According to our analysis made on Google searches within the Prairie State, these are the top 10 most popular sports teams in Illinois:
|
Rank |
Team |
Monthly searches |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Chicago Bears |
823,000 |
|
2 |
Chicago Bulls |
550,000 |
|
3 |
Chicago Cubs |
450,000 |
|
4 |
Chicago White Sox |
301,000 |
|
5 |
Chicago Blackhawks |
135,000 |
|
6 |
Loyola Ramblers |
1,900 |
|
7 |
Northwestern Wildcats |
880 |
|
8 |
Illinois Fighting Illini |
880 |
|
9 |
Bradley Braves |
770 |
|
10 |
Depaul Blue Demons |
590 |
Source: Google
1. Chicago Bears – 823,000 monthly searches
The Chicago Bears is the most popular sports team in Illinois with 823,000 monthly searches made within state borders.
The Bears finished their 2022 campaign with a 3-14 record. The Bears are one of only two original NFL charter members, and Chicago has won eight NFL championships, including the 1985 Super Bowl.
2. Chicago Bulls – 550,000 monthly searches
The Chicago Bulls are the 2nd most popular team in Illinois according to data from Google with an average of 550,000 monthly searches.
Chicago has won six NBA championships, including a pair of “three-peats” (1991-1993, 1996-1998). The Bulls were the 1st team in NBA history to win 70 games and held the record for most wins until Golden State won 73 games in 2015-2016.
3. Chicago Cubs – 450,000 monthly searches
The Chicago Cubs are the third most popular team with an average of 450,000 searches done per month.
They are three-time World Champions and ended a 108-year drought by winning the 2016 World Series. The Cubs are the 17th most valuable team in the world and play their games at historic Wrigley Field.
4. Chicago White Sox – 301,000 monthly searches
The White Sox rank 4th in popularity (301,000 monthly searches), and they’ve been in existence since 1900.
The White Sox are one of the original eight American League Charter teams and have won three championships, including an 88-year World Series drought by winning the title in 2005.
5. Chicago Blackhawks – 135,000 monthly searches
The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the “Original Six” NHL charter members that made up the NHL from 1942 until the 1967 expansion.
In the state of Illinois, people search for the Blachawks 135,000 times per month. The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cups, with their last coming in the 2015-2016 season.
6. Loyola Chicago Ramblers – 1,900 monthly searches
The Loyola Ramblers are a Jesuit school that competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Chicago-based Ramblers won the 1963 NCAA Tournament had two Final Four appearances and reached the Sweet Sixteen five times over their school’s history.
7. Northwestern Wildcats – 880 monthly searches
Northwestern University is a private school that competes in the Big Ten Conference.
Northwestern is located in Evansville and has 19 varsity men’s and women’s teams, and its football program has won the Big Ten West in 2018 and 2020.
8. Illinois Fighting Illini – 880 monthly searches
The University of Illinois is based in Champaign and competes athletically as a founding member of the Big Ten Conference.
The men’s basketball team has 5 NCAA Final Four appearances, and the football team has won five national championships and 15 Big Ten championships.
9. Bradley Braves – 770 monthly searches
Bradley University is the Braves’ home, and the Peoria-based school competes in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The men’s basketball team has reached the Final Four twice and are four-time MVC men’s basketball champion.
10. Depaul Blue Demons – 590 monthly searches
DePaul University is located in Chicago, and the Blue Demons compete as part of the Big East Conference.
DePaul is best known for its men’s basketball program, and the Demon Deacons have two Final Four appearances and 10 Sweet Sixteen appearances. DePaul won the Great Midwest Conference in 1992 and a 2004 Conference USA title.
Conclusion
The most popular team in Illinois is the Chicago Bears, with a whopping average of 823,000 searches made on Google each month by Illinoians. They also have a large following on social media: Twitter (2m), Youtube (150,000), and Instagram (1,5m).
Watching sports is highly popular in Illinois, so it is not a surprise to see such high search volumes for the different teams that are based in the state.
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