Bill Simmons proclaims Columbus Blue Jackets ‘most irrelevant franchise in professional sports’
November 19, 2025
Bill Simmons proclaims Columbus Blue Jackets ‘most irrelevant franchise in professional sports’
33 comments
And who is he?
They got an ESPN article though
There are a lot of MLS teams i rank lower.
There are a lot of NBA teams i rank lower.
There are many WNBA teams i rank lower.
That’s just like his irrelevant opinion.
Based on the teams I forget when it comes to sports trivia, he might be right.
They are the lowest valued team in the NHL.
Even the Oakland A’s are a higher valued team……
About 17 years ago I was working at McGill University in Montreal, and I had tickets to a Habs-Jackets game that night. One of my co-workers at the time was a woman originally from Ghana, whose parents immigrated to Columbus when she was young. She was a student but got a student job in our office. She was a big sports fan who could talk my ear off about the NBA, NFL, college football.
That day at work I mentioned to her, “Hey, by the way, I’m going to see the Canadiens against the Blue Jackets tonight.”
“…the Blue Jackets?”
“Yeah, the hockey team from your town, Columbus!”
“…Columbus *does not have a hockey team*, unless maybe you mean Ohio State?”
“Nope, I’m talking about the Columbus Blue Jackets, who play in the National Hockey League, against such teams as the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and, yes, the Montreal Canadiens.”
*side eyeing me*: “…I’m gonna have to investigate this.”
Has he heard of the Arizona Coyotes?
Oh, wait…
I remember their 16-game winning streak back in 2016. They played the Wild, who was on a similar winning streak, on New Years Eve. It felt like a playoff game.
Columbus was extremely relevant in my life/fandom when they swept the Lightning in the first round of the 2019 playoffs
Really not trying to hate at all and I wouldn’t call them irrelevant, but IMO that is the single worst logo in pro sports. May not seem like a big deal but that’s not going to do you any favors popularity wise.
I don’t mind Bill but he is not a hockey guy and has a way of being really arrogant at times. I’m guessing he just has a beef with Columbus for whatever reason.
This is dumb as hell
He’s clearly never heard of the Nashville Predators
There are NUMEROUS WNBA and MLS teams that are more irrelevant. I’d name them if I knew who they were.
RIP Johnny Gaudreau. But I kinda have to agree. Even though they’ve had some pretty sick teams , like this year they’ve got a team that should win many games.
All they need to do is switch to the Cannon logo
Ahem… Pittsburgh Pirates would like a word.
I wonder is the Lighting think they’re irrelevant.
It was a mailbag episode the listener who wrote in made the claim and bill just kind of agreed with it. It’s not the craziest take, of the big 4.
Damn yall pressed about this one
Nashville exist, sorry
I actually think they are fun to watch and I am an Avs fan.
The fact they forgot about the Chicago White Sox says everything here imo
Sadly he’s right
He’s knows the Flyers exist right? And say that as a former die hard fan.
And they still beat the leafs.
It’s not even a knock against Columbus.
I assume he’s only considering NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL.
If theyre going up against those leagues, given their lack of material success, he’s probably right.
At the same time, it’s a great market and very solid fan base.
Who cares what Bill Simmons says
Columbus Blue Jackets have suffered the fate of consistently being mid, and getting the 3-7 pick when they suck,
They’ve desperately needed a real face of the league type star and it’s never materialized.
Spot on
I know the Blue Jackets, I don’t know this Bill guy
It doesn’t help that they’ve always been just horrible.
The only thing I know about the Blue Jackets is that it’s the place where Nathan Horton went to hide out after Tyler Seguin was finished fooling around with Horton’s wife. I guess they also play hockey.
When it comes to irrelevance, then the Blue Jackets and Bill have a lot in common.
33 comments
And who is he?
They got an ESPN article though
There are a lot of MLS teams i rank lower.
There are a lot of NBA teams i rank lower.
There are many WNBA teams i rank lower.
That’s just like his irrelevant opinion.
Based on the teams I forget when it comes to sports trivia, he might be right.
They are the lowest valued team in the NHL.
Even the Oakland A’s are a higher valued team……
About 17 years ago I was working at McGill University in Montreal, and I had tickets to a Habs-Jackets game that night. One of my co-workers at the time was a woman originally from Ghana, whose parents immigrated to Columbus when she was young. She was a student but got a student job in our office. She was a big sports fan who could talk my ear off about the NBA, NFL, college football.
That day at work I mentioned to her, “Hey, by the way, I’m going to see the Canadiens against the Blue Jackets tonight.”
“…the Blue Jackets?”
“Yeah, the hockey team from your town, Columbus!”
“…Columbus *does not have a hockey team*, unless maybe you mean Ohio State?”
“Nope, I’m talking about the Columbus Blue Jackets, who play in the National Hockey League, against such teams as the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and, yes, the Montreal Canadiens.”
*side eyeing me*: “…I’m gonna have to investigate this.”
Has he heard of the Arizona Coyotes?
Oh, wait…
I remember their 16-game winning streak back in 2016. They played the Wild, who was on a similar winning streak, on New Years Eve. It felt like a playoff game.
Columbus was extremely relevant in my life/fandom when they swept the Lightning in the first round of the 2019 playoffs
Really not trying to hate at all and I wouldn’t call them irrelevant, but IMO that is the single worst logo in pro sports. May not seem like a big deal but that’s not going to do you any favors popularity wise.
I don’t mind Bill but he is not a hockey guy and has a way of being really arrogant at times. I’m guessing he just has a beef with Columbus for whatever reason.
This is dumb as hell
He’s clearly never heard of the Nashville Predators
There are NUMEROUS WNBA and MLS teams that are more irrelevant. I’d name them if I knew who they were.
RIP Johnny Gaudreau. But I kinda have to agree. Even though they’ve had some pretty sick teams , like this year they’ve got a team that should win many games.
All they need to do is switch to the Cannon logo
Ahem… Pittsburgh Pirates would like a word.
I wonder is the Lighting think they’re irrelevant.
It was a mailbag episode the listener who wrote in made the claim and bill just kind of agreed with it. It’s not the craziest take, of the big 4.
Damn yall pressed about this one
Nashville exist, sorry
I actually think they are fun to watch and I am an Avs fan.
The fact they forgot about the Chicago White Sox says everything here imo
Sadly he’s right
He’s knows the Flyers exist right? And say that as a former die hard fan.
And they still beat the leafs.
It’s not even a knock against Columbus.
I assume he’s only considering NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL.
If theyre going up against those leagues, given their lack of material success, he’s probably right.
At the same time, it’s a great market and very solid fan base.
Who cares what Bill Simmons says
Columbus Blue Jackets have suffered the fate of consistently being mid, and getting the 3-7 pick when they suck,
They’ve desperately needed a real face of the league type star and it’s never materialized.
Spot on
I know the Blue Jackets, I don’t know this Bill guy
It doesn’t help that they’ve always been just horrible.
The only thing I know about the Blue Jackets is that it’s the place where Nathan Horton went to hide out after Tyler Seguin was finished fooling around with Horton’s wife. I guess they also play hockey.
When it comes to irrelevance, then the Blue Jackets and Bill have a lot in common.