Best US Cities for Sports Fans
The United States is among the best places in the world to visit for sports fans. You’ll find that the major sports are well represented in most of the big cities, with everything from basketball to hockey to soccer-playing a huge role in the cultural life of these destinations. Americans take their sports seriously, too, with big game day events, plenty of opportunities to watch games live or in a sports bar, and an abundance of apparel, souvenirs, and accessories to cheer on their favorite teams. If you’re a sports fan interested in exploring the culture of professional sports in the United States, you’re probably wondering where to start. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the best U.S. cities for sports fans to visit. While college athletics is a big part of sporting life in the U.S., we haven’t included places like Ann Arbor or South Bend on our list, preferring to keep it to professional sports for now. Here are our top picks for the best sports-loving cities in the U.S.
Boston
When it comes to winning, Boston does it right. With more championships in the twenty-first century than any other American city, Boston is showing off its athletic chops in a big way right now. From the all-time great Celtics NBA team to the recently resurgent New England Revolution MLS squad, there’s a history of winning in this town. That’s not to mention that iconic Boston Red Sox, either, with their historic stadium, Fenway Park. Take a tour of the park, or take in a Red Sox game. You can also explore the T.D. Garden, home of the Celtics and Boston Bruins NHL team. Plus, Boston is bursting with sports pride—you’re likely to see a jersey or t-shirt proudly proclaiming their Boston sports allegiance on just about every other person on the street. Learn more about Boston for sports fans.
New York City
NYC is among the biggest sports cities in the country for their historic franchises and legacy of success. People from all around the world are die-hard fans of the New York Yankees MLB team. Fortunately for visitors, it’s easy to tour Yankee Stadium to see where all the magic happens. Fans also relish the opportunity to explore Madison Square Garden, home to the New York Knicks NBA team and the New York Rangers NHL team. Citi Field, home of the Mets, is also easy to tour. Met Life Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, is ironically located in New Jersey, so it’s not that easy to get to from the city but you can certainly pop out for a game.
Chicago
Home of Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls, Chicago rightfully earns a spot in the top sports cities in the U.S. It’s also where the legendary Chicago Cubs play, at historic Wrigley Field. You can tour the field and the grounds, and enjoy the developing neighborhood of Wrigleyville as you dine, drink, and shop before your evening ball game. Visit the Chicago Sports Museum on the Mag Mile to learn more. Chicago also hosts the Chicago Bears NFL team, which will soon share their massive stadium, Soldier Field, with the Chicago Fire Soccer team, who currently play south of the city until the end of the 2019 season. And of course, I don’t want to leave out the White Sox or the Blackhawks, both of which franchises have enthusiastic fans throughout the Midwest. Learn more about Chicago for sports fans with our helpful guide.
Los Angeles
L.A. has a plethora of everything, it seems. From the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, who share the Staples Center, to the long-running LA Galaxy and hot new LAFC, you can find every sport making a splash—sometimes twice!—in Los Angeles. The Greater Los Angeles area is home to 11 major professional sports teams, including two NFL teams, two NHL teams, an MLB team, and a WNBA team. There are many opportunities to tour and explore stadiums and arenas, and of course, plenty of chances to take in a game or match. Just remember to get tickets in advance—Angelenos can be big fans and games often sell out!
Philadelphia
Philly has got all the major sports covered: Philadelphia Phillies (baseball), Philadelphia Eagles (American football), Philadelphia Flyers (hockey), Philadelphia Union (soccer), and Philadelphia 76ers (basketball). While they haven’t always won the most titles or championships, they sure do have loads of endlessly loyal fans. Luckily for visitors, except for the Union, all of these teams play in a stadium or arena located in the same area. It’s easy to visit more than one on the same day, so plan your tours and tickets accordingly. There’s even a plan for a brand-new Museum of Sports for Philadelphia, although it’s currently still in conceptual stages as of 2019.
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