Professional sports in America are at an all-time high, with the sector said to be worth billions. The country is home to many professional sports franchises across its 50 states. Here is a list of the top 10 sports cities in America.
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All the best sports cities have teams in America's 'Big Four' major sports leagues in America. These are the National Hockey League (NHL), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Basketball Association (NBA).
1. Los Angeles
LA is undoubtedly America's most stacked city in terms of teams. It is home to a total of 12 major professional teams.
Sport | Team |
Basketball | Los Angeles Lakers |
Basketball | Los Angeles Clippers |
Soccer | LAFC |
Soccer | LA Galaxy |
Ice hockey | Los Angeles Kings |
American football | LA Chargers |
American football | LA Rams |
Baseball | Los Angeles Dodgers |
Baseball | Los Angeles Angels |
Women's Basketball | Los Angeles Sparks |
Women's Soccer | Angel City FC |
Ice Hockey | Anaheim Ducks |
The Greater Los Angeles area also has several high-level sporting schools, such as the USC Trojans and UCLA.
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Many fans consider LA one of the best sports cities in the world since it is also an entertainment hub with many tourist attractions.
2. Boston
Boston is a historic sporting area. It is home to 17-time NBA champions, the Boston Celtics as well as 6-time Superbowl champions, the New England Patriots.
Sport | Team |
Basketball | Boston Celtics |
Soccer | New England Revolution |
American football | New England Patriots |
Ice hockey | Boston Bruins |
Baseball | Boston Red Sox |
The city is undoubtedly one of the best sports cities in America. The success of their teams gives the citizens a sense of identity.
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3. New York
Nicknamed 'The Big Apple', New York is one of the best sports cities in the country. New York and its surrounding towns are home to 13 major professional teams.
Sport | Team |
Women's Basketball | New York Liberty |
Rugby | Rugby New York |
Lacrosse | New York Riptide |
Soccer | New York City FC |
Soccer | New York Red Bulls |
Ice hockey | New York Rangers |
Ice hockey | New York Islanders |
Basketball | Brooklyn Nets |
Basketball | New York Knicks |
Baseball | New York Yankees |
Baseball | New York Mets |
American football | New York Giants |
American football | New York Jets |
New York Knicks' home stadium, the Madison Square Garden, is also used for boxing matches and music events. This confirms New York's status as one of the best sports cities of all time.
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4. Philadelphia
When ranking the best sports cities in terms of fans and atmosphere, Philadelphia is up there with the best. The city is highly passionate about its sports teams earning them the title 'Meanest sports fans in America'.
Sport | Team |
Basketball | Philadelphia 76ers |
Soccer | Philadelphia Union |
American football | Philadelphia Eagles |
Ice Hockey | Philadelphia Flyers |
Baseball | Philadelphia Phillies |
Known by fans as 'Philly', Philadelphia is one of the best sports cities in the country.
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5. Dallas
Dallas is one of the best sports cities to live in. It has seven major professional teams in 6 sports.
Sport | Team |
Baseball | Texas Rangers |
American football | Dallas Cowboys |
Ice hockey | Dallas Stars |
Basketball | Dallas Mavericks |
Football | FC Dallas |
Lacrosse | Panther City LC |
Rugby | Dallas Jackals |
Dallas rivals other Texas state cities, Houston and San Antonio, as a sports hub though the rest have fewer teams.
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6. Chicago
Chicago achieved global fame in the 90s when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won 6 NBA titles in 8 years. The team is home to 8 major professional teams from different sports.
Sport | Team |
Basketball | Chicago Bulls |
Women's basketball | Chicago Sky |
American football | Chicago Bears |
Soccer | Chicago Fire |
Baseball | Chicago Cubs |
Baseball | Chicago White Sox |
Ice hockey | Chicago Blackhawks |
Women's soccer | Chicago Red Stars |
Chicago remains one of the best sports cities of all time. Most of their teams have been active for decades and have won many titles.
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7. Denver
Denver is the biggest city in the state of Colorado. It is home to several major sports franchises.
Sport | Team |
Basketball | Denver Nuggets |
American football | Denver Broncos |
Ice hockey | Colorado Avalanche |
Soccer | Colorado Rapids |
Lacrosse | Colorado Mammoth |
Baseball | Colorado Rockies |
The Denver Nuggets is home to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
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8. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is known for its three major professional teams. Chief among them is the NFL side Pittsburgh Steelers, with 6 Superbowl titles. The others are the baseball franchise Pittsburgh Pirates and the ice hockey team Pittsburgh Penguins.
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9. Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the headquarters of the state of Indiana. It is known for its two leading sports franchises; NBA side Indiana Pacers and NFL side Indianapolis Colts.
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10. Seattle
Seattle has a long and illustrious history when it comes to sports. The area is home to 6 major professional leagues.
Sport | Team |
Soccer | Seattle Sounders FC |
American football | Seattle Seahawks |
Baseball | Seattle Mariners |
Ice hockey | Seattle Kraken |
Women's basketball | Seattle Storm |
Rugby | Seattle Seawolves |
The city is on the Pacific West Coast, and aside from the sports, visitors are entertained by the area's great musical culture and tourist attractions.
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Which are the best sports cities in 2023?
The year 2023 has seen some cities host major sporting events. Glendale, Arizona, hosted the Superbowl, while the 2023 NBA finals will be in Miami, Florida.
The best sports cities have adequate infrastructure like stadiums, fan parks and hotels. Another critical factor is the area's sporting history and culture.
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