When it comes to NCAA basketball fans, there’s a fine line between rowdiness and obnoxiousness. Whether it’s annoying chants or cursing crowds, some NCAA fans are notorious for bad behavior.
Ranked: Worst Behaved NCAA March Madness Fans
And with the season culminating during the March Madness tournament, it’s safe to say that some fans won’t be on their best behavior. But which NCAA fan bases are the worst behaved?
NJ.Bet, an online casino and betting offers site, surveyed basketball fans around the country to find out which type of fan behavior gets under their skin the most while watching March Madness.
Top 20 Worst Behaved NCAA March Madness Fans
#1. Duke
Topping the list of worst behaved fans are none other than the Cameron Crazies.
When it comes to Duke fans, everything is over-the-top. Whether it is fans covered in blue body and face paint or camping out in Krzyzewskiville before the game in order to get a good seat, Duke fans certainly operate on a different level. But according to respondents, Duke fan behavior is the worst in the NCAA. Respondents said the team’s annoying chants and excessive heckling are simply too much to bear.
#2. Alabama
The Crimson Tide rolls into the No. 2 spot on our list of worst behaved NCAA basketball fans.
Earlier this year, Kentucky coach John Calipari openly admitted that Alabama fans “rattled” his players, so it’s fair to say that Alabama fans have some sway over the outcome of games. But respondents say the Crimson Tide needs to slow their roll when it comes to bad behavior, especially when it comes to heckling and using profanity.
#3. Kentucky
Speaking of Kentucky, the Wildcats come in just behind Alabama and rank No. 3 on our list of fans behaving badly.
According to respondents, not only do Kentucky fans heckle too much, but they also complain about the referees too much, which is why they landed on the No. 3 spot on our list.
#4. Ohio State
Not only do The Ohio State fans have influence over the game, but they’ve also tried to influence Lebron James’ son, Bronny, to enroll at the school with a “we want Bronny” chant during a football game last year. But despite the team’s creative chants, fans ranked the Buckeyes No. 4 on the list of worst behaved fans.
#5. North Carolina
With six championships under their belt, it would be hard to leave out North Carolina from a top five list.
However, this particular list is one that Tarheels fans would probably like to be omitted from. According to respondents, North Carolina fans are the No. 5 worst behaved college basketball fans. Complaining about referees and using profanity were the top reasons as to why North Carolina made the top five.
NCAA Fans with the Most Obnoxious Chants
Duke not only topped the list for worst behaved fans, but they also took the top spots for both “most obnoxious chants” and “loudest fan sections.” Meanwhile, Alabama was ranked No. 2 for obnoxious chants, followed by Florida (No. 3); North Carolina (No. 4) and Kentucky (No. 5).
How unbearable are obnoxious chants for those watching the tournament at home? Well, according to respondents, 1 in 4 (25%) say they either mute their TV or turn the volume down when fans chant something obnoxious during a game.
In terms of the loudest fan sections, Duke was followed by North Carolina (No. 2); Kansas (No. 3); Kentucky (No. 4) and Gonzaga (No. 5).
NCAA Players Behaving Badly: Teams with the Most Fouls During March Madness
Along with analyzing bad behavior off the court, we also took a look at players behaving badly on the court.
We took a deep dive into the record books in order to find the number of personal fouls committed by each team throughout the last five March Madness tournaments. In order to determine the number of personal fouls committed by each team, we analyzed personal foul data from more than 150 NCAA men’s basketball teams since the 2016-2017 season. Data was analyzed from every March Madness game from 2016-2022.
Overall, Gonzaga dominates the list with a total of 382 personal fouls. Elsewhere, 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions, the Kansas Jayhawks, came in second with 305 personal fouls.
The Jayhawks were followed by North Carolina (292); Michigan (273) and Villanova (270).
Looking ahead to this year’s tournament, there is sure to be plenty of bad behavior both on and off the court, but hopefully, fans won’t resort to any rioting whether they win or lose – fingers crossed.
Methodology
In March 2022, we surveyed 1,250 American basketball fans about the behavior of NCAA men’s basketball fans. The average age of respondents was 37 years old. In order to determine the number of personal fouls committed by each team, we analyzed personal foul data from more than 150 NCAA men’s basketball teams since the 2016-2017 season. Data was analyzed from every March Madness game from 2016-2022 via the sports-reference.com college basketball database.
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