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Here’s why Boston just ranked the best sports city in America

"The best sports cities overall tend to be those with the highest-performing, most-popular professional teams."

Pre-game activities before the Patriots played the Steelers on Sept. 10, 2015 at Gillette Stadium. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

We’re not surprised about this are we, Boston?

Boston just ranked the best sports city in America by personal finance website WalletHub, beating out second-ranked Los Angeles.

“The best sports cities overall tend to be those with the highest-performing, most-popular professional teams, like Boston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and New York,” said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, in a statement.

For the ranking, WalletHub compared 399 cities across more than 50 key metrics related to the five largest sports in the U.S.: football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey. The study looked at factors such as performance and team stats, ticket prices, and fan engagement.

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Here’s how Boston ranked nationwide in the nation’s five largest sports:

No. 1 in hockey
No. 2 in basketball (Los Angeles was No. 1)
No. 4 in football (Pittsburgh was No. 1)
No. 5 in baseball (New York was No. 1)
No. 17 in soccer (Los Angeles was No. 1)

“Boston tops the list of the best sports cities this year because of its strong appreciation for all types of sports, numerous professional teams, and proximity to iconic stadiums and arenas. Some venues of note include Fenway Park, TD Garden, Gillette Stadium, and Harvard Stadium,” wrote WalletHub. “Boston hosts professional teams across various sports, including one each in the NBA, MLB, MLS, and NFL.”

Best Sports Cities
Source: WalletHub

The U.S. sports franchise industry will make $49 billion dollars this year in ticket and merchandise sales, media rights, and sponsorship fees, wrote WalletHub.

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Check out WalletHub’s list of best sports cities in America.

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Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.

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