ESPN says the Spurs are #1.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?id=2248555
http://members.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0212/084.html
The Spurs, as of November of 2006, are also the 2nd most winningest franchise in NBA history after the Lakers in terms of winning percentage having past the fabled Boston Celtics.
So I refute your answer Coyotefan.
SportsNation's criteria is a joke. Championships won is worth a grand total of 5.5%, compared to the all important "stadium experience" category which is worth almost double that at 9.9%, not to mention the very ominous ownership category at 14.8%. SportsNation defines the "stadium experience" category as the "friendliness of environment and quality of game day promotions." Sorry, I had no idea that bobbleheads were more important than titles. Its also out of date, considering that it was posted back in 2005.
Riddle me this, how come the Arizona Diamondbacks are ranked second in the championships category when they have a single title which was back in 2001? That makes zero sense whatsoever, and is just one of the many ridiculous notions asserted in the "Ultimate Standings." Going back to the Championships category I absolutely love this part, "CHA (Championships): Titles already won or
expected -- soon." Why in the world should "expected" titles count for anything in the first place? The only team I've ever seen hang a banner for an "almost title" was the 1994 Montreal Expos.
Since somebody asked, here are five teams which I firmly believe can and should be considered at this point better franchises in all of sports than the Spurs. Note: these are not the only teams I would place ahead of the Spurs, nor are these teams listed in any specific order. These are also not what I would consider the top five franchises in all of sports, just five that are coming to mind at the moment. Also, this one's important: in my criteria I consider all of current success, recent success, and historical success to be vital when talking about the best franchises in all of sports. In other words, a recent title or so isn't enough if the franchise hadn't done squat to that prior, nor is a bunch of championships back in the sixties going to cut it either.
New York Yankees - I can't stand the Yankees, I can't stand Steinbrenner, and I can't stand what the team has done to baseball. Nevertheless, the results speak for themselves. They are the only team in North America where second place is considered failure and it is like that for every single year in every single decade. When people think of dominance in sports, the Yankee logo is often the first thing that pops into their mind.
Detroit Pistons - Remember, I am considering three types of success: current, recent, and historic. They're by far the current best team in the east, they obviously have the recent title, and the 80s dynasty certainly counts under the historic category. Thus by my count, they're three for three.
Manchester United - You mean there are teams outside of the United States? Yes, there are. I won't give you a laundry list of their accomplishments as everybody here is capable of wiki-ing that for themselves. Manchester United summed up in one word is this: legacy. Forget about sports, the Man U crest is one of the most recognized brands on the entire planet. They are one of the few teams that transcends sports and has entire legions of supporters (and haters) in almost every portion of the globe. I won't add any more Euro soccer teams since this is a predominantly US board, but suffice to say there are more that I would put in before the Spurs if we're discussing the top franchises in all of sports. If you excuse me, I'm pretty sure I'll be getting some hate mail from Chelsea and Liverpool fans now.
Montreal Canadiens - I am fully aware they haven't had a championship since 1993, but consider this: there are something like four hundred names of former Montreal players etched on Lord Stanley's Cup. Twenty Four rings in all (second only to the Yankees in North American titles, I believe), and they rarely ice a team that isn't competitive. That is a type of both longevity and dominance that I simply can't ignore.
New England Patriots - Even though in decades prior they had done very little, the Pats turned a team in a league driven by parity into a dynasty. Being able to do so in this age of the NFL is what separates them from their brethren of other leagues. They have managed to pull off one of the more impressive sports feats in recent memory. I didn't and don't consider what lies in the future in my evaluations, but it appears that these guys aren't done yet - they look to be poised for deep runs for the rest of the decade.
There's five right there, and I don't believe that is an inclusive five. So yes, I refute your answer Man In Black.
Agreed.
