The Bills aren't that popular in New York State

In a study performed at Siena College, only 5% of NYS residents claim the Bills are their favorite team. Here's the breakdown:

Yankees 30%
Knicks 11%
Mets 11%
Jets 9% (WHAT?!?)
Giants 8%
Syracuse 6%
Sabres 5% (WHAT?!?!?)
Bills 5%
Rangers 3%
Islanders 0%

The Bills have another 12% listing them as their 2nd or 3rd favorite team.

about 1 year ago Kurupt 24 comments 0 recs |

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Thats really not bad if you consider the 2% still hanging onto the Giants bandwagon from the Super Bowl win and the 4% the Jets are getting because of their prime positioning as Rex Ryan playoff contenders.

The Bills are right where they should be for a 4-12. Im actually impressed its that high.

i’m sure i’m going to regret this conversation… but what the hell - J2

by poz on Mar 16, 2011 2:55 AM EDT reply actions

and that should read "Rex Ryan SUPER BOWL contenders"

i’m sure i’m going to regret this conversation… but what the hell - J2

by poz on Mar 16, 2011 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I have no clue why you’re shocked about the Sabres tally.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Mar 16, 2011 6:13 AM EDT reply actions

Because they were ahead/tied with the Bills

I’ve never met a Sabres fan in my life, but know plenty of Bills fans. I guess those polled are just as likely to root for the other, though.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Mar 16, 2011 5:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I’m actually surprised the Giants and Jets are so low. The Bills and Sabres make sense since even if they were popular in Buffalo the number of folks that call it home is way less than the NYC area.

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by MattRichWarren on Mar 16, 2011 9:22 AM EDT reply actions

I noted below why the Giants and Jets are so low – how many of their fans listed the Yankees or Mets as #1 (some people don’t have their priorities straight….)

Another season (maybe), another year getting on the roller coaster. Hope the ride lasts more than 16 games :)

by syrbillsfan on Mar 16, 2011 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow. A research based on polling 801 NYS residents by a college located not far from NYC.
Latest census population data has:
NY State at 19.4 M,
NYC at 8.3 M [42.8% of total],
Buffalo at 279,745 [1.4% of total].
The article states margin of error is +/- 3.5 % with 59% of men & 43% women calling themselves sports fans. More people in the 18-34 yr age groups than others.

Disclaimer – I am far from an expert in polls methodology.
The pdf file listing their research is very long, and does not list the area codes/phone numbers. I could not determine when the calls were made, but the info suggests the Fall 2010 college term. That period includes Baseball Playoffs/World Series (NYY), most of the NFL season (NJJ & NJG were in good position for playoff berths then), and NHL early part of the season.

My opinion: 801 people in the survey might be low, timing of the polls skewed the data a bit, and older participants would have changed the “favorite player” part. But 10% surveyed picked Buffalo teams (5% each Bills/Sabres) so maybe it is pretty close to reality.

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With pick #195 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Mar 16, 2011 9:38 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Siena is in Albany. It’s not really close to NYC.

by Dr. Brackish Okun on Mar 16, 2011 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Hence the “not far from NYC” part of my post.

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With pick #195 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Mar 16, 2011 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

How are not far and not really close the same thing?

by Dr. Brackish Okun on Mar 17, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Well less than 200 miles, to me, is not far. Perhaps your perceptions of distances differs from mine.

Let me explain my verbage. Look on a map and you will see Siena college approx 150 miles from NYC, about a 2 hr drive (for my way of driving, don’t know how you drive). Buffalo is approx twice that distance (290 mi) away from Siena. Both are on the eastern side of NYC, which gives them a similar flavor.

It might interest you to know that Siena college also has a NYC campus.

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With pick #195 the Buffalo Bills select Michael Jasper (6'4" 395 lbs) Bethel University.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Mar 17, 2011 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

rec'd

Anyone but Cam Newton at #3

The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Albert Einstein

by Joe P. on Mar 16, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Well yeah

Nobody is saying this study is scientifically proven or completely without error. Its a poll and should be treated as such. Its just a slice of what NYS fans rooting interests are. I’m sure there are plenty of extraneous factors and biases involved, so that’s why it shouldn’t be read as gospel.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Mar 16, 2011 5:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Solid Stats

While you could also factor in the metro region or TV/cable reach, I think B4E hit it right on the head with the population data and +/-. The numbers are pretty good.

Go big or go home.

by jackkemp15 on Mar 16, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

um DUH

The buffalo area has, you know, Something around 7%of new york state’s population maybe, so I think thats okay

I'm waitin'..... @killascript on twitter

by killascript on Mar 16, 2011 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

Thats not surprising

Not sure why anyone would find it that way either. I was just surprised to see Jets before Giants (though, that’s probably due to the Yankees) and the Sabres right there with the Bills. The upstate vs downstate team breakdown is hardly surprising.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Mar 16, 2011 5:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

The figures will always be skewed towards the NYC teams.

There are too many people in that city for it to be weighted any different. It really needs to emancipate from the rest of the state.

In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!

by TheAfghanTwilight on Mar 16, 2011 10:33 AM EDT reply actions

It really needs to emancipate from the rest of the state

that’s popular thinking – and not to get into a deep discussion – but we get A TON of property taxes from NYC

When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts.

by J2 on Mar 16, 2011 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Not to mention the crap loads of tax on the financial transactions….

Another season (maybe), another year getting on the roller coaster. Hope the ride lasts more than 16 games :)

by syrbillsfan on Mar 16, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

One thing about the survey, it appears to be sport independent. I think a more accurate poll would say – What is you favorite sport? and then – In that sport, what is your favorite team?

So, in this poll it looks like 5% of people listed Sabres as their first favorite team, and so really thats a decent chunk of people who’s favorite football team probably is the Bills. (Same goes for Bills fans who are also Sabres fans).

Really, though it doesn’t help Buffalo’s overall standing next to NYC – How many of those Yankee fans are also Giants or Jets fans – most of them…..

Another season (maybe), another year getting on the roller coaster. Hope the ride lasts more than 16 games :)

by syrbillsfan on Mar 16, 2011 10:55 AM EDT reply actions