The United States is a country that loves its sports. With such a variety of sports to watch and enjoy, many Americans have it engrained in them from birth to be passionate sports fans. So, have you ever wondered what are the best cities to live in to be a sports fan? Just like everything else, some cities are more sports-oriented than others, and I wanted to explore which ones (I believe) are the best ten sports cities in America. For this list, I’m not taking into account any college or semi-professional sports. I’m just considering the professional sports teams and the impact they make on their city. Every single one of these cities I consider great sports cities, but counting down from number ten, I will reveal the best sports city in America. Let’s get started:

10. Houston

Houston is in the state of Texas which means one thing: you have to start with football. Even though the Texans are easily second-tier to the world-known Dallas Cowboys, they are very much loved in their own right. I won’t get into how the old Houston Oilers were so much cooler than the generic-looking Texans, though it’s true, but fans in the Houston area love them nonetheless. And while they are in a rebuilding mode right now, they have had a lot of recent success. The Astros have dominated the MLB landscape in recent years (they couldn’t handle my Braves this year, though), and have established themselves as the “bad boys” of baseball with the cheating scandal of several years ago. It has created the feeling of “Houston against the world,” for many of the fans, which is always a fun thing. The Rockets have brought in some really good teams and players over the years as well.

9. San Francisco

The city by the bay has two very iconic sports franchises with the Giants and 49ers. These teams have been around a while and have had a lot of success and great players. Some of the greatest players to ever play in their respective sports have called San Francisco home, such as Willie Mays, Barry Bonds*, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, and Steve Young. The San Francisco Giants won those string of World Series championships in the last decade, led by North Carolina’s own, Madison Bumgarner, and Buster Posey. And the Golden State Warriors have been consistently one of the NBA’s best teams in the last decade as well, with their star guard, and North Carolina’s own, Steph Curry, who will go down as one of the best shooters of all time.

8. Washington D.C.

The nation’s capital is sometimes forgotten about when it comes to great sports cities. I think this is because its proximity to other big cities nearby, who are also great sports cities, such as Philadelphia and New York. But D.C. shouldn’t be overlooked. I’m glad they got a MLB team back in the Nationals because baseball roots run very deep in Washington D.C. And the World Series championship a few years back helped to elevate their status as a sports town. Of course you have the football team, also known as the football team, after years of donning the Redskins name. The Redskins were one of the most traditional teams in the NFL, so now it feels like their re-brand is almost a new franchise. But I’m guessing they are still loved by the fans of Washington. They also have a great hockey team in the Capitals and one of the best players in the NHL with Alexander Ovechkin. And if you forgot, they were Stanley Cup winners in 2018. The Wizards feel like a weak link to the city, but hey, they did have Michael Jordan for a little bit.

7. Los Angeles

A lot of people will think LA should be higher on this list, but if you really think about it, this is a good spot for them. They are still a great sports city, which is why they’re on the list, but there is so much going on in Los Angeles that sports get overlooked a lot. But the fact that LA has so many sports teams to pull for is a huge plus. Number one in LA is the Lakers, and I don’t think anyone would argue that. They are the epitome of a historically successful franchise with more great players than you can count…so we won’t. The Clippers have made some strides, though they will always play second-fiddle to the beloved Lakers. And then you have the Dodgers, another historical franchise that has experienced a lot of success. The Dodgers and Lakers really carry LA, but the supporting cast of the Kings, Rams, Chargers, Clippers, and Angels (close enough) help make the city what it is, and that is a great sports city. I’ll never get used to the LA Chargers, though, and will always claim they should’ve stayed a few hours south in San Diego.

6. Dallas

I feel like Dallas is in the heart of football country. In the eastern side of Texas people just live and breath football, whether it’s high school, college, or professional. And all those people are hardcore Cowboys fans, which must make it really fun to be a part of if you live in that area. The Cowboys are more than just a team to those people, but it’s like they are a part of them. But there’s more than just football. The Texas Rangers, in nearby Arlington (but close enough to count), are very well loved by the fans and have a terrific baseball atmosphere. The Mavericks hold their own in the NBA and Dallas even has a hockey team that does very well, on the ice and with its fandom. When a hockey team is well-supported in Texas, you know those people are sports crazy.

5. New York City

Wait, only number five? That’s right because they’ve sort of fallen prey to the whole thing I mentioned with LA where there is so much going on that sports sometimes can be an afterthought. But also like LA, they have a LOT of teams to pull for. The Yankees and Mets for baseball, Rangers and Islanders in hockey, Knicks and Nets in basketball, and Giants and Jets in football. And I also like how New Yorkers have this rivalry with each other, such as Yankees/Giants/Rangers fans with Mets/Jets/Islanders fans. That is pretty cool because there is a lot of hatred there, especially with the Mets and Yankees. The Yankees are, however, number one in this city just as they should be. There’s perhaps no more historically successful franchise in sports. Some of the best players to ever touch a baseball have wore the pinstripes in the Bronx. After the Yankees, it sort of falls downhill. That’s another thing that has bumped NYC down a few spots on this list. They have some perennial bad teams that are just a laughingstock.

4. Pittsburgh

This one is sort of sneaky high up on the list, but well-deserving. If you know anything at all about Pittsburgh, you know they absolutely love their sports teams. Even though they don’t have an NBA team, which knocks them behind their state’s rival city, they more than make up for it with their other three teams. The Steelers to them are like the Cowboys are to Dallas. The fans are rowdy and support the team no matter what. That’s not to mention they are one of the most successful NFL franchises in history. The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t enjoyed the same kind of success, even though they have had some great, great players over the years. But their lack of success doesn’t necessarily impact Pittsburgh on this list because the fans love them no matter what. I’ve been to two games at PNC Park (easily one of the most beautiful in baseball) and both games have drew a large, very-involved crowd…despite a lackluster team. Now let’s not forget hockey. The Penguins are consistently one of the better teams in hockey with the best player in hockey. Anything short of a Stanley Cup is an unsuccessful season for them. And unlike every other city, black and yellow are the colors for all the city’s sports teams. How cool is that?

3. Philadelphia

The state of Pennsylvania is really represented well by its sports. Directly on the opposite side of the state from the Steel City is Philadelphia, whose fans are passionately involved with their sports teams as well. Philadelphia has a unique type of fanbase, though. They have always had a “Philadelphia against the world,” mentality, which makes things real fun for them. If you’re not one of them, you very well may get snowballs thrown at you at Eagles games. With the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers, Philly has four teams to staunchly get behind, and they take full advantage. They are, however, very critical of their teams as well. When things aren’t going so well, the players/coaches will know it. But to me this just shows how invested they are in each of their teams.

2. Chicago

There’s almost no other city that matches Chicago sports-wise. Almost. Some cities are cities with sports teams, while Chicago should just be considered a sports city. We all know how the Bears struggle every year, but the city gets behind them every single year like they are perennial contenders. With such a traditional franchise that has been around since forever, you really can’t blame them. The Bulls are usually a very good team and ever since the great Michael Jordan-led teams, the Bulls have really been put on a pedestal in the NBA landscape. How fun it must have been to be in Chicago during that dynasty run? The NHL’s Blackhawks are one of the original six teams and have as much history as any team in the league, with some of the sport’s greatest players to put on that jersey. And then you have baseball. With the size of the city, there are two historic teams to pull for, one on the north side and the other on the south side. There’s even a fun, but fierce rivalry between the two. I’ve been to a game at Wrigley Field and can honestly say I’ve never experienced anything like it, with the entire area transforming into one of the best atmospheres you can be a part of during Cubs games.

1. Boston

And the number one spot, of course, goes to Boston. If you don’t agree with this then you are just kidding yourself. No city, and I absolutely mean, no city in America loves their sports teams like Bostonians do the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots (in nearby Foxborough). There are devoted fans and then there are Boston fans. No matter how good or bad their teams are performing, their fandom stays as high as it can go because they were born and bred with sports in their blood. Fortunate for them, though, Boston teams have been among the most successful in U.S. sports history, especially in recent years. The great rivalry the Red Sox have with the Yankees is arguably the best in sports, and there’s no denying that catching a game at Fenway Park is one of the best experiences American sports has to offer. The Patriots have spoiled Boston fans with all of their success. The Celtics and Bruins have also had some of the greatest teams in their respective sports’ histories. And if you try to think of all the great players who have put on a Boston sports jersey, your mind will probably go numb.

So, there it is, the top ten sports cities in the United States. Let me know if you agree or disagree. Should any city be higher up or lower on the list? Should there be a city on the list that I left off? Tell me what you think!

Garett

Top 10 Sports Cities in America