Do Recent Knicks, Arsenal Parades Crack the All-Time List?

Only in championship parades do you have something that actually feels like it’s crossing out of sports, moving into life itself. Part celebration, part street party, and part emotional outburst. 

For cities and fans who have been waiting for a championship for what feels like ages, the parade can dwarf the actual accomplishment. With the New York Knicks ending a 53-year wait to win the NBA Finals in 2026, 2 million fans would flood into Manhattan. 

Arsenal would meanwhile break a 22-year wait to finally win the Premier League and paint north London red and white. 

These celebrations do raise the question, though: Which are the best sports parades of all time?

What makes a parade "big"?

But the biggest parades are about more than just sheer numbers. Sure, the Knicks apparently pulled 2 million fans - but if it were 1.8 or 2.2 million, does that really matter? What a parade about the end of a 108-year curse becomes is less of an event and more of a religious pilgrimage. 

There is no catharsis like a deep, sustained suffering. 

You need city-specific style; for example, the Canyon of Heroes in New York City, the lakefront parade route in Chicago, or the quiet northern streets of London.

1. 2016 Chicago Cubs - the undisputed king

An estimated five million Cubs fans filled the streets, which is more people than many states; after 108 years of heartache, it was finally time for the Cubs to provide an exciting end to their long-awaited championship season with an outstanding parade, approximately seven miles from Wrigley Field through downtown Chicago and culminating in Grant Park, to have an opportunity for all the fans to celebrate and put to rest the past with the last ceremonial event.

2. Argentina 2022 - a national frenzy

Approximately four million individuals took to the streets of Buenos Aires in celebration as Argentina claimed the 2022 World Cup trophy following an exhilarating victory in the finals over France through a penalty shootout. Messi holding the trophy with tears of joy in his eyes will forever remain an iconic image in history.

3. 1998 New York Yankees - dynastic dominance

The ‘98 New York Yankees won an incredible 125 total games (including regular season and playoffs), which remains in history as the most ever; they estimated that between 3 and 3.5 million fans attended their parade through the Canyon of Heroes, primarily to witness greatness compared to breaking a curse.

4. 2026 New York Knicks - a 53-year release

Fans of the newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks were out in record numbers on June 14th, 2026, after their historic victory in the NBA Finals. An estimated 2 million fans attended to celebrate the team’s championship in Manhattan, making it the third-largest championship parade in history. Generational support by Knicks fans over multiple decades was shown through the record-style turnout; it was evident during this incredible celebration that the Knicks were finally back to being a powerhouse of the league!

5. 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers: A City Reborn

Approximately 1.3 million people attended the Cavaliers' parade, which was over 50% of the entire population of Cleveland. However, there is more to it than just the attendance numbers. The Cavaliers got the city of Cleveland its first major championship after over 50 years of heartbreak and disappointment due to some very agonizing events known as The Drive, The Fumble, and The Decision. And after the Cavaliers came back from being down 3 to 1 against a Golden State Warriors team that won 73 games, I have never seen anything like the emotion of that moment in my life.

Where would the Knicks rank?

The Knicks collectively rank as the third-largest championship parade in history. The sheer scale of the Knicks' parade transformed Manhattan into one giant celebration! They surpass many iconic championship parades to claim this place on the podium for doing so. Also, since the Cubs and Yankees own the first and second places, they now rank among the most revered professional teams in history based upon their collective impact on sports.

Where would Arsenal rank?

Thousands of supporters made their way through to North London, creating a sea of red and white as they celebrated not only winning the Men's Premier League but also winning the Women's UEFA Champions League! 

From a numbers standpoint, Arsenal are just outside the top 5, with 1.5 million fans coming out for the festivities. However, from a cultural and emotional standpoint, they rank right up there with the best of them! This was a remarkable cultural event on a massive scale, and to be honest, the majority of the sports betting sites said they never stood a chance. 

The Premier League is the most viewed domestic league in the world, and because of this, combined with the size of Arsenal's global fanbase, it led to a celebration that was felt around the world. This also made this celebration a very personal, individual experience for every Arsenal fan, with the success of the club ending a 22-wait for a Premier League title.

Why fans care about parade size

We fixate on these metrics not solely as measures of victory but also because they provide confirmation of our obsession. A huge street celebration sends the message: "My town is top dog." Stadium fans will demonstrate that they can outshine other teams' fan bases by virtue of their willingness to support their team for such an extended period of time. 

Final thoughts

Whether it's the Cubs celebrating their century-end parade, the Knicks harvesting their long-awaited parade victory, or Arsenal releasing all of their emotion through their north London celebration, there is something very deep about all of these parades when viewed through the lens of a sports fan. 

So what really makes a huge sports parade, well, huge? The numbers do make the headlines, but when it comes down to it, what elevates the parade from a large sports parade to a legendary sports parade is the emotion, the pride of the city, and the history that has been overcome.