America’s team?
It sure looks like it’s the Detroit Lions.
A breakdown of NFL fans shows a whopping 37 states pulling for the Lions in the NFL playoffs. Detroit is looking for its first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
The map is based on geotagged social media data (X/Twitter) from Sunday, when the conference championship matchups were set. Betonline.ag analyzed the data using team-specific hashtags for each remaining playoff contender—#OnePride (Lions), #GoNiners (49ers), #ChiefsKingdom (Chiefs), and #RavensFlock (Ravens).
After compiling information from more than 220,000 tweets, the website mapped the data and found an overwhelming majority of states want the Lions to win this weekend. The support was broad, from the East Coast to the South, many parts of the Midwest and Southwest.
The analysis showed Indiana was firmly in the Lions’ corner (or den, if you will).
Next in line: the San Francisco 49ers, who tracked highest in seven states. Four states were pulling for the Kansas City Chiefs, while two (Maryland and Virginia) threw their support behind the Baltimore Ravens.
Team breakdown:
- Lions: 37 states
- 49ers: 7 states
- Chiefs: 4 states
- Ravens: 2 states
A likeable coach and Detroit’s hard-luck history are proving to be a potent combination for NFL fans this season. The analysis noted that even fans of Detroit’s NFC North rivals—the Bears, Packers and Vikings—appeared to be throwing their support behind the Motor City.
Can the Lions finally reach the Super Bowl? We’ll know the answer on Sunday. Here’s a look at the NFL schedule:
- Chiefs at Ravens, 3 p.m. Sunday on CBS
- Lions at 49ers, 6:30 p.m. Sunday on FOX