Michigan Makes All 3 Lists on Best Cities for Sports Fans

Ann Arbor and East Lansing, homes of rivals the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State University Spartans, respectively, both topped their lists as the best cities for sports fans. The two football teams meet Oct. 17 this year at Ann Arbor. (Photo via Creative Commons)

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Lions, Tigers and Redwings, oh my!

Detroit ranks No 9 on the big-city list of 2015’s Best & Worst Cities for Sports Fans. On the list of mid-sized cities, Ann Arbor ranked first. On the list of small-sized cities, East Lansing ranked first.

WalletHub compared 341 cities across more than 50 key metrics, including the performance level of the city’s teams, the average ticket price, the number of sports bars and attendance rate.

Here are the lists:

Best Large Cities for Sports Fans

1. Boston, MA
2. Denver, CO
3. Pittsburgh, PA
4. Washington, DC
5. Chicago, IL
6. New York, NY
7. Minneapolis, MN
8. Philadelphia, PA
9. Detroit, MI
10. St. Louis, MO

Best Midsize Cities for Sports Fans

1. Ann Arbor, MI
2. Cincinnati, OH
3. Orlando, FL
4. Gainesville, FL
5. Norman, OK
6. Baton Rouge, LA
7. Columbia, SC
8. Buffalo, NY
9. Waco, TX
10. Eugene, OR

Best Small Cities for Sports Fans

1. East Lansing, MI
2. Stanford, CA
3. Chapel Hill, NC
4. West Point, NY
5. Clemson, SC
6. Bowling Green, OH
7. College Park, MD
8. Morgantown, WV
9. Fayetteville, AR
10. Oxford, MS

WalletHub says sports is a $60 billion annual industry in North America.