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Football and Facebook: NJ Residents Back San Francisco in 2013 Super Bowl

Facebook data shows most Jersey users are rooting for the 49ers, switching their allegiance (temporarily) from the Giants or Eagles

 

It's not a surprise that most Facebook users in New Jersey started the football season solidly supporting the New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles.

"While winning seems to matter, NFL teams have local followings that are probably heavily influenced by family ties and/or where a person grew up," according to Facebook, which recently compiled data on users who are fans of an NFL team on the social network.

But now that the locals' seasons are over and the Baltimore Ravens are heading to Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers, Jersey residents have shifted their allegiance.

Perhaps surprisingly, the vast majority of New Jersey Facebook users favor the West Coast 49ers, with fans from Cape May, Salem, Gloucester and Camden counties pulling for the Mid-Atlantic's Baltimore Ravens.

In fact, San Francisco's boosters dominate the nation, claiming fans virtually everywhere with the exception of the Mid-Atlantic region and South.

But football fans can be a fickle lot when their home team is eliminated. The Facebook analysis showed all of New Jersey rooting for the New England Patriots throughout the playoffs, until they were knocked out by the Ravens in the AFC Championship game.

Facebook also analyzed users' friendships to learn "which rival teams' fans are most likely to hang out on Sunday to bond over beer and wings despite their conflicting allegiances." 

Giants fans are most likely to be friends with New York Jets fans, the analysis showed, followed by fans of the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.

Eagles fans most often associate with Steelers fans, followed by fans of the Cowboys, Giants, Patriots and Washington Redskins.

The Jets, despite being headquartered in Florham Park and sharing MetLife Stadium with the Giants, claim only a small portion of Long Island as fans' top team in the Facebook analysis.

So, Boro and Beach football fans, who are you rooting for?

Related Topics: 49ers, Baltimore, Beach, Boro, Football, Point Beach, Point Pleasant Borough, Ravens, San Francisco, and Super Bowl

Laura Ann

9:14 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013

N.Y. Jets and N.Y. Giants fan here...no way Philly Eagles...no no no. LOL

Reply

mr t

10:50 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013

lets go san francisco please beat the baltimorons and put an end to ray ray lewis finding god.

Reply

Cathy Connett

11:50 am on Sunday, February 3, 2013

Go 49ers.. Went to giants game against Baltimore and fans were rude. Loyal blue fan. Hope ravens get taken out and the truth about Ray Lewis crime is revealed.

Reply

mr fiftyeight

3:32 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013

life time steeler fan and i have never seen ray lewis,kneel or bless himself before a game.we all would like to know where he found god in just three weeks during playoffs. ray your aphony. go niners!!!!!!!!

Reply

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