Poll: Cubs 4th Most Popular Team, White Sox 16th
(CBS) The Chicago Cubs might have the second worst record in baseball and be 12 games back in the NL Central, but there's one metric that has them near the top of the league, and that's popularity.
In a recent Harris Interactive poll, the Cubs were named the fourth most popular team in the league, coming in behind the Yankees, Red Sox and Braves. The White Sox were voted the 16th most poplar team.
Harris conducted its survey online within the United States June 13 to 20, 2011. Of the 2,163 adults (aged 18 and over) that were surveyed, 754 indicated that they followed Major League Baseball. The responses of those 754 led to the results.
Over the last nine seasons the Cubs have made the playoffs only three times, but that hasn't effected their popularity. Over that same time period, their lowest popularity rank was 7th in 2003, and their highest rank, second, came a season later in 2004.
The same can't be said about the White Sox, however. In 2003 and 2004, Harris Interactive listed them as the 27th most popular team, but their success in 2005 saw that number jump to 10th. Only twice since winning the World Series have the White Sox been below 15th in the rankings: this season and in 2007.
Respondents were also asked to predict the 2011 World Series Champion. The Cubs received four percent of the vote and the White Sox received one percent.
