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Fansided

Thunder Nation ranked 239th best fanbase in the world

By Tony Heim

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JULY 11: Thunder fans greet Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 11, 2017 at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Thunder acquired George from the Indiana Pacers in a trade. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JULY 11: Thunder fans greet Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 11, 2017 at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Thunder acquired George from the Indiana Pacers in a trade. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder fans
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 19: Basketball fans cheer for the OKC Thunder during the first half of a NBA game against the New York Knicks at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

OKC Thunder Nation finally got their just due after failing to be mentioned in last years’ Fandom 250 ranking. But is their ranking too low?

After much anticipation, FanSided finally released their Fandom 250 ranking for the year that was 2017. Oklahoma City Thunder Nation missed out on a coveted spot in last year’s list – the powers that be corrected their mistake by naming them the 239th best fanbase in the world.

Before we analyze the numbers we should make one thing abundantly clear: compiling a list like this is basically impossible. FanSided combined fanbases in all aspects of entertainment, from television shows to sports teams to musical artists. Because of that we’re not going to mention how blasphemous it is that Wendy’s and La Croix fans are ranked ahead of us. Instead we’ll focus on the NBA rankings.

12 NBA fanbases made the list of 250. The Thunder came in at 11, one spot ahead of the Toronto Raptors. It’s nice to be recognized after failing to make Fandom 250 last season, but I still feel like this ranking is too low.

Memphis, Chicago and Minnesota are great fans, but they don’t sell out every game like Oklahoma City. You can’t name another NBA fanbase who greets their players at the airport. Or how about the fact that Chesapeake Energy Arena is always recognized as one of the best atmospheres?

Next: Grading the Thunder's big loss to Charlotte

The fact this is only the Thunder’s tenth season is my best guess why we aren’t ranked higher. That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if OKC continues to move up the list as the years go by, much like it did this year.

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