Toronto Maple Leafs fans reactMichelle Siu/The Globe and Mail
When it comes to addressing the needs of their fan base, the Toronto Maple Leafs do it the worst according to ESPN: The Magazine.
The fabled hockey franchise ranks dead last in the publication's annual ranking of 122 teams across the NHL, MLB, NBA and NFL.
According to ESPN, the Maple Leafs are at or near the bottom in five of eight categories measured including Bang-for-the-Buck, which calculates wins in the past year per fan dollar, and affordability of tickets, parking and concessions. When it comes to Fan Relations, described as openess and consideration towards fans by players, coaches and management, Toronto rates 117 out of 122 franchises. The Maple Leafs ranked 113th overall when it comes to Coaching, described as strength of on-field leadership.
The only good news for team executives is that they rate somewhat favourably when it comes to Ownership (105th) and Stadium Experience (109th).
Among the remaining Toronto franchises, the Raptors finished highest in the overall ranking (74th), followed by the Blue Jays (81st).
The Anaheim Ducks topped the list among NHL teams, finishing second in the overall ranking to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA and Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings round out the top five overall.
The Montreal Canadiens scored the best overall ranking among Canadian NHL franchises (55th), getting high marks for ownership and fan relations. The Calgary Flames were ranked 89th, Ottawa Senators 92nd, Winnipeg Jets 97th, Vancouver Canucks 112th and Edmonton Oilers 115th.