Every sports fan thinks they know their stuff, but how well do they actually stack up against fans from other cities?
To find out, we tested sports knowledge among fans nationwide. The quiz covered game rules, historic moments, and well-known plays across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA. More than 1,000 fans participated, allowing us to rank cities by average quiz score and analyze results by gender, generation, sport preference, and other factors.
Key Takeaways
- Sports fans from Indianapolis (67.7%), Sacramento (66.7%), and Baltimore (66.5%) scored the highest on the sports IQ test.
- Los Angeles Chargers fans ranked highest in NFL knowledge.
- Detroit Pistons fans ranked highest in NBA knowledge.
- Oakland Athletics fans ranked highest in MLB knowledge.
- Vegas Golden Knights fans ranked highest in NHL knowledge.
- USC Trojans fans ranked highest in NCAA knowledge
The sports IQ test: How fans stack up across the U.S.
Before reviewing the highest-scoring cities, it helps to look at overall performance and the factors that influenced test results.
While 76% of sports fans reported feeling confident in their knowledge, the average quiz score across all respondents was 58.2%.
Performance varied by demographic group. On average, male sports fans scored 11 percentage points higher than female sports fans. Differences also appeared across age groups, with Gen X fans earning the highest average score at 59.7%, compared to 59.1% among millennials and 55.7% among Gen Z fans.
Sports experience also made a difference. Fans who had played sports at the college level or higher earned an average score of 65.8%, outperforming former high school athletes (59.6%), recreational players (55.8%), and those without competitive playing experience (51.9%).
Next, we examined city-level performance to identify where fans scored highest overall.
Indianapolis ranked first with an average score of 67.7%, followed by Sacramento at 66.7% and Baltimore at 66.5%. Sacramento also ranked first in NFL, MLB, and NCAA knowledge. Kansas City earned the top average score in both NBA and NHL categories. These results suggest that city-level sports culture and team engagement may influence fan knowledge across leagues.
Breaking test scores down by team reveals which fanbases performed best within each league.
Los Angeles Chargers fans achieved the highest average NFL knowledge score. Detroit Pistons fans ranked highest in NBA knowledge, while Oakland Athletics fans led MLB results. Vegas Golden Knights fans recorded the highest NHL scores.
At the college level, University of Southern California Trojans fans ranked highest in NCAA knowledge, followed by fans of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the University of Kansas Jayhawks.
Where fans get their sports knowledge
Sports knowledge is gained through a range of media and experiences. Survey respondents identified several key sources.
Live games, whether attended in person or watched on television, were cited as the top source of sports knowledge. Sports highlight shows and YouTube recaps followed closely behind.
Social media also played a role, with 36% of fans reporting that they learned sports-related information from influencers. Nearly one-third of respondents said they follow trivia-focused sports podcasts, blogs, or social accounts. Fantasy sports leagues were cited by 31% of fans as a learning source, alongside trivia events (25%), podcasts (23%), and sports betting content (23%).
Conclusion
The results show that sports knowledge varies widely across cities, fanbases, and demographic groups. While confidence was high overall, only a small number of cities consistently earned top scores. Indianapolis, Sacramento, and Baltimore ranked highest nationally, while several fanbases demonstrated strong league-specific knowledge. Fans continue to build their understanding of sports through a mix of live viewing, digital media, and interactive formats.
Methodology
We surveyed 1,011 sports fans living in medium and large U.S. cities. Respondents completed a sports knowledge quiz covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA. Results were analyzed by city, demographic group, and league. Only groups with more than 10 respondents were included in the reported results.
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