The New Jersey Devils are once again best in class when it comes to New York and New Jersey professional sports teams. For the seventh consecutive year, the Devils have out-performed all area teams in ESPN The Magazine’s annual Fan Sourced Ultimate Franchise Standings.

The list combines the results of multiple fan surveys and calculations developed with Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center to rank the 122 teams in the NHL, MLB, NFL and NFL in eight categories: Affordability, Coaching, Fan Relations, Ownership, Players, Stadium Experience, Bang for the Buck and Title Track.

The Devils’ ranking is attributed to a number of high scores, specifically in Stadium Experience and Fan Relations. According to the report, the Devils “play in a pristine building, the 7-year-old Prudential Center, that provides a stadium experience superior to anything offered by their local rivals” and registered “a fan relations score in the top 25 percent of all pro sports franchises.”

"It’s an honor to serve the best fans in the NHL and we are proud that they call this team and building theirs," said Hugh Weber, President of Prudential Center and the New Jersey Devils. "Engaging our fans with the highest levels of service and personal connections will always be a value for this organization. We dedicated the offseason to making improvements in our concessions, game entertainment, training and event night services, and will strive to continually deliver world-class experiences to our guests."