Los Angeles, Boston and New York among WalletHub's Best Sports Cities in America for 2023
The Rangers' first World Series title could help boost Dallas' standing
Some cities are undeniably defined by the success of their sports teams, while others still searching for titles are defined by fan loyalty.
Data collected by WalletHub recently revealed the Best Sports Cities in America in 2023, using more than 50 metrics for football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey to rank nearly 400 cities.
Read below for the top five sports cities in America
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LOS ANGELES
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers walks off the court past fans following a game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena Nov. 12, 2019, in Phoenix, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Los Angeles holds the No. 1 spot. Helping with that ranking is the overwhelming popularity of NBA basketball with both the Lakers and the Clippers calling Los Angeles home.
The Lakers are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA titles in league history with 17, making Los Angeles the No. 1-ranked city for basketball.
It’s also the best city for soccer fans. According to the data, fans can find the lowest season ticket prices in the country here.
Famous arenas like the Crypto.com Arena, formerly the Staples Center, also draw large crowds. It's home to several of LA’s sports teams, including the Lakers, Clippers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Sparks.
The city has hosted several major sporting events like the 2022 Super Bowl at the newly built SoFi Stadium, the 2022 MLB All-Star Game and the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship, also at SoFi.
BOSTON
Lenny Dutra of Fall River, Mass. screams during the Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup parade in Boston. (Jessey Dearing for The Boston Globe via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to WalletHub, Boston comes in as the runner-up.
With the Boston Celtics matching the Lakers' popularity and success in the NBA, Boston also follows Los Angeles as the No. 2 city for basketball fans, but unsurprisingly ranks the best city for hockey fans.
Playing at the famous TD Garden, the six-time Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins have been synonymous with the sport since the early days as an Original Six team. College hockey also plays a big role in sports in Boston.
While dominance in hockey and basketball have allowed Boston to claim the No. 1 and 2 spots in those respective sports, the New England Patriots' six Super Bowl wins behind legendary quarterback Tom Brady make Boston the No. 4 spot for football.
Boston owns 38 championship titles among its five professional sports teams.
PITTSBURGH
Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers leaves the field after the Steelers' 35-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII Jan. 21, 1979, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. (Ross Lewis/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Football fans have found their place when it comes to the Iron City.
Pittsburgh ranks No. 3 overall and No. 1 in football.
Tied with the Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a storied franchise most known for the 1970s dynasty that began with the hiring of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll and was highlighted by quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain.
The Pittsburgh Penguins also make the city a destination for hockey fans with six Stanley Cup championships, including back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 and 2016 and 2017.
NEW YORK
Fans show their support during the MLB London Series game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at London Stadium June 29, 2019, in London. (Dan Istitene/Getty Images / Getty Images)
New York has the most championships across the four major sports of any city, and the New York Yankees' 27 World Series titles make up nearly half of those.
With three NHL teams, three NFL teams — Buffalo Bills fans might argue one — two MLB teams and two MLS teams, it's no surprise New York makes the top five.
DALLAS
A fan waves a flag during the Texas Rangers' World Series victory parade Nov. 3, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Smiley Pool/Pool/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Rounding out the top five is Dallas, whose biggest draw is football. Dallas’ only top 5 ranking is for football at No. 3.
Dallas lands in the top 20 for basketball, soccer and hockey but is ranked no. 262 for baseball. That could change next year after the Texas Rangers, who play in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, won the franchise's first World Series title when they routed the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games.
TOP 10 CITIES
- Los Angeles
- Boston
- Pittsburgh
- New York
- Dallas
- Miami
- Philadelphia
- Washington, D.C.
- San Francisco
- Cincinnati