"crowd of fans" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, you might write: "A large crowd of fans gathered to see the band perform."
A crowd of fans watch Jaden Smith perform.
An inebriated crowd of fans followed his lead, losing rhythm and balance with every sip.
A crowd of fans and reporters met his ship at the dock.
Eventually, the crowd of fans around the stadium entered, took seats, and the game began.
As her motorcade swept in, a rapturous crowd of fans cheered.
Here in this crowd of fans from across Europe and beyond there is weeping at "Comfortably Numb".
At a car race, a small, exuberant crowd of fans waited to catch a glimpse of him.
"Everyone in Vegas, there's a new girl in town," she told the crowd of fans gathered inside the casino.
Now he has a shiny limo, a herd of lens-tumescent paparazzi and a crowd of fans waiting for him.
The following afternoon, at Alice Tully Hall, the dusky-voiced contralto Ewa Podles´ mesmerized a crowd of fans with selections of Rachmaninoff and Mussorgsky.
The shortstop, who insists "I'm fine" after he dives face-first into a crowd of fans, does not like to sit.
