New data reveals which MLB fans are the proudest in the league – and how much that pride will cost you

• Washington Nationals fans lead all of MLB, with nearly 46% of attendees spotted wearing team merch at games
• Miami Marlins rank at the bottom of the pride table, with just 7.17% of fans visibly showing their colors
• New York Yankees top the jersey cost rankings, with official gear setting supporters back an average of $193.51

With the 2026 MLB season in full swing, the debate about which fan base bleeds their team colors hardest has a new, data-driven answer. Bovada Sportsbook has gone beyond the noise of social media loyalty to examine what fans are actually wearing in the stands.

Using a specialized color tool, a comprehensive color analysis was conducted, examining thousands of images of fans at games. Researchers were able to calculate the percentage of supporters proudly wearing their team’s colors during games, revealing which teams have the most passionate and visually loyal fan bases.

The study also uncovered the most expensive and cheapest MLB jerseys, giving fans a full picture of the financial and visual commitment required to show team pride.

The MLB teams with the proudest fan base at games:

Washington Nationals: The proudest fans in baseball

When it comes to visible fan devotion, no stadium in MLB comes close to matching the sea of scarlet red, white and navy blue on display at Nationals Park. With over 45% of attendees photographed wearing team colors, the Washington Nationals claim the crown as the league’s most proudly dressed fan base – a remarkable show of loyalty for a franchise that has endured its share of lean years.

Close behind are the Pittsburgh Pirates at 45.01%, whose supporters turn out in the team’s iconic black and yellow in numbers that would surprise anyone who judges fan passion purely by market size. Rounding out the top three are the Kansas City Royals at 44.5%, where Kauffman Stadium regulars make Royals blue one of the most consistent colors in the league’s stands.

The franchises propping up the pride table

Not every fan base tells the same story. The Miami Marlins sit at the foot of the rankings, with just 7.17% of game attendees photographed in team colors – a figure that raises questions about the depth of the franchise’s connection with its local market. The Colorado Rockies (9.91%) and Boston Red Sox (15.49%) also rank among the least visibly proud fan bases in the study, a perhaps surprising entry for a city long considered one of baseball’s most passionate.

It’s worth noting that low merch visibility doesn’t necessarily reflect a lack of passion – ticket prices, local culture, and stadium demographics all play a role. But as a measure of who’s putting their colors where their mouth is, the gap between the top and bottom of this table is stark.

New York Yankees: The most expensive pride in the game

Wearing your team’s colors doesn’t come cheap everywhere. The New York Yankees top the jersey cost rankings, with official gear averaging $193.51 – a premium that reflects both the franchise’s 27 World Series titles and its status as the most commercially powerful brand in the sport. For collectors and die-hards alike, a Yankees jersey remains one of baseball’s most coveted items, regardless of the price tag.

The Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t far behind at $191.32, while Atlanta Braves jerseys average $185.49 – a figure driven in part by demand for merch celebrating franchise legends like Hank Aaron and Chipper Jones. All three franchises sit at the intersection of history, success, and market size, and their jersey prices reflect exactly that.

Where to find the best value in the stands

For fans watching their wallets, the Toronto Blue Jays offer the most accessible entry point into official merch, with jerseys averaging $128.60, nearly $65 less than a Yankees equivalent. The St. Louis Cardinals ($142.36) and San Francisco Giants ($142.63) round out the most affordable options, giving supporters in those cities a lower financial barrier to showing their allegiance on game day.

Interestingly, the Giants appear on both the affordability list and the top ten proudest fan bases, suggesting that when the price is right, fans show up dressed to impress.

Methodology:

Using the Photoshop color analysis tool, we analyzed a range of photos of the crowds of fans at various games. The tool was able to determine the number of fans in a series of photographs in the crowd and how many were wearing their respective teams’ merch.

Cost of a jersey – Average price (USD) of all team jerseys. We used prices from official team stores.