With Heineken Rivalry Week right around the corner and the Portland Timbers set to travel to Seattle to take on Sounders FC on next week Aug. 27 (6:30pm PT, FS1), it's fortuitous timing that Forbes published their list of Best Fans in MLS.
Using a combination of "four quantitative fan consumption metrics: attendance figures for the last two full seasons, television ratings for last season and season-to-date, latest merchandise sales – all provided by MLS – and social media followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram," the list came up with a uniquely Cascadian tie for the top spot:
Portland AND Seattle.
Citing the two teams' long rivalry as a strong tenet of the respective fandoms, the article also recognizes the 5,000 and growing listed membership of the Timbers Army's 107 Independent Supporters Trust–the highest in MLS as factors in their rankings.
"[Portland and Seattle's] 42-year beef with each other extending back to their days in the North American Soccer League has resulted in the Pacific Northwest becoming a hotbed for authentic and multi-generational soccer culture," the article stated.
Head over to Forbes to read more and see the rest of the list.
