How passionate are Alabama basketball fans? New data from Nielsen reveals some insight.
According to the "Nielsen Scarborough Fandom Index," released on Tuesday by the media audience research firm, the Crimson Tide play in one of the top college basketball markets in the country.
Nielsen's data lists the Birmingham market, which includes Alabama and UAB, at No. 6 nationally among both men's and women's college basketball programs. The Birmingham market's fandom index score of 185 ranks one spot below Indianapolis (Butler, Purdue, Indiana) at No. 5 and one spot above Omaha (Creighton, Nebraska).
Three other SEC television markets placed in Nielsen's top 10. Led by Lexington, Kentucky (289 fandom index score) at No. 1, Birmingham ranked ahead of
Knoxville, Tennessee (178) at No. 8 and Kansas City, Missouri (173) at No. 9.
Two other SEC markets placed in Nielsen's top 20: Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas was No. 14 and Oklahoma City was No. 19.
Per Danielle Lerner, a national sports enterprise reporter for USA TODAY:
"The index was created by analyzing data across seven metrics: apparel purchases, event attendance, streaming, social media following, TV viewership, radio listening, and overall interest level."
She added:
"While larger media hubs like Los Angeles, Houston and Atlanta didn't make the list, smaller markets such as Birmingham and Knoxville did because their merchandise sales outpaced TV viewership."
Nate Oats' Crimson Tide opened the 2026-27 regular season with a 96-74 win over Sam Houston on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum. London Jemison and Drew Fielder led Alabama with 15 points. Freshman Tarris Bouie added 13 points and Amari Allen finished with 12.
Alabama women's basketball and first-year coach Pauline Love opened its season with a 92-56 win over Queens University on Monday and followed with a 118-45 win over LSU New Orleans Wednesday. Eight players finished in double figures for the Tide against the Privateers, including Alayna West with a game-high 17 points.
Alabama men's basketball schedule 2026-27
All start times Central.
- Nov. 3: vs. Sam Houston Bearkats (W, 96-74)
- Nov. 6: vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
- Nov. 9: vs. Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
- Nov. 13: vs. Seton Hall Pirates, 8 p.m., SEC Network
- Nov. 17: vs. Kennesaw State Owls, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
- Nov. 24: vs. Baylor Bears (Las Vegas), 9 p.m., ESPN
- Nov. 26: TBA (Las Vegas)
- Nov. 27-28: TBA (Las Vegas)
- Dec. 2: at Miami Hurricanes, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
- Dec. 8: vs. Houston Cougars (New York), 5:30 p.m., ESPN
- Dec. 12: vs. St. John's Red Storm (Birmingham), 2:30 p.m., ESPN
- Dec. 16: at South Florida Bulls, 6 p.m., ESPN2
- Dec. 21: at Iowa Hawkeyes, 6 p.m., Peacock
- Dec. 29: vs. Samford Bulldogs, 9 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 2: at Mississippi State Bulldogs, 5 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 5: vs. LSU Tigers, 6 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 9: at Arkansas Razorbacks, 1 p.m., ESPN2
- Jan. 13: vs. Ole Miss Rebels, 8 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 16: vs. Florida Gators, 1 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
- Jan. 20: at South Carolina Gamecocks, 5 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 23: vs. Oklahoma Sooners, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 26: at Missouri Tigers, 8 p.m., ESPN
- Jan. 30: vs. Auburn Tigers, 5 or 5:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
- Feb. 6: at Kentucky Wildcats, 1 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
- Feb. 9: at Texas Longhorns, 6 p.m., ESPN
- Feb. 13: vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., ESPN2
- Feb. 16: vs. Mississippi State, 8 p.m., SEC Network
- Jan. 20: at Tennessee Volunteers, 1 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
- Feb. 23: at Texas A&M Aggies, 8 p.m., SEC Network
- Feb. 27: vs. Vanderbilt Commodores, 7:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
- March 3: vs. Georgia Bulldogs, 6 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU
- March 6: at Auburn, 5 p.m., SEC Network
Record: 1-0.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: New data shows Alabama basketball among best college hoops fan bases
