Which IPL Team Has The Biggest Fan Following in 2023?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is undoubtedly the most popular T20 cricket league in the world. As the 2023 season approaches, fans are eager to know which IPL team has the biggest fan following this year. With diehard fans spread across India and beyond, major IPL teams have massive fan bases. However, some franchises stand out for their huge following and loyalty.
In this blog, we’ll look at the IPL teams with the highest number of fans in 2023. We’ll explore their social media stats, historical performance, star players, and other factors that contribute to their widespread popularity. Whether you’re an IPL fanatic or just getting to know the teams, read on to discover who’s leading the pack when it comes to fandom in the world’s premier T20 league!
IPL 2023 – Which Team Has The Most Fans?
As IPL continues to grow, the question of which team has the most fans becomes more and more interesting. While all teams have their share of loyal supporters, some franchises stand out when it comes to their massive fan following. Based on the teams’ social media stats and historical popularity, here are the IPL teams with the biggest fandom in 2023:
1. Chennai Super Kings
With its tremendous fan following across regions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) tops the list when it comes to the most popular IPL team. CSK boasts over 32 million social media supporters – 13 million on Facebook, 11 million on Instagram, and 9 million on Twitter.
One of the major reasons behind CSK’s widespread popularity is the presence of legendary captain MS Dhoni. Along with other star players like Ravindra Jadeja, the team has consistently performed well since IPL’s inception. They have the highest win percentage (59%) among all teams and have won 4 IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.
Despite a two-year ban starting 2015, CSK made a stellar comeback, further cementing their status as the IPL team with the biggest fandom. No wonder the whistle podu army proudly flaunts yellow!
2. Mumbai Indians
With 5 IPL titles under their belt, Mumbai Indians (MI) have the second biggest fan following closely after CSK. They have around 13 million followers on Facebook, 11 million on Instagram and 8 million on Twitter – accumulating to over 32 million fans on social media.
Under captain Rohit Sharma’s leadership, Mumbai Indians clinched the IPL trophy in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Their consistent top performances and star-studded team including Kieron Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah and the Pandya brothers make them one of the strongest IPL franchises with an unwavering fan base.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Though yet to win an IPL title, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) enjoys a massive fan following, especially for captain Virat Kohli. RCB has about 10 million Instagram followers, 6.5 million Twitter followers and 9.4 million Facebook fans.
Though RCB’s trophy cabinet remains bare, their loyal fans continue to support Kohli’s squad. RCB has qualified for playoffs 5 times, and made it to the finals thrice in 2009, 2011 and 2016. With competitive cricket and stars like Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik, RCB is undoubtedly one of the most popular IPL teams.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders
Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is fourth on the list with approximately 23 million social media supporters. They have around 16 million Facebook followers, 5 million on Twitter and 3.5 million on Instagram.
Under captain Shreyas Iyer, KKR will be hoping to add to their trophy wins in 2012 and 2014. With a dedicated fan base and the celebrity presence of SRK, KKR continues to be one of the most followed IPL teams year after year.
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad
A fairly new team formed in 2013 after Deccan Chargers’ termination, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has quickly built up a strong fan base. They have about 6 million fans on Facebook, 3 million on Instagram and Twitter each – totalling around 12 million social media followers.
Under Kane Williamson’s leadership, SRH clinched their maiden IPL trophy in 2016. With fiery performances and star players like Umran Malik, SRH has emerged as a competitive IPL team with an increasing fan following.
6. Punjab Kings
With 8.4 million Facebook followers and around 3 million each on Twitter and Instagram, Punjab Kings (PBKS) takes the sixth spot. Their loyal fans continue to support the squad led by Shikhar Dhawan, which includes power hitters like Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow.
Though PBKS is yet to win an IPL trophy since their inception in 2008, fans are hopeful for the upcoming 2023 season. The presence of co-owner Preity Zinta also adds to the team’s popularity.
7. Rajasthan Royals
The inaugural IPL winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) have about 5 million Facebook fans and 2.5 million on Instagram. Led by Sanju Samson and coached by Kumar Sangakkara, RR had their strongest season in ages in 2022.
With promising talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and R Ashwin in the squad, Rajasthan Royals fans are more excited than ever for IPL 2023. Though not the largest fan following, the Royals fandom is regarded among the most passionate.
8. Delhi Capitals
Owned by the JSW Group, Delhi Capitals (DC) secured their maiden IPL final in 2020 under Shreyas Iyer. They have around 8 million fans on Facebook and 3 million each on Twitter and Instagram.
Under new captain Rishabh Pant and coach Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals fans are anticipating an improved 2023 season. With a total fandom of approximately 14 million on social media, DC doesn’t have the largest fan base yet but it continues to grow steadily.
9. Gujarat Titans
As the newest IPL team, Gujarat Titans (GT) has the smallest fan base currently. But after their incredible debut season and maiden IPL win in 2022 under Hardik Pandya’s leadership, their popularity is rising swiftly.
On social media, GT has 1.9 million Instagram followers, 482K Facebook fans and 424K on Twitter – accumulating to over 2.8 million followers. As GT gears up for their sophomore season, we can expect their fandom to grow massively.
10. Lucknow Super Giants
The other IPL debutants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have the smallest fan base as of now with 1.6 million Instagram followers, 717K on Twitter and 344K Facebook fans.
However, with KL Rahul as captain, tutorials from mentor Gautam Gambhir and players like Quinton de Kock, LSG have the potential to expand their fan following in coming seasons. They had an impressive debut season reaching the playoffs.
Final Thoughts
Within just over a decade, IPL has become a mega phenomenon with fans spread across India and beyond. The massive popularity of cricket and the celebrity status of players has contributed to IPL teams amassing millions of supporters.
In 2023, Chennai Super Kings retains the top spot for the biggest IPL fandom. However, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders also boast huge, loyal fan bases. While newer teams have relatively smaller followings for now, their fan clubs are rapidly growing as well.
It’s always fun to analyze which IPL teams have the most fans and why. No matter which side they support, the passion and excitement among IPL fans is unparalleled. As the 2023 season approaches, get ready for another spectacular chapter in the riveting IPL saga!
