If you are a meeting planner who regularly hits home runs with groups when booking sports-oriented destinations for corporate meetings or national conventions, check out the personal finance website WalletHub.com, which recently released its report on the Best Sports Cities in 2024 – the ones that “help fans get the most bang for their buck while enjoying games they love.”
In the report, WalletHub compared 400 cities across more than 50 key metrics related to the five most significant sports in the U.S.: football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey. The list is divided into three key categories, which are large, medium, and small cities. So, why is this a good thing? According to Elizabeth A. Gregg, Ph. D., Professor, University of North Florida: “Iconic sports teams, like the New York Yankees, exemplify the same values as the city. In some cases, organizations like the Jacksonville Jaguars represent a city’s potential, while other sports teams, like the Green Bay Packers, help make the region significant all on their own.” Here are WalletHub’s favs, but go onsite, as well, because there is so much more:
Best Large Sports Cities
1. Los Angeles, CA
2. Boston, MA
3. Pittsburgh, PA
4. New York, NY
5. Dallas, TX
6. Miami, FL
7. Philadelphia, PA
8. San Francisco, CA
9. Washington, DC
10. Cincinnati, OH
Best Midsize Sports Cities
1. Green Bay, WI
2. Buffalo, NY
3. Glendale, AZ
4. Tuscaloosa, AL
5. Salt Lake City, UT
6. Ann Arbor, MI
7. Tallahassee, FL
8. Durham, NC
9. Baton Rouge, LA
Best Small Sports Cities
1. Clemson, SC
2. West Point, NY
3. Fayette, MS
4. State College, PA
5. Stillwater, OK
6. Hanover, NH
7. Morgantown, WV
8. Princeton, NJ
9. Grambling, LA
10. Buies Creek, NC
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst:
“Sports can cause rivalries between cities, but can also give people a deep appreciation for places other than their hometown. The best sports cities overall tend to have the highest-performing, most popular professional teams, like Los Angeles, Boston, Pittsburgh, and New York. When you filter by city size, though, there are many amazing local sports scenes to discover. For example, Green Bay, WI, is a midsize city with one of the richest football cultures in America, and Clemson, SC, is a small city with high-level, affordable games across multiple sports at the collegiate level.”
By way of example, Lupo concludes by stating that Los Angeles tops the list of the best sports cities this year because of its strong appreciation for all types of sports, numerous professional teams, and proximity to iconic stadiums and arenas. The City of Angels ranks as the best city for basketball fans, in large part due to the monumental success of the Lakers and the abundance and affordability of Division 1 college basketball. It’s also number one for soccer fans, as the LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC have brought the city more MLS Cup titles than any other. Finally, L.A. ranks second among baseball cities and fourth best for football fans. To view the full report and your favorite destination, log onto www.wallethub.com/edu/best-sports-cities/15179
