Once again, we've got maps that break down the proportion of Facebook fans of each of Sunday's conference championship teams to a county level. Now you know if you'll have to give your fellow sports bar patrons the side-eye.


Above is 49ers-Seahawks, and Seahawks fandom is almost strictly geographic. Aside from scattered 49th parallel bastions, Seattle has the advantage only in the Pacific Northwest—and not even all of it. The Niners claim all of northern California, as well as the Oregon counties just across the border.


It's easy—and probably accurate—to chalk this up to the 49ers' historical success. If you grew up in the '80s, you're much more likely to be a Niners bandwagoner. The Seahawks, until recently, have given frontrunners no reason to hop aboard.

Here's the map for Patriots-Broncos:

This one's more even, but it's just as geographically determined. The Patriots claim the more populous parts of the country: both coasts, Rust Belt, the Midwest, and the South. The Broncos get the Plains, the Rockies, the deserts, and—almost certainly because of Peyton Manning—Indiana.

There are oddities in both maps. Why do the Broncos win eastern Tennessee? What's with Seattle's noncontiguous support in Minnesota and Wisconsin. If you've got theories, share 'em. (Update: College. Duh.)