Things have been on a precipitous decline for the 49ers ever since head coach Jim Harbaugh was let go at the end of the 2014 season, but Friday’s news may be an indicator that the franchise has officially hit rock bottom.
The 49ers ranked dead last in ESPN’s 2016 Ultimate Standings, which rates every professional team in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL on a variety of factors.
San Francisco finished 122nd out of 122, dropping 76 positions from last season’s rankings. According to the standings, which are based on a combination of calculations and fan voting, the Niners have the worst fan relations of any team in the United States. Other notable rankings include finishing 118th in ownership, 113th in coaching, 116th in players, 117th in affordability, 105th in stadium experience and 113th in “bang for buck.”
The Giants finished as the Bay Area’s highest-ranking team at 18th overall and fifth in the MLB, with the San Jose Sharks finishing second highest at 30th, surprisingly edging out the Golden State Warriors who ranked 33rd and 10th amongst NBA teams. Both Oakland teams finished toward the bottom of the list with the Raiders coming in at 85th overall and the A’s finishing 115th and last amongst teams in major league baseball.