Study Finds Wrestling Fans Smarter Than NBA, NFL, and NHL Counterparts

Wrestling fans have long battled the stereotype of being less-than-scholarly, but a new study just flipped the narrative on its head. According to research conducted by How To Bet, fans of professional wrestling scored the highest average IQ out of all major sports fanbases, coming in at an impressive 112.6.

The study measured the average IQ scores of fans across 12 different sports by testing over 1,500 individuals who self-identified as avid followers of a specific sport or team. While wrestling fans topped the list, fans of boxing, the NBA, and the NFL rounded out the top half of the rankings. Meanwhile, golf, F1, and MMA found themselves closer to the bottom.

Here's how the average IQ of each sport's fanbase measured up:

1. Wrestling – 112.6
2. Boxing – 101.4
3. NBA – 101.3
4. NFL – 100.2
5. NHL – 99.1
6. Baseball – 97.5
7. Golf – 96.3
8. Formula 1 – 95.9
9. MMA – 94.6

Wrestling fans weren’t just the most intelligent collectively; fans of specific wrestlers also cracked the list of the sharpest fanbases in all of sports.

Here are the Top 10 most intelligent fan bases, as per HowToBet:

1. Roman Reigns – 126.4
2. Daniel Bryan – 122.2
3. Boston Bruins – 120.3
4. Detroit Red Wings – 118.6
5. Houston Texans – 117.8
6. New York Rangers – 117.1
7. Randy Orton – 116.4
8. Chicago Bulls – 115.9
9. Boston Celtics – 115.3
10. LA Lakers – 114.6

The next time someone tries to clown on wrestling fans for loving body slams and backstage drama, just hit 'em with the numbers. We’re not just smart marks, we’re the smartest fans in sports.