearance in the last 11 years under future Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Self.
While Fandom 250’s rankings for the college division incorporates all aspects of a program, it’s clear that the basketball program was the driving force for the high spot on the list. And it’s the legendary Allen Fieldhouse that the fans showcase their high-level passion. With over 17,000 fans at an always sold-out game, Kansas has enjoyed historic success behind their rowdy fans, winning over 70% of their games since built.
This past season, the fans played a pivotal role in extending the longest winning regular-season championship run for Kansas in the Big 12. In what was arguably the toughest year in recent memory of the conference, the Jayhawks went 7-2 at home during league play, including winning the team’s final four home games to clinch yet another title. Home advantage matters more in college basketball than any other sport, and the longevity of the Jayhawks is in large part to the raucous and record-breaking crowd environment that the fans always bring.
With the football program finally coming back to life and the current Jayhawks Basketball team ranked at No. 2 in the country, the fans have plenty of more reasons to cheer loudly for their programs. But no matter how good they are, the fans have consistently been there. And Fandom 250 recognized them for that consistency and determination, with possibly a higher ranking in the future.