The U.S. News Best Places Data Drill Down, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that sheds light on multiple data points in order to help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to live in the United States. Visit our 2016 Best Places to Live ranking to see which of the 100 most populous metro areas made it to the top of the list based on good value, desirability, a strong job market and a high quality of life.
Each year, millions of dedicated sports fans make it their duty to support their favorite professional teams, whether it means attending home games, competing in fantasy leagues or frequenting their local sports bars.
However, not all metro areas are created equal when it comes to accommodating sports fans.
To identify the most fun places to live for sports fans, we evaluated the accessibility to professional sports, one of the factors we considered as part of our methodology for the Most Fun Places to Live ranking. In order to determine which metro areas were most accommodating to sports fans, we looked at the number of professional sports represented in the area, the availability of venue seating per 1,000 residents, attendance rates for games and the social media following of local teams.
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Professional sports teams do more for a metro area than unite its residents in fandom — they also boost the local economy. Neighborhoods in the vicinity of sports venues draw visitors who spend money in local businesses, which spurs additional commercial development and ultimately raises the value of nearby homes.
Here are the top 10 metro areas to live in if you’re a professional sports fan.
Being a Cleveland sports fan hasn’t always been easy. Up until the start of 2016, this metro area experienced a half-century-long championship drought. However, the return of Cleveland’s poster boy, professional basketball star LeBron James, to the Cleveland Cavaliers has helped bring that dry spell to an end. The Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, landing Cleveland its first championship since the Cleveland Browns won the 1964 NFL championship game.
The San Francisco Bay Area is a hot spot for sports fans. The San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders have eight Super Bowl championships between them, and according to ESPN, this football season is looking promising. Although the 49ers have faced many challenges, their new coach, Chip Kelly, has kept them on a steady path to success. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants have won three World Series in the past six years.
Miami heat doesn’t just refer to the weather — it’s also the name of one of Miami’s hottest professional sports teams. Though the Miami Heat recently lost their franchise leader, Dwyane Wade, to the Chicago Bulls, Miami basketball fans are optimistic about the 2016-2017 season. Not only is there heat on the court, it’s also on the ice. The Florida Panthers also have a promising future after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2015-2016 Atlantic Division title.
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Raw passion is what fuels the sports fans in Philadelphia. And one thing’s for sure: Philadelphia fans are nothing if not dedicated. Even though they’ve garnered a negative reputation among other sports followers for being too loud and rowdy, fans of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles will brave below-freezing temperatures to support their team (even though they have yet to bring home a Super Bowl win). And the Phillies’ mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, is one of baseball’s most beloved.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to five major professional sports teams: basketball’s Dallas Mavericks, baseball’s Texas Rangers, hockey’s Dallas Stars, soccer’s FC Dallas and football’s Dallas Cowboys. Football fans have been spoiled in recent years by the Cowboys’ new, state-of-the-art sports venues. The team moved to AT&T Stadium in 2009, and game attendees were wowed by the facility’s retractable roof and $40 million video display. The team also received a new practice facility and world headquarters; The Star, located in Frisco, Texas, is estimated to be worth more than $1.5 billion.
This year started off great for Denver sports fans, with the Denver Broncos defeating the Carolina Panthers at the 2016 Super Bowl. But Mile High City residents have more than football at their fingertips. Sports fans have access to five major professional teams, including Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, who play home games in downtown Denver’s Coors Field.
With a total of 35 championships won, Boston sports fans have earned the right to brag. Beantown has had a long-lasting love of sports, and fans can root for the home team in a number of settings, from the soccer field to the hockey arena. Baseball fans can enjoy a hot dog and a game at the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park, a place the team has called home since 1912. And supporters of football’s New England Patriots can cheer on Boston icon Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium.
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Being home to the headquarters of all five professional sports organizations (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS), and the metro area with the largest number of professional sports championships to its name, New York City’s appearance on this list is a no-brainer. The area is home to some of the most iconic, and expensive, stadiums ever built. The $1.6 billion MetLife Stadium in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, houses the New York Jets and New York Giants NFL teams. Yankee Stadium in the Bronx opened in 2009, and the original stadium was home turf to some of baseball’s most famous players, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio.
Chicago is another metro area with a diverse sports scene and professional teams from the five major sports leagues. One of the most notable teams in Chicago is baseball’s Chicago Cubs, who play at Wrigley Field. Cubs fans can sympathize with Cleveland residents, as their team has not won a World Series since 1908. Basketball’s Chicago Bulls have had better luck; with help from the legendary Michael Jordan, the team won six championships in the 1990s. Football’s Chicago Bears have won one Super Bowl, in 1985.
For sports fans seeking variety, Los Angeles is home to nearly 10 professional sports teams, including its newest team, the Los Angeles Rams. The NFL team relocated from St. Louis earlier this year. A new stadium is being built for the Rams in Inglewood, California, and is scheduled to be completed by 2018. The Rams have a lot to live up to, as Los Angeles has one of the highest numbers of championship titles of any metro area in the country. The NBA’s Lakers have won 16 titles since 1949, although the first five came when they were based in Minneapolis.
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10 Most Fun Places to Live for Sports Fans originally appeared on usnews.com
Correction 09/22/16: A previous version of this story misstated the name of the championship won by the Cleveland Browns in 1964.
