With spring training almost over and the Major League Baseball (MLB) about to start, the Atlanta Braves are the most popular team in Florida.
Public Policy Polling (PPP) released a new poll on Thursday which shows the Braves are the favorite team of 17 percent of Floridians. The New York Yankees continue to have a healthy following in the Sunshine State with 14 percent of those surveyed saying the Bronx Bombers are their No. 1 team.
Of the two teams based in Florida, the Miami Marlins edge the Tampa Bay Rays as the third most popular baseball team in the state. The poll shows 12 percent of those surveyed say the Marlins is their favorite team while 11 percent root for the Rays.
Other teams also have a strong following in Florida. The Boston Red Sox are the No. 1 team of 8 percent of those surveyed and, despite playing in Arizona for spring training, 6 percent of Floridians root for the Chicago Cubs. The Philadelphia Phillies are the favorite team of 3 percent of those surveyed while 2 percent cheer for the New York Mets.
More than a quarter of those surveyed -- 27 percent -- root for other teams or are those poor, benighted souls who live in invincible ignorance and do not like baseball.
Marlins fans are feeling upbeat about their teams chances in 2015 with 24 percent saying they expect the Miami team to win the World Series while 16 percent think they will reach it but lose to the American League champion. More than a third of Marlins fans -- 37 percent -- think their team will reach the playoffs but not make the World Series. Only 9 percent think the Marlins wont make the playoffs.
Rays fans are far less optimistic, with 14 percent thinking they will win the World Series while 14 percent think they will lose to the National League champion in it. Around a third -- 32 percent -- think the Rays will make the playoffs but not reach the World Series while almost that percentage -- 31 percent -- dont think the team will reach the playoffs.
The poll of 923 registered Florida voters was taken March 19-23 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
