Most of us love sports. That’s why you’re here on this page right now. But have you ever wondered which cities boast the greatest list of teams and sporting events each year?
I took a look at every major city in the country to determine which cities not only had the most pro sports franchises (of the four major sports), but also who currently has the most winning teams, loyal fan base and collegiate presence on top of it.
Here are my subjective findings.
Related: 15 Types Of Sports Fans At Every Game
Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports.
Photo Credit: Getty
Best Sports Cities In America
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10 Denver
The Mile High City holds a pro team in all four major sports: Avalanche (NHL), Rockies (MLB), Nuggets (NBA) and Broncos (NFL). Of course the Broncos provide the wildest and most loyal fan base; times are riding high after the Super Bowl run last year led by Peyton Manning. Now if we can just get the Rockies some pitching.
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9 Pittsburgh
While they don't have an NBA team, they hold the most successful NFL team (by Super Bowl count) of all time in the Steelers, a Penguins (NHL) team that has one of the most exciting players today in Sidney Crosby, and a Pirates (MLB) team that made the playoffs last year for the first time in a quarter century. Pitt (University) also gives collegiate fans a great escape on Saturdays.
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8 Phoenix
What else is there to do in the desert besides become a maniacal fanatic from the sidelines?
Phoenix has the largest university in Arizona State, which results in a rowdy Sun Devils fan base -- which of course is engulfed around the surrounding pro franchises in the Diamondbacks (MLB), Coyotes (NHL), Cardinals (NFL) and Suns (NBA)
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7 Atlanta
Hotlanta of course not only boasts three professional sports teams in the Falcons (NFL), Hawks (NBA) and Braves (MLB), but they also have an NCAA presence in Georgia Tech -- who nearly won the ACC in 2014 -- while the city also plays host to racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the PGA Tour Championship.
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6 Detroit
Voted as the best sports city in America by USA Today, the Motor City always has action. Not only do they consistently have winning teams in the Tigers (MLB), Red Wings (NHL) and Lions (NFL), but the city also plays host to the Belle Isle Grand Prix. And don't forget Ann Arbor, home to the Michigan Wolverines, is just minutes down the road.
Oh ya, the Pistons (NBA) are there too. But they've seen better days.
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5 Dallas
Dallas. Home to "America's Team."... and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Everything is big in Texas, so of course, the sports culture is absolutely huge in the state's largest metro area. Arlington calls home to the Rangers (MLB), who went to back-to-back World Series' recently, while the Stars (NHL), Mavericks (NBA) -- 2011 champions -- and of course, the Cowboys (NFL) own the rest of the Big D. The area also boasts a great NCAA presence in SMU and TCU.
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4 Chicago
If you've ever spent more than a day in Chicago you understand the culture -- it revolves around the city's sports teams.
No matter how awful the franchise may be, dedicated fans still show up in droves to support the Bears (NFL), Blackhawks (NHL) and Cubs (MLB). In fact, hit up the iconic Wrigley Field, the oldest baseball stadium in the National League, and you'll see a mix of hardcore fans and casual tourists.
Of course the White Sox (MLB), Bulls (NBA) and Wildcats (Northwestern) need to be good to attract a crowd, but that hasn't been an issue at the United Center where Derrick Rose and Michael Jordan's former team hope to make a championship run for the first time since MJ's retirement (the second one) in 1998.
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3 New York
Where do we begin with the Big Apple? Two NFL franchises (Jets, Giants), two MLB (Yankees, Mets), two NHL (Islanders, Rangers) and then... the Knicks.
But don't forget the Giants have two Super Bowl wins this past decade!... at least someone is winning, right?
The city also hosts the NY Marathon and the U.S. Open each year. For a city that never sleeps, they dream a lot about sports.
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2 Boston
Where do we begin? Beantown is of course home to many pro sports franchises, but what makes Boston so impressive is the quality of teams in which they have. The Patriots (NFL), Bruins (NHL), Celtics (NBA) and Red Sox (MLB) all have championships within the last decade, making this city the definition of "title town" USA. There's also solid NCAA action with Boston College and head coach Tommy Amaker has made Harvard a perennial NCAA tournament team in basketball. And finally, let's not forget the city is home to the most prestigious race of its kind, The Boston Marathon.
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1 San Francisco
I'm probably going to get called out for lumping together the entire Bay Area, but as of right now, the location is the best sports city in the country. The Giants (MLB) won their third World Series in five years this last October while having once again some of the best attendance numbers in baseball, the Warriors (NBA) are currently hovering around a ridiculous .900 winning percentage and look like the best team in basketball and the 49ers-Raiders rivalry is one of the most intense in the NFL.
Also, even if you like the ice, the San Jose Sharks are always formidable. And if you're into the collegiate scene, San Jose State, Cal Berkeley and Stanford are just minutes away.
