Which college basketball fans bring the most heat?

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WHAT PART OF THE U.S. KNOWS THE MOST ABOUT COLLEGE BASKETBALL? NEW RESEARCH REVEALS THAT FANS IN THE SOUTH ARE THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE.

THAT’S ACCORDING TO A SURVEY OF AMERICAN 2,000 COLLEGE BASKETBALL FANS IN THE WEST, SOUTH, MIDWEST AND EAST REGIONS. 

THE SURVEY ALSO FOUND THAT THOSE SAME SOUTHERNERS ARE MOST LIKELY TO DROWN THEIR SORROWS IN SNACKS WHEN THEIR TEAM LOSES.

EASTERN FANS, HOWEVER, ARE MOST LIKELY TO TRY NOT TO TOSS THEIR PLATE DUE TO EXCITEMENT OR SADNESS WHEN WATCHING GAMES.

CONDUCTED BY ONEPOLL ON BEHALF OF FRANK’S REDHOT, RESULTS ALSO REVEALED THAT MIDWESTERN FANS LOVE AN UNDERDOG (57%) AND LIVE FOR BUZZER BEATER MOMENTS (53%).

THE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST CONTINUES, AS THREE-QUARTERS OF BOTH CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE COMPETITIVE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER REGION.

REGION SUPERLATIVE BREAKDOWN

• Most likely to drown their sorrows in snacks — Southerners
• Most likely to eat snacks relevant to their team or region for good luck — Southerners
• Most likely to try not to toss their plate due to sadness or excitement — Easterners
• Most confident that their favorite team can win it all — Easterners
• Least confident that their favorite team can win it all — Westerners
• Biggest underdog fans — Midwesterners
• Biggest buzzer beater moment fans — Midwesterners
• Most likely to prefer hot foods — Westerners and Southerners
• Most likely to heat up ramen — Midwesterners
• Most likely to add heat to unusual foods — Easterners
• Most likely to add condiments to pasta and cookies — Easterners
• Most competitive — Easterners and Westerners
• Least likely to go on a date each month — Midwesterners
• Most likely to be divorced — Midwesterners

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 college basketball fans split evenly by East, South, Midwest and West was commissioned by Frank’s RedHot between Feb, 9 and Feb, 20, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).