ESPN named the Nashville Predators the best franchise in professional sports. The team is being hailed for their success both on and off the ice. “Nashville made the Stanley Cup Final while charging middle-of-the-pack ticket prices. Beyond that bang for the buck, the Preds deliver eye-popping customer service. In our most recent polls, Nashville topped all NHL clubs in engaging fans through social media, delivering information via mobile devices, making it easy to use the team website and providing avenues for feedback,” ESPN said. Predators CEO Sean Henry says this doesn’t happen without “the best fans in sports.” Henry continued, “We need to make more of them, we need to continue to grow that base, but our fans have taken it on in a very serious fashion that they own this organization, they’re part of the organization.” The Preds have grown in rankings over the past four seasons, including a sixth-place ranking in 2016, as well as the No. 2 spot in the NHL. Within that ranking in 2016, the Predators finished first overall in the categories of fan relations, affordability and stadium experience.