No matter what time of year it is, there is a sport that’s in season. Whether you prefer a sunny summer afternoon watching baseball or a chilly winter day watching football, the important thing is cheering your team on to victory.
Americans also spend a lot of money on sports every year. The U.S. sports franchise industry is expected to reach $39.6 billion in revenue this year, with money coming from ticket and merchandise sales, media rights, and sponsorship fees. Even with technology making major televised games accessible from anywhere, many serious fans still prefer live action — and the best seats in the house.
In search of the best sports cities from the fan’s perspective, WalletHub compared 397 cities across more than 50 key metrics related to the five largest sports in the U.S.: football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey.
Table of Contents
Main FindingsAn In-Depth Look at the Best CitiesRanking by City SizeAsk the ExpertsMethodology
Main Findings
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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.
An In-Depth Look at the Top Cities for 2023
Los Angeles
The City of Angels tops the list of the best sports cities this year because of its rich sports culture, numerous professional teams, and iconic stadiums and arenas. Some venues of note include Staples Center, Dodger Stadium, SoFi Stadium, BMO Stadium, and the Rose Bowl. They host professional teams across various sports, including two each in the NBA, MLB, MLS, and NFL.
For soccer fans, Los Angeles has some of the lowest season ticket prices in the country. On top of that, the city is home to several prominent colleges and universities, including UCLA and USC, providing even more opportunities for sports fans to enjoy the games they are most passionate about.
Green Bay, WI
Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the best midsize city for sports fans, with its deep-rooted and passionate sports culture, highlighted by the Green Bay Packers. The city is known for its enthusiastic fans and a passion for local football at all levels.
The Green Bay Packers are one of the most storied and successful franchises in the league's history, with the third-highest win percentage, 19 division championships and four Super Bowl titles. Nevertheless, attending a Packers game at the iconic Lambeau Field can be less expensive than games in some larger cities since the team’s nonprofit ownership structure helps keep ticket prices reasonable.
Clemson, SC
Clemson, South Carolina, is the best small city for sports fans, particularly for college sports enthusiasts. Clemson University strongly focuses on its athletic programs, including its highly successful football team, which has won 15 ACC conference championships since 1978 and three national titles. Their soccer and golf teams have also been highly successful.
A Clemson Tigers football game at Memorial Stadium, also known as “Death Valley,” is a unique and exhilarating experience, with many cherished game-day rituals, such as the “Tiger Walk” and the Howard’s Rock tradition. Die-hard Tigers fans pay more than most other college football fans for season tickets, though, with the lowest season ticket costing about $380 this year.
Top 10 Cities for Football Fans
- 1. Pittsburgh, PA
- 2. Green Bay, WI
- 3. Dallas, TX
- 4. Boston, MA
- 5. Los Angeles, CA
- 6. New York, NY
- 7. Miami, FL
- 8. Cincinnati, OH
- 9. New Orleans, LA
- 10. Kansas City, MO
Top 10 Cities for Basketball Fans
- 1. Los Angeles, CA
- 2. Boston, MA
- 3. San Francisco, CA
- 4. Philadelphia, PA
- 5. Salt Lake City, UT
- 6. Miami, FL
- 7. Washington, DC
- 8. New York, NY
- 9. San Antonio, TX
- 10. Atlanta, GA
Top 10 Cities for Baseball Fans
- 1. New York, NY
- 2. Los Angeles, CA
- 3. St. Louis, MO
- 4. Atlanta, GA
- 5. Boston, MA
- 6. Chicago, IL
- 7. San Francisco, CA
- 8. Cincinnati, OH
- 9. Minneapolis, MN
- 10. Cleveland, OH
Top 10 Cities for Hockey Fans
- 1. Boston, MA
- 2. Pittsburgh, PA
- 3. Detroit, MI
- 4. New York, NY
- 5. St. Louis, MO
- 6. Denver, CO
- 7. Tampa, FL
- 8. Newark, NJ
- 9. Sunrise, FL
- 10. Raleigh, NC
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. Miami, FL
- 8. Salt Lake City, UT
- 9. New York, NY
- 10. Atlanta, GA
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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 (52.58) | 1 | Green Bay, WI (31.18) | 1 | Clemson, SC (22.02) |
| 2 | Boston, MA (50.28) | 2 | Buffalo, NY (29.66) | 2 | Tuscaloosa, AL (21.50) |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA (45.93) | 3 | Glendale, AZ (23.74) | 3 | West Point, NY (20.01) |
| 4 | New York, NY (45.59) | 4 | Salt Lake City, UT (21.18) | 4 | Fayette, MS (19.78) |
| 5 | Dallas, TX (41.15) | 5 | Ann Arbor, MI (17.49) | 5 | State College, PA (18.12) |
| 6 | Miami, FL (39.45) | 6 | Durham, NC (17.23) | 6 | Stillwater, OK (17.91) |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA (39.30) | 7 | Baton Rouge, LA (16.79) | 7 | Buies Creek, NC (17.58) |
| 8 | Washington, DC (37.81) | 8 | Tallahassee, FL (16.61) | 8 | Morgantown, WV (17.57) |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA (36.35) | 9 | South Bend, IN (16.47) | 9 | Princeton, NJ (17.23) |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH (36.30) | 10 | Fargo, ND (16.34) | 10 | Stanford, CA (16.95) |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA (35.05) | 11 | Norman, OK (16.33) | 11 | Hanover, NH (16.83) |
| 12 | Denver, CO (34.75) | 12 | Dayton, OH (16.12) | 12 | Starkville, MS (16.35) |
| 13 | Seattle, WA (34.54) | 13 | Birmingham, AL (15.97) | 13 | East Lansing, MI (16.21) |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO (33.88) | 14 | New Haven, CT (15.93) | 14 | Conway, SC (16.18) |
| 15 | Chicago, IL (32.87) | 15 | Provo, UT (15.85) | 15 | Oxford, MS (16.08) |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN (32.03) | 16 | Athens, GA (15.49) | 16 | Kingston, RI (16.04) |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN (31.72) | 17 | Cambridge, MA (14.82) | 17 | Boone, NC (15.99) |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA (31.54) | 18 | Worcester, MA (14.33) | 18 | Grambling, LA (15.85) |
| 19 | Detroit, MI (30.28) | 19 | Richmond, VA (13.90) | 19 | College Park, MD (15.57) |
| 20 | Nashville, TN (28.94) | 20 | Charleston, SC (13.88) | 20 | Hamilton, NY (15.43) |
| 21 | Houston, TX (27.98) | 21 | Jackson, MS (13.79) | 21 | Jacksonville, AL (15.39) |
| 22 | Cleveland, OH (27.87) | 22 | Providence, RI (13.69) | 22 | Statesboro, GA (15.32) |
| 23 | Baltimore, MD (27.62) | 23 | Toledo, OH (13.66) | 23 | Lewisburg, PA (15.17) |
| 24 | Charlotte, NC (27.54) | 24 | Greensboro, NC (13.49) | 24 | Boiling Springs, NC (15.12) |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV (27.14) | 25 | Winston-Salem, NC (13.34) | 25 | Brookings, SD (15.07) |
| 26 | Tampa, FL (25.25) | 26 | Norfolk, VA (13.21) | 26 | Chapel Hill, NC (14.99) |
| 27 | St. Paul, MN (20.66) | 27 | Springfield, MO (13.04) | 27 | Lynchburg, VA (14.87) |
| 28 | San Diego, CA (20.21) | 28 | Tempe, AZ (13.01) | 28 | Huntington, WV (14.85) |
| 29 | San Antonio, TX (19.88) | 29 | Eugene, OR (12.98) | 29 | Itta Bena, MS (14.84) |
| 30 | Portland, OR (19.68) | 30 | Lafayette, LA (12.98) | 30 | Richmond, KY (14.75) |
| 31 | Columbus, OH (19.56) | 31 | Syracuse, NY (12.61) | 31 | Charlottesville, VA (14.69) |
| 32 | Orlando, FL (19.08) | 32 | Akron, OH (12.54) | 32 | Greenville, SC (14.66) |
| 33 | Jacksonville, FL (19.06) | 33 | Macon, GA (12.52) | 33 | Harrisonburg, VA (14.47) |
| 34 | Memphis, TN (17.05) | 34 | Reno, NV (12.50) | 33 | Cullowhee, NC (14.47) |
| 35 | Sacramento, CA (16.93) | 35 | Murfreesboro, TN (12.50) | 35 | Iowa City, IA (14.46) |
| 36 | San Jose, CA (16.73) | 36 | Chattanooga, TN (12.40) | 36 | Williamsburg, VA (14.39) |
| 37 | Tulsa, OK (16.03) | 37 | Mobile, AL (12.35) | 37 | Fairfield, CT (14.28) |
| 38 | St. Louis, MO (15.07) | 38 | Boise, ID (12.24) | 38 | Troy, AL (14.22) |
| 39 | Colorado Springs, CO (14.44) | 39 | Abilene, TX (12.19) | 39 | Kent, OH (14.20) |
| 40 | Louisville, KY (14.41) | 40 | Gainesville, FL (12.05) | 40 | Fayetteville, AR (14.13) |
| 41 | Raleigh, NC (14.05) | 41 | Des Moines, IA (12.02) | 41 | Morehead, KY (14.13) |
| 42 | Austin, TX (13.88) | 42 | Columbia, SC (11.98) | 42 | Loretto, PA (14.08) |
| 43 | Lexington, KY (13.76) | 43 | Lubbock, TX (11.91) | 43 | Orono, ME (14.08) |
| 44 | Fresno, CA (13.43) | 44 | Montgomery, AL (11.85) | 44 | St. Charles, MO (14.07) |
| 45 | Albuquerque, NM (13.41) | 45 | Berkeley, CA (11.78) | 45 | Mount Pleasant, MI (13.99) |
| 46 | El Paso, TX (12.45) | 46 | Lincoln, NE (11.78) | 46 | Newark, DE (13.87) |
| 47 | Milwaukee, WI (11.68) | 47 | Knoxville, TN (11.55) | 47 | Athens, OH (13.85) |
| 48 | Fort Worth, TX (11.67) | 48 | Clarksville, TN (11.51) | 48 | Carbondale, IL (13.84) |
| 49 | Tucson, AZ (10.73) | 49 | Denton, TX (11.12) | 49 | North Andover, MA (13.74) |
| 50 | Phoenix, AZ (10.54) | 50 | College Station, TX (11.09) | 50 | West Lafayette, IN (13.74) |
| 51 | Honolulu, HI (10.19) | 51 | Greeley, CO (10.98) | 51 | Huntsville, TX (13.73) |
| 52 | Oklahoma City, OK (7.53) | 52 | Columbia, MO (10.91) | 52 | Durham, NH (13.68) |
| 53 | Newark, NJ (7.15) | 53 | Madison, WI (10.59) | 53 | Annapolis, MD (13.66) |
| 54 | Arlington, TX (6.58) | 54 | Huntsville, AL (10.57) | 53 | Martin, TN (13.66) |
| 55 | Oakland, CA (5.53) | 55 | Waco, TX (10.43) | 55 | Ypsilanti, MI (13.65) |
| 56 | Omaha, NE (5.28) | 56 | Las Cruces, NM (10.29) | 56 | Prairie View, TX (13.64) |
| 57 | Riverside, CA (4.73) | 57 | Beaumont, TX (10.28) | 57 | Spartanburg, SC (13.63) |
| 58 | Corpus Christi, TX (4.54) | 58 | Hampton, VA (9.61) | 58 | Kalamazoo, MI (13.53) |
| 59 | Long Beach, CA (4.38) | 59 | North Charleston, SC (9.29) | 58 | Muncie, IN (13.53) |
| 60 | Stockton, CA (4.20) | 60 | Boulder, CO (9.13) | 60 | Hammond, LA (13.49) |
| 61 | Wichita, KS (3.91) | 61 | Fort Collins, CO (8.35) | 61 | Kennesaw, GA (13.41) |
| 62 | Bakersfield, CA (3.81) | 62 | St. Petersburg, FL (6.21) | 62 | Ruston, LA (13.40) |
| 63 | Anaheim, CA (2.24) | 63 | Spokane, WA (5.87) | 63 | Manhattan, KS (13.31) |
| 64 | Lowell, MA (5.46) | 64 | Stony Brook, NY (13.27) | ||
| 65 | Irvine, CA (5.45) | 65 | Elon, NC (13.25) | ||
| 66 | Hartford, CT (5.26) | 66 | Bowling Green, OH (13.20) | ||
| 67 | Fort Wayne, IN (5.15) | 67 | Ithaca, NY (13.11) | ||
| 68 | Peoria, IL (5.14) | 68 | Corvallis, OR (13.00) | ||
| 69 | Fullerton, CA (4.79) | 69 | Thibodaux, LA (13.00) | ||
| 70 | Santa Clara, CA (4.59) | 70 | Bowling Green, KY (12.99) | ||
| 71 | Wilmington, NC (4.14) | 71 | Cape Girardeau, MO (12.97) | ||
| 72 | Little Rock, AR (3.92) | 72 | Oxford, OH (12.89) | ||
| 73 | Evansville, IN (3.90) | 73 | Nacogdoches, TX (12.87) | ||
| 74 | High Point, NC (3.62) | 74 | Murray, KY (12.85) | ||
| 75 | Cary, NC (3.09) | 75 | Champaign, IL (12.83) | ||
| 76 | Kansas City, KS (2.91) | 76 | Cedar Falls, IA (12.81) | ||
| 77 | Jersey City, NJ (2.89) | 77 | Cheney, WA (12.79) | ||
| 78 | Rochester, NY (2.64) | 78 | Youngstown, OH (12.74) | ||
| 79 | Davenport, IA (1.53) | 79 | Davis, CA (12.64) | ||
| 80 | Port St. Lucie, FL (1.48) | 80 | Bloomington, IN (12.32) | ||
| 81 | Sugar Land, TX (1.48) | 81 | Normal, IL (12.27) | ||
| 82 | Amarillo, TX (1.47) | 82 | Lawrence, KS (12.25) | ||
| 83 | Allentown, PA (1.45) | 83 | Terre Haute, IN (12.24) | ||
| 84 | Cedar Rapids, IA (1.42) | 84 | DeKalb, IL (12.19) | ||
| 85 | Midland, TX (1.39) | 85 | Natchitoches, LA (12.19) | ||
| 86 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (1.34) | 86 | Amherst, MA (12.17) | ||
| 87 | Modesto, CA (1.34) | 87 | Lexington, VA (12.14) | ||
| 88 | Lakeland, FL (1.33) | 88 | Orangeburg, SC (12.05) | ||
| 89 | Clearwater, FL (1.33) | 89 | Albany, NY (12.02) | ||
| 90 | Augusta, GA (1.30) | 90 | Pullman, WA (11.94) | ||
| 91 | Tacoma, WA (1.30) | 91 | Stephenville, TX (11.94) | ||
| 91 | Grand Rapids, MI (1.30) | 92 | Greenville, NC (11.89) | ||
| 93 | Manchester, NH (1.29) | 93 | Ogden, UT (11.87) | ||
| 94 | Lansing, MI (1.23) | 94 | Conway, AR (11.85) | ||
| 95 | Fayetteville, NC (1.22) | 95 | Evanston, IL (11.79) | ||
| 96 | Round Rock, TX (1.20) | 96 | Monroe, LA (11.78) | ||
| 97 | San Bernardino, CA (1.19) | 97 | San Marcos, TX (11.76) | ||
| 98 | Everett, WA (1.19) | 98 | Boca Raton, FL (11.76) | ||
| 99 | Visalia, CA (1.15) | 99 | Bethlehem, PA (11.75) | ||
| 100 | Hillsboro, OR (1.14) | 99 | Missoula, MT (11.75) | ||
| 101 | Frisco, TX (1.06) | 101 | Poughkeepsie, NY (11.74) | ||
| 102 | Bridgeport, CT (0.77) | 102 | Johnson City, TN (11.69) | ||
| 103 | Springfield, MA (0.71) | 103 | San Luis Obispo, CA (11.68) | ||
| 104 | Anchorage, AK (0.58) | 104 | Charleston, IL (11.65) | ||
| 105 | Hattiesburg, MS (11.63) | ||||
| 106 | Lake Charles, LA (11.62) | ||||
| 107 | Easton, PA (11.62) | ||||
| 108 | Jonesboro, AR (11.61) | ||||
| 109 | Auburn, AL (11.60) | ||||
| 110 | Towson, MD (11.54) | ||||
| 111 | New Britain, CT (11.50) | ||||
| 112 | Blacksburg, VA (11.49) | ||||
| 113 | Bozeman, MT (11.47) | ||||
| 114 | Laramie, WY (11.31) | ||||
| 115 | Grand Forks, ND (11.22) | ||||
| 116 | Cookeville, TN (11.19) | ||||
| 117 | West Long Branch, NJ (11.12) | ||||
| 118 | Davidson, NC (10.99) | ||||
| 119 | DeLand, FL (10.77) | ||||
| 120 | Daytona Beach, FL (10.71) | ||||
| 121 | Ames, IA (10.65) | ||||
| 122 | Florence, AL (10.56) | ||||
| 123 | Moscow, ID (10.52) | ||||
| 124 | St. George, UT (10.44) | ||||
| 125 | Logan, UT (10.26) | ||||
| 126 | Clinton, SC (10.23) | ||||
| 127 | Vermillion, SD (10.23) | ||||
| 128 | Pine Bluff, AR (10.19) | ||||
| 129 | Flagstaff, AZ (10.06) | ||||
| 130 | Cedar City, UT (9.90) | ||||
| 131 | Commerce, TX (9.80) | ||||
| 132 | Macomb, IL (9.59) | ||||
| 133 | Dover, DE (9.54) | ||||
| 134 | Storrs, CT (8.77) | ||||
| 135 | Smithfield, RI (8.45) | ||||
| 136 | University Park, TX (8.30) | ||||
| 137 | Pocatello, ID (7.96) | ||||
| 138 | Valparaiso, IN (7.95) | ||||
| 139 | Easton, MA (7.84) | ||||
| 140 | East Hartford, CT (7.33) | ||||
| 141 | Lewiston, NY (7.22) | ||||
| 142 | Piscataway, NJ (6.36) | ||||
| 143 | Emmitsburg, MD (5.75) | ||||
| 144 | Fort Myers, FL (5.36) | ||||
| 145 | Binghamton, NY (5.34) | ||||
| 146 | Rock Hill, SC (5.16) | ||||
| 147 | Hempstead, NY (5.14) | ||||
| 148 | Edinburg, TX (5.13) | ||||
| 149 | Moraga, CA (4.90) | ||||
| 150 | Asheville, NC (4.87) | ||||
| 151 | New Brunswick, NJ (4.82) | ||||
| 152 | Highland Heights, KY (4.77) | ||||
| 153 | Farmville, VA (4.70) | ||||
| 154 | Malibu, CA (4.69) | ||||
| 155 | Orem, UT (4.53) | ||||
| 156 | Santa Barbara, CA (4.45) | ||||
| 157 | Radford, VA (4.39) | ||||
| 158 | Princess Anne, MD (4.31) | ||||
| 159 | Edwardsville, IL (4.23) | ||||
| 160 | New Rochelle, NY (4.18) | ||||
| 161 | Long Branch, NJ (3.65) | ||||
| 162 | Rochester Hills, MI (3.57) | ||||
| 163 | Burlington, VT (3.50) | ||||
| 163 | Fairfax, VA (3.50) | ||||
| 165 | Trenton, NJ (3.49) | ||||
| 166 | Hackensack, NJ (3.31) | ||||
| 167 | Olean, NY (2.95) | ||||
| 168 | Coral Gables, FL (2.62) | ||||
| 169 | Sunrise, FL (2.61) | ||||
| 170 | Allegany, NY (2.38) | ||||
| 171 | Erie, PA (2.04) | ||||
| 172 | Fishkill, NY (1.91) | ||||
| 173 | Papillion, NE (1.91) | ||||
| 174 | Zebulon, NC (1.83) | ||||
| 175 | Salem, VA (1.80) | ||||
| 176 | Bridgewater, NJ (1.75) | ||||
| 177 | Palm Beach, FL (1.71) | ||||
| 178 | Appleton, WI (1.65) | ||||
| 179 | Myrtle Beach, SC (1.61) | ||||
| 180 | North Little Rock, AR (1.60) | ||||
| 181 | Aberdeen, MD (1.57) | ||||
| 182 | Pearl, MS (1.55) | ||||
| 183 | Portland, ME (1.54) | ||||
| 183 | Eastlake, OH (1.54) | ||||
| 185 | Fredericksburg, VA (1.54) | ||||
| 186 | Pensacola, FL (1.49) | ||||
| 187 | Harrisburg, PA (1.49) | ||||
| 188 | Altoona, PA (1.45) | ||||
| 189 | West Sacramento, CA (1.44) | ||||
| 189 | Salisbury, MD (1.44) | ||||
| 191 | Kinston, NC (1.42) | ||||
| 192 | Reading, PA (1.41) | ||||
| 193 | Scranton, PA (1.39) | ||||
| 194 | Dunedin, FL (1.38) | ||||
| 195 | Biloxi, MS (1.37) | ||||
| 196 | Rome, GA (1.35) | ||||
| 197 | Lakewood, NJ (1.32) | ||||
| 198 | Hickory, NC (1.32) | ||||
| 199 | Bowie, MD (1.31) | ||||
| 200 | Springdale, AR (1.30) | ||||
| 201 | Wilmington, DE (1.29) | ||||
| 202 | Bradenton, FL (1.29) | ||||
| 203 | Midland, MI (1.29) | ||||
| 204 | Seaside, CA (1.29) | ||||
| 205 | Pasco, WA (1.27) | ||||
| 206 | Leesburg, VA (1.24) | ||||
| 207 | Madison, AL (1.23) | ||||
| 208 | Kannapolis, NC (1.21) | ||||
| 209 | Beloit, WI (1.19) | ||||
| 210 | Jupiter, FL (1.16) | ||||
| 211 | Houghton, MI (1.16) | ||||
| 212 | Lake Elsinore, CA (1.16) | ||||
| 213 | Big Rapids, MI (1.06) | ||||
| 214 | Potsdam, NY (1.06) | ||||
| 215 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI (1.00) | ||||
| 216 | Bemidji, MN (0.92) | ||||
| 217 | Hamden, CT (0.88) | ||||
| 218 | Canton, NY (0.86) | ||||
| 219 | Lawrence, NJ (0.81) | ||||
| 220 | Marquette, MI (0.78) | ||||
| 221 | Mankato, MN (0.78) | ||||
| 222 | South Orange Village, NJ (0.76) | ||||
| 223 | Duluth, MN (0.72) | ||||
| 224 | Waltham, MA (0.72) | ||||
| 225 | St. Cloud, MN (0.70) | ||||
| 226 | Schenectady, NY (0.68) | ||||
| 227 | DeWitt, NY (0.67) | ||||
| 228 | Troy, NY (0.63) | ||||
| 229 | Fairbanks, AK (0.58) | ||||
| 230 | Rochester, MI (0.53) |
Ask the Experts
The sports industry continues to thrive in the U.S. as technology and accessibility play a key role in its growing popularity. 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 deemphasizing the role of place in fandom?
- What are some ways to inspire people to be involved in sports?
- Do publicly-funded sports stadiums make fiscal sense for cities?
Ask the Experts
Heather J. Gibson
Ph.D. – Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management – University of Florida
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Vince Gennaro
Associate Dean and Clinical Associate Professor – Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, New York University
Read More
Victor A. Matheson
Professor, Economics and Accounting, Environmental Studies – College of the Holy Cross
Read More
Charles Campisi
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Sport Management | Marketing & Sport Management Dept. Chair – Baldwin Wallace University
Read More
Katie Helms
Associate Professor, School of Counseling, Human Performance, and Rehabilitation / College of Business, Health, and Human Services – University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Read More
Mark S. Nagel
Ed.D. – Professor, Sport and Entertainment Management, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management – University of South Carolina
Read More
More Experts
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 397 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, Team Marketing Report, ESPN, NCAA, MLS, MVPindex, NBC Sports, Fanalytics, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sports Reference, Forbes, Sports Business Journal, MLB Advanced Media, Minor League Baseball, YouGov, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The National Collegiate Athletic Association, Facebook, Twitter, NBA.com, NHL.com, U.S. College Hockey Online, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Soccer Stadium Digest, FlashScore, Google Trends, National Soccer Hall of Fame, each team's website and WalletHub analysis.
