To say that Americans love sports is an understatement. Sports are so prevalent that 59% of all adults claim to be sports fans. People value sports as much for their personal and social benefits as for the thrill and drama of the game.
Americans also spend a lot of money on sports every year. The North American sports industry is expected to reach a value of $83.1 billion in 2023, with money coming from ticket and merchandise sales, media rights and sponsorship fees. That’s not mentioning the lucrative fantasy-sports market in North America with over 60 million players. And the eSports (competitive video games) industry is expected to reach $1.8 billion in global market value this year.
The increasingly mobile-oriented ways we consume sports and rising premium-seat demand are partly responsible for the significant industry growth. Today, Americans can read sports news on their phone or tablet and ditch the bleachers for ultra hi-def TVs that seem to get bigger every year. But many serious fans still prefer live action — and the best seats in the house. In response, sports venues are improving their facilities to enhance the in-person viewing experience.
In search of the best sports cities from the fan’s perspective, WalletHub compared 392 cities across more than 50 key metrics related to the five largest sports in the U.S.: football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.
Main Findings
Best Sports Cities
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
If a particular sport was not represented at the NCAA and/or professional level, the rank 450 was attributed by default.
Top 10 Cities for Football Fans
- 1. Pittsburgh, PA
- 2. Dallas, TX
- 3. Green Bay, WI
- 4. Boston, MA
- 5. Los Angeles, CA
- 6. New York, NY
- 7. Miami, FL
- 8. New Orleans, LA
- 9. Cincinnati, OH
- 10. Indianapolis, IN
Top 10 Cities for Basketball Fans
- 1. Los Angeles, CA
- 2. Boston, MA
- 3. Salt Lake City, UT
- 4. San Francisco, CA
- 5. Philadelphia, PA
- 6. Miami, FL
- 7. San Antonio, TX
- 8. Washington, DC
- 9. Houston, TX
- 10. Oklahoma City, OK
Top 10 Cities for Baseball Fans
- 1. New York, NY
- 2. St. Louis, MO
- 3. Los Angeles, CA
- 4. Atlanta, GA
- 5. Boston, MA
- 6. Chicago, IL
- 7. Cincinnati, OH
- 8. San Francisco, CA
- 9. Minneapolis, MN
- 10. Oakland, CA
Top 10 Cities for Hockey Fans
- 1. Boston, MA
- 2. Pittsburgh, PA
- 3. Detroit, MI
- 4. St. Louis, MO
- 5. New York, NY
- 6. Denver, CO
- 7. Buffalo, NY
- 8. Tampa, FL
- 9. Newark, NJ
- 10. Sunrise, FL
Top 10 Cities for Soccer Fans
- 1. Los, Angeles, CA
- 2. Seattle, WA
- 3. Portland, OR
- 4.Orlando, FL
- 5. Kansas City, MO
- 6. Washington, DC
- 7. New York, NY
- 8. Atlanta, GA
- 9. Salt Lake City, UT
- 10. St. Paul, MN
Show More
Ranking by City Size
| Rank (1=Best) |
Large Cities (Score) |
Rank (1=Best) |
Midsize Cities (Score) |
Rank (1=Best) |
Small Cities (Score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA (50.91) | 1 | Green Bay, WI (32.76) | 1 | Clemson, SC (22.57) |
| 2 | Boston, MA (50.88) | 2 | Buffalo, NY (30.44) | 2 | West Point, NY (19.46) |
| 3 | New York, NY (47.09) | 3 | Glendale, AZ (25.09) | 3 | Fayette, MS (19.43) |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA (46.48) | 4 | Salt Lake City, UT (22.56) | 4 | State College, PA (18.23) |
| 5 | Dallas, TX (42.38) | 5 | Tuscaloosa, AL (21.04) | 5 | Hanover, NH (17.86) |
| 6 | Miami, FL (38.84) | 6 | Orlando, FL (20.35) | 6 | Princeton, NJ (17.34) |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA (38.54) | 7 | Ann Arbor, MI (17.43) | 7 | Morgantown, WV (17.19) |
| 8 | Denver, CO (37.75) | 8 | Tallahassee, FL (16.96) | 8 | Buies Creek, NC (16.99) |
| 9 | Washington, DC (37.48) | 9 | Durham, NC (16.83) | 9 | Stanford, CA (16.89) |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA (37.34) | 10 | Baton Rouge, LA (16.72) | 10 | Stillwater, OK (16.63) |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA (36.58) | 11 | Fargo, ND (16.70) | 11 | East Lansing, MI (16.52) |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH (35.95) | 12 | Norman, OK (16.49) | 12 | Kingston, RI (16.03) |
| 13 | Seattle, WA (35.83) | 13 | Birmingham, AL (16.10) | 13 | Hamilton, NY (16.01) |
| 14 | Chicago, IL (34.55) | 14 | South Bend, IN (15.85) | 14 | Boone, NC (15.94) |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO (34.24) | 15 | Provo, UT (15.80) | 15 | Oxford, MS (15.45) |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN (33.23) | 16 | Cambridge, MA (15.32) | 16 | Chapel Hill, NC (15.41) |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN (32.52) | 17 | New Haven, CT (15.13) | 17 | Conway, SC (15.32) |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA (31.93) | 18 | Athens, GA (14.82) | 18 | Fairfield, CT (15.24) |
| 19 | Houston, TX (30.75) | 19 | Charleston, SC (14.08) | 19 | Starkville, MS (15.20) |
| 20 | Nashville, TN (29.97) | 20 | Greensboro, NC (14.00) | 20 | Lynchburg, VA (15.20) |
| 21 | Baltimore, MD (29.69) | 21 | Norfolk, VA (13.55) | 21 | College Park, MD (15.19) |
| 22 | Detroit, MI (29.67) | 22 | Worcester, MA (13.54) | 22 | Grambling, LA (15.19) |
| 23 | Cleveland, OH (28.49) | 23 | Tempe, AZ (13.50) | 23 | Huntington, WV (15.16) |
| 24 | Tampa, FL (27.30) | 24 | Jackson, MS (13.46) | 24 | Statesboro, GA (14.99) |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV (27.27) | 25 | Toledo, OH (13.39) | 25 | Charlottesville, VA (14.98) |
| 26 | Charlotte, NC (26.31) | 26 | Richmond, VA (13.36) | 26 | Annapolis, MD (14.70) |
| 27 | Portland, OR (20.39) | 27 | Lafayette, LA (13.28) | 27 | Richmond, KY (14.60) |
| 28 | Jacksonville, FL (20.34) | 28 | Eugene, OR (13.26) | 28 | Jacksonville, AL (14.57) |
| 29 | San Antonio, TX (19.58) | 29 | Dayton, OH (12.92) | 29 | Williamsburg, VA (14.54) |
| 30 | San Diego, CA (19.47) | 30 | Springfield, MO (12.86) | 30 | Itta Bena, MS (14.53) |
| 31 | Columbus, OH (19.01) | 31 | Winston-Salem, NC (12.72) | 31 | Harrisonburg, VA (14.47) |
| 32 | Memphis, TN (17.24) | 32 | Gainesville, FL (12.71) | 32 | Orono, ME (14.43) |
| 33 | San Jose, CA (16.42) | 33 | Berkeley, CA (12.65) | 33 | Lewisburg, PA (14.39) |
| 34 | Sacramento, CA (16.23) | 34 | Reno, NV (12.62) | 34 | Mount Pleasant, MI (14.32) |
| 35 | Tulsa, OK (15.94) | 35 | Des Moines, IA (12.41) | 35 | Greenville, SC (14.30) |
| 36 | Austin, TX (15.33) | 36 | Chattanooga, TN (12.19) | 36 | Iowa City, IA (14.28) |
| 37 | Louisville, KY (14.49) | 37 | Knoxville, TN (12.12) | 37 | Brookings, SD (14.23) |
| 38 | Colorado Springs, CO (14.33) | 38 | Abilene, TX (12.08) | 38 | Spartanburg, SC (14.11) |
| 39 | Albuquerque, NM (14.21) | 39 | Boise, ID (12.05) | 39 | Boiling Springs, NC (14.03) |
| 40 | Lexington, KY (13.55) | 40 | Murfreesboro, TN (11.91) | 40 | Kent, OH (13.91) |
| 41 | Fresno, CA (13.45) | 41 | Akron, OH (11.86) | 41 | Prairie View, TX (13.88) |
| 42 | Raleigh, NC (13.28) | 42 | Syracuse, NY (11.73) | 42 | Stony Brook, NY (13.79) |
| 43 | St. Louis, MO (13.01) | 43 | Columbia, SC (11.71) | 43 | Cullowhee, NC (13.75) |
| 44 | El Paso, TX (11.72) | 44 | College Station, TX (11.52) | 44 | Huntsville, TX (13.65) |
| 45 | Milwaukee, WI (11.57) | 45 | Columbia, MO (11.49) | 45 | Newark, DE (13.57) |
| 46 | Honolulu, HI (11.00) | 46 | Lubbock, TX (11.35) | 46 | Morehead, KY (13.50) |
| 47 | Fort Worth, TX (10.69) | 47 | Waco, TX (11.22) | 47 | Kennesaw, GA (13.49) |
| 48 | Tucson, AZ (10.37) | 48 | Clarksville, TN (11.22) | 48 | Ruston, LA (13.45) |
| 49 | Phoenix, AZ (9.98) | 49 | Mobile, AL (11.21) | 49 | Thibodaux, LA (13.33) |
| 50 | St. Paul, MN (9.26) | 50 | Macon, GA (11.10) | 50 | Athens, OH (13.30) |
| 51 | Oklahoma City, OK (7.53) | 51 | Greeley, CO (11.05) | 51 | Muncie, IN (13.27) |
| 52 | Arlington, TX (6.93) | 52 | Beaumont, TX (11.04) | 52 | Kalamazoo, MI (13.26) |
| 53 | Oakland, CA (5.92) | 53 | Denton, TX (10.86) | 53 | Fayetteville, AR (13.15) |
| 54 | Omaha, NE (5.52) | 54 | Madison, WI (10.82) | 54 | Oxford, OH (13.12) |
| 55 | Corpus Christi, TX (4.61) | 55 | Lincoln, NE (10.76) | 55 | West Lafayette, IN (13.02) |
| 56 | Riverside, CA (4.59) | 56 | Montgomery, AL (10.58) | 56 | Carbondale, IL (13.01) |
| 57 | Stockton, CA (4.56) | 57 | Huntsville, AL (10.41) | 57 | Elon, NC (12.98) |
| 58 | Long Beach, CA (4.16) | 58 | Providence, RI (10.28) | 58 | Normal, IL (12.92) |
| 59 | Bakersfield, CA (3.73) | 59 | Hampton, VA (9.90) | 59 | Bowling Green, OH (12.88) |
| 60 | Wichita, KS (3.69) | 60 | Boulder, CO (9.74) | 60 | Martin, TN (12.86) |
| 61 | Anaheim, CA (2.12) | 61 | Las Cruces, NM (9.65) | 61 | Murray, KY (12.84) |
| Info | Info | 62 | North Charleston, SC (9.21) | 62 | Troy, AL (12.81) |
| Info | Info | 63 | Fort Collins, CO (8.45) | 63 | Cape Girardeau, MO (12.79) |
| Info | Info | 64 | Newark, NJ (7.20) | 64 | Durham, NH (12.79) |
| Info | Info | 65 | St. Petersburg, FL (6.26) | 65 | Manhattan, KS (12.78) |
| Info | Info | 66 | Hartford, CT (6.22) | 66 | Cheney, WA (12.75) |
| Info | Info | 67 | Spokane, WA (5.91) | 67 | Loretto, PA (12.74) |
| Info | Info | 68 | Irvine, CA (5.71) | 68 | Bowling Green, KY (12.72) |
| Info | Info | 69 | Lowell, MA (5.60) | 69 | Cedar Falls, IA (12.71) |
| Info | Info | 70 | Fort Wayne, IN (5.21) | 70 | Ypsilanti, MI (12.70) |
| Info | Info | 71 | Peoria, IL (5.16) | 71 | Hammond, LA (12.68) |
| Info | Info | 72 | Fullerton, CA (3.87) | 72 | Corvallis, OR (12.63) |
| Info | Info | 73 | Little Rock, AR (3.84) | 73 | Lexington, VA (12.55) |
| Info | Info | 74 | High Point, NC (3.80) | 74 | Champaign, IL (12.55) |
| Info | Info | 75 | Wilmington, NC (3.77) | 75 | Bloomington, IN (12.54) |
| Info | Info | 76 | Santa Clara, CA (3.56) | 76 | Johnson City, TN (12.50) |
| Info | Info | 77 | Cary, NC (3.36) | 77 | North Andover, MA (12.46) |
| Info | Info | 78 | Evansville, IN (3.08) | 78 | DeKalb, IL (12.42) |
| Info | Info | 79 | Rochester, NY (2.74) | 79 | Amherst, MA (12.19) |
| Info | Info | 80 | Kansas City, KS (2.33) | 80 | Ogden, UT (12.16) |
| Info | Info | 81 | Jersey City, NJ (2.18) | 81 | Charleston, IL (12.14) |
| Info | Info | 82 | Davenport, IA (1.59) | 82 | Youngstown, OH (12.14) |
| Info | Info | 83 | Allentown, PA (1.58) | 83 | Davis, CA (12.13) |
| Info | Info | 84 | Cedar Rapids, IA (1.52) | 84 | Boca Raton, FL (12.11) |
| Info | Info | 85 | Amarillo, TX (1.45) | 85 | Terre Haute, IN (12.10) |
| Info | Info | 86 | Midland, TX (1.41) | 86 | Easton, PA (12.08) |
| Info | Info | 87 | Augusta, GA (1.41) | 87 | Poughkeepsie, NY (12.01) |
| Info | Info | 88 | Sugar Land, TX (1.39) | 87 | Bethlehem, PA (12.01) |
| Info | Info | 89 | Lakeland, FL (1.38) | 89 | Natchitoches, LA (11.99) |
| Info | Info | 90 | Port St. Lucie, FL (1.38) | 90 | San Luis Obispo, CA (11.94) |
| Info | Info | 91 | Modesto, CA (1.36) | 91 | Nacogdoches, TX (11.94) |
| Info | Info | 92 | Lansing, MI (1.35) | 92 | Lake Charles, LA (11.91) |
| Info | Info | 93 | Clearwater, FL (1.34) | 93 | Albany, NY (11.84) |
| Info | Info | 93 | Manchester, NH (1.34) | 94 | Florence, AL (11.82) |
| Info | Info | 95 | Tacoma, WA (1.32) | 95 | Evanston, IL (11.81) |
| Info | Info | 96 | Grand Rapids, MI (1.31) | 96 | Conway, AR (11.81) |
| Info | Info | 97 | Everett, WA (1.29) | 97 | Lawrence, KS (11.75) |
| Info | Info | 98 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (1.27) | 98 | Missoula, MT (11.74) |
| Info | Info | 99 | San Bernardino, CA (1.25) | 99 | Auburn, AL (11.73) |
| Info | Info | 100 | Round Rock, TX (1.21) | 100 | Orangeburg, SC (11.72) |
| Info | Info | 101 | Fayetteville, NC (1.20) | 101 | Pullman, WA (11.64) |
| Info | Info | 102 | Visalia, CA (1.19) | 102 | Greenville, NC (11.58) |
| Info | Info | 103 | Hillsboro, OR (1.19) | 103 | Blacksburg, VA (11.55) |
| Info | Info | 104 | Frisco, TX (1.08) | 104 | Monroe, LA (11.39) |
| Info | Info | 105 | Springfield, MA (0.75) | 105 | Jonesboro, AR (11.37) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 106 | DeLand, FL (11.35) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 107 | West Long Branch, NJ (11.34) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 108 | Daytona Beach, FL (11.31) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 109 | San Marcos, TX (11.28) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 110 | Grand Forks, ND (11.26) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 111 | Laramie, WY (11.14) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 112 | Towson, MD (11.12) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 113 | Bozeman, MT (11.00) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 114 | Hattiesburg, MS (10.95) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 115 | Cookeville, TN (10.87) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 116 | Ames, IA (10.77) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 117 | Clinton, SC (10.69) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 118 | Logan, UT (10.60) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 119 | Macomb, IL (10.31) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 120 | Vermillion, SD (10.13) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 121 | Flagstaff, AZ (10.08) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 122 | Moscow, ID (10.01) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 123 | Pine Bluff, AR (10.00) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 124 | Davidson, NC (9.89) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 125 | Cedar City, UT (9.70) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 126 | Dover, DE (9.31) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 127 | Ithaca, NY (9.12) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 128 | University Park, TX (8.86) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 129 | Smithfield, RI (8.66) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 130 | Pocatello, ID (8.56) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 131 | New Britain, CT (8.56) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 132 | Storrs, CT (8.52) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 133 | Valparaiso, IN (7.51) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 134 | Stephenville, TX (7.49) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 135 | East Hartford, CT (6.76) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 136 | Lewiston, NY (6.73) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 137 | Piscataway, NJ (6.55) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 138 | St. George, UT (5.80) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 139 | Binghamton, NY (5.35) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 140 | Emmitsburg, MD (5.20) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 140 | Fort Myers, FL (5.20) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 142 | Edinburg, TX (5.16) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 143 | Hempstead, NY (5.05) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 144 | Rock Hill, SC (5.01) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 145 | Highland Heights, KY (4.93) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 146 | Radford, VA (4.74) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 147 | Moraga, CA (4.67) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 148 | Malibu, CA (4.60) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 149 | Santa Barbara, CA (4.54) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 150 | New Brunswick, NJ (4.54) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 151 | Orem, UT (4.53) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 152 | Asheville, NC (4.41) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 153 | New Rochelle, NY (4.26) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 154 | Edwardsville, IL (4.20) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 155 | Fairfax, VA (4.11) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 156 | Princess Anne, MD (4.08) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 157 | Farmville, VA (3.94) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 158 | Long Branch, NJ (3.73) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 159 | Rochester Hills, MI (3.61) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 160 | Hackensack, NJ (3.54) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 161 | Trenton, NJ (3.49) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 162 | Burlington, VT (3.44) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 163 | Olean, NY (2.91) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 164 | Allegany, NY (2.53) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 165 | Sunrise, FL (2.38) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 166 | Coral Gables, FL (2.29) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 167 | Erie, PA (2.09) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 168 | Papillion, NE (1.99) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 169 | Zebulon, NC (1.95) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 170 | Fishkill, NY (1.91) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 171 | Salem, VA (1.83) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 172 | Palm Beach, FL (1.72) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 173 | Myrtle Beach, SC (1.64) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 174 | Appleton, WI (1.63) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 175 | Pearl, MS (1.60) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 176 | Aberdeen, MD (1.58) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 177 | Harrisburg, PA (1.57) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 178 | Fredericksburg, VA (1.55) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 179 | Pensacola, FL (1.54) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 180 | Reading, PA (1.51) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 181 | Eastlake, OH (1.51) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 182 | Altoona, PA (1.50) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 183 | West Sacramento, CA (1.50) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 184 | North Little Rock, AR (1.49) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 185 | Kinston, NC (1.49) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 186 | Portland, ME (1.48) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 187 | Salisbury, MD (1.45) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 188 | Scranton, PA (1.44) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 189 | Rome, GA (1.44) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 190 | Bridgewater, NJ (1.42) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 191 | Biloxi, MS (1.42) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 192 | Hickory, NC (1.39) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 193 | Bowie, MD (1.35) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 194 | Dunedin, FL (1.34) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 195 | Springdale, AR (1.30) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 196 | Midland, MI (1.30) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 196 | Pasco, WA (1.30) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 198 | Wilmington, DE (1.30) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 199 | Kannapolis, NC (1.29) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 200 | Leesburg, VA (1.29) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 201 | Madison, AL (1.28) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 202 | Bradenton, FL (1.28) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 203 | Lakewood, NJ (1.24) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 204 | Beloit, WI (1.18) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 205 | Houghton, MI (1.17) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 206 | Jupiter, FL (1.17) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 207 | Seaside, CA (1.16) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 208 | Lake Elsinore, CA (1.16) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 209 | Potsdam, NY (1.09) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 210 | Big Rapids, MI (0.95) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 211 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI (0.92) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 212 | Bemidji, MN (0.87) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 213 | Canton, NY (0.84) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 214 | Hamden, CT (0.84) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 215 | Lawrence, NJ (0.82) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 216 | Schenectady, NY (0.79) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 217 | Mankato, MN (0.74) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 218 | Duluth, MN (0.74) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 219 | Waltham, MA (0.68) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 220 | St. Cloud, MN (0.67) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 221 | Marquette, MI (0.65) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 222 | Troy, NY (0.63) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 223 | North Andover, MA (0.59) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 224 | Fairbanks, AK (0.53) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 225 | Rochester, MI (0.48) |
| Info | Info | Info | Info | 226 | South Orange Village, NJ (0.36) |
Ask the Experts
The sports industry will continue to grow both in terms of finances and fan base. We asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their insight on sports culture and advice on how cities can best accommodate fans. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What makes a good sports city?
- To what extent do sports teams reflect the cities they call home?
- To what extent are fantasy sports de-emphasizing the role of place in fandom?
- Attending a sporting event has never been more expensive — from tickets to parking to food. What are some tips to keep costs down when attending a game?
- Do publicly funded sports stadiums make fiscal sense for cities?
- How have improvements in in-home viewing affected the community nature of fandom? Are there any cities in which this is more prevalent than others?
Ask the Experts
Andrew C. Billings
Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting, Dept. of Journalism & Creative Media; Executive Director, Alabama Program in Sport Communication; Co-Editor, Communication & Sport; Affiliate Faculty, Department of Race and Gender Studies – The University of Alabama
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Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting, Dept. of Journalism & Creative Media; Executive Director, Alabama Program in Sport Communication; Co-Editor, Communication & Sport; Affiliate Faculty, Department of Race and Gender Studies – The University of Alabama
Read More
Michael A. DeLong
Professor, Sport Management – Keiser University Flagship
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Professor, Sport Management – Keiser University Flagship
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Dominique C. Kropp
Ph.D. – Teaching Professor, Sport Science and Management – Xavier University
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Ph.D. – Teaching Professor, Sport Science and Management – Xavier University
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Jonathan Casper
Ph.D. – Associate Professor and Sport Management Program Coordinator in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management in the College of Natural Resources– North Carolina State University
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Ph.D. – Associate Professor and Sport Management Program Coordinator in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management in the College of Natural Resources– North Carolina State University
Read More
Patrick McConnell
Associate Professor of Sports Media – High Point University
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Associate Professor of Sports Media – High Point University
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Methodology
In order to determine the best sports cities, WalletHub combined the results from its previous rankings listed below. Each sports category was assigned a weight corresponding with the total percentage of adults in the U.S. who claim to follow that particular sport, according to Gallup.
- Football Ranking (Overall) - Total Weight: 54 Percent
- Basketball Ranking (Overall) - Total Weight: 16 Percent
- Baseball Ranking (Overall) - Total Weight: 13 Percent
- Soccer Ranking (Overall) - Total Weight: 11 Percent
- Hockey Ranking (Overall) - Total Weight: 6 Percent
Each sports category was also graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for sports fans. Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all sports categories to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Our sample includes a total of 392 U.S. cities, categorized according to the following population-size guidelines:
- Large cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people
- Small cities: Fewer than 100,000 people
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, TN Bets, Team Marketing Report, ESPN, NCAA, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sports Reference, Forbes, Minute Media, Sports Business Journal, MLB Advanced Media, Minor League Baseball, YouGov, Sports Reference, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The National Collegiate Athletic Association, Forbes, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, NBA, NHL.com, U.S. College Hockey Online, TicketIQ, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, USL, Soccer Stadium Digest, FlashScore, Google Trends, National Soccer Hall of Fame and WalletHub analysis.
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