Business First, a Buffalo-based business journal, released the results of a study that gauged NFL Fan Support from '87-96. "Support Factors" (avg. attendance, percent capacity, low attendance fluctuation) accounted for 60% of a team's score; "Difficulty Factors" (low winning percentage, a large number of seats per 100,000 population, high ticket cost per $10,000, chilly December temperature) accounted for 40%. Denver's score is the benchmark for other teams. ATTEND FLUX = Difference between best/worst annual attendance totals. WIN % = Winning pct. '87-96. SEATS/100K = Seats per every 100,000 metro residents. COST $10K = Ratio of '96 average ticket price to every $10K of local per capita income. DEC. TEMP = Average high temperature for December; Domed-stadium teams are assigned a temperature of 72 degrees. '96 rank in parentheses (BUSINESS FIRST, 1/27).
| RANK | TEAM | SCORE | AVG. ATTEND | %CAP | ATTEND FLUX | WIN % | SEATS/COST
100K $10K | DEC. TEMP |
| 1 | (1) | DEN | 100 | 72,062 | 94.5 | 6.20% | 0.575 | 3,483 | $14.36 | 46 |
| 2 | (3) | GB | 97.8 | 55,323 | 95.2 | 14.40% | 0.506 | 29,329 | $14.20 | 29 |
| 3 | (4) | BUF | 96.8 | 74,180 | 92.5 | 13.10% | 0.654 | 6,730 | $15.18 | 35 |
| 4 | (6) | NYG | 92.7 | 69,906 | 90.8 | 11.20% | 0.541 | 397 | $12.40 | 42 |
| 5 | (NR) | JAC | 92 | 68,022 | 93.2 | 3.80% | 0.406 | 7,512 | $17.67 | 66 |
| 6 | (5) | PHI | 90.6 | 62,766 | 96.4 | 6.30% | 0.591 | 1,089 | $15.17 | 43 |
| 7 | (7) | CHI | 84.2 | 59,504 | 89 | 7.60% | 0.553 | 785 | $15.44 | 35 |
| 8 | (NR) | STL | 83.4 | 61,336 | 97.2 | 2.30% | 0.406 | 2,602 | $14.36 | 72 |
| 9 | (14) | KC | 80.7 | 67,880 | 86.8 | 34.50% | 0.566 | 4,802 | $14.13 | 40 |
| 10 | (10) | WAS | 79.1 | 52,456 | 93.8 | 8.40% | 0.522 | 1,262 | $14.25 | 47 |
| 11 | (8) | CIN | 77.6 | 51,189 | 85.2 | 25.40% | 0.39 | 3,188 | $15.99 | 42 |
| 12 | (9) | DAL | 77.4 | 59,469 | 91.8 | 24.10% | 0.553 | 1,511 | $16.63 | 58 |
| 13 | (12) | IND | 73.9 | 54,042 | 89.8 | 16.30% | 0.459 | 4,123 | $13.81 | 72 |
| 14 | (13) | PIT | 73.3 | 53,511 | 90.4 | 17.90% | 0.572 | 2,481 | $14.94 | 38 |
| 15 | (17) | MIA | 72 | 63,553 | 85.8 | 19.10% | 0.56 | 2,198 | $15.06 | 76 |
| 16 | (15) | NYJ | 69.5 | 57,458 | 74.6 | 25.20% | 0.343 | 395 | $8.61 | 42 |
| 17 | (16) | SF | 68 | 62,036 | 93.5 | 7.80% | 0.761 | 1,078 | $13.13 | 57 |
| 18 | (11) | NO | 66.5 | 60,785 | 88.4 | 45.00% | 0.547 | 4,965 | $16.13 | 72 |
| 19 | (18) | SD | 65.9 | 52,348 | 86.1 | 27.60% | 0.484 | 2,310 | $16.18 | 66 |
| 20 | (19) | MIN | 65.4 | 56,007 | 88.9 | 13.50% | 0.566 | 2,382 | $11.89 | 72 |
| 21 | (20) | SEA | 64.9 | 54,541 | 83.2 | 27.60% | 0.44 | 2,059 | $13.72 | 72 |
| 22 | (NR) | OAK | 62.6 | 50,796 | 81.3 | 3.60% | 0.469 | 960 | $19.22 | 57 |
| 23 | (21) | NE | 62.2 | 48,599 | 79.9 | 34.80% | 0.396 | 1,052 | $13.03 | 41 |
| 24 | (NR) | CAR | 62.1 | 62,188 | 81.6 | 20.20% | 0.594 | 5,754 | $17.77 | 53 |
| 25 | (22) | TB | 53.2 | 49,466 | 66.6 | 29.60% | 0.327 | 3,445 | $14.98 | 72 |
| 26 | (26) | DET | 50.3 | 57,664 | 71.7 | 47.50% | 0.453 | 1,529 | $14.31 | 72 |
| 27 | (25) | ATL | 45.7 | 47,616 | 72.6 | 47.90% | 0.358 | 2,138 | $13.12 | 72 |
| 28 | (24) | ARI | 45 | 46,975 | 64.5 | 39.40% | 0.354 | 2,962 | $15.72 | 66 |
| 29 | (23) | HOU | 42.5 | 48,543 | 82.3 | 47.30% | 0.547 | 1,463 | $14.13 | 72 |
NOTE: Arizona's statistics are since the move in '88.Carolina, J'ville, Oakland and St. Louis began play in '95.Baltimore is not ranked. -30-
