• MSNBC/AP, Tuesday, November 6, 2007 11:15 AM

The Pittsburgh Steelers ranked first among 122 team brands in an online survey of 12,000 sports fans in 47 markets nationwide. The team's brand has been "clearly defined" and "consistent for decades," while its ownership is widely perceived as genuine, says Len Perna, president and CEO of Turnkey Sports & Entertainment. Fans described the team's brand as "strong," "tough" and "hard-working," he says.

Behind the Steelers in the top 10 are the NFL's New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, NHL teams the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings, baseball clubs the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. The New York Yankees ranked 29th and the Dallas Cowboys 28th, though those teams had the top two out-of-market followings.

David Carter, a sports business professor at the University of Southern California, says the Steelers reflect Pittsburgh's sports- crazed population, which may be less transient than those elsewhere. "In other major cities, you have greater competition for the entertainment dollar," Carter says.

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