Pittsburgh Ranks Near Top Of Best Cities For Hockey Fans: Study

PITTSBURGH, PA — It should come as no surprise to diehard supporters of the Penguins, but Pittsburgh was ranked the nation's third-best city for hockey fans in a just-released study by WalletHub

To determine the best places for hockey spectators, the financial data site compared 73 U.S. cities based on two divisional categories, professional and college hockey, across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from the performance level of the city’s teams to minimum season ticket prices to
stadium capacity.

Thankfully, WalletHub did not use early exit from the playoffs as one of its metrics. The Penguins have been eliminated in the first or qualifying round of the playoffs for three consecutive years.

Here's how the city fared in various categories:

• Fan engagement: 1st

• NHL stadium capacity: 4th

• Number of Stanley Cup Wins: 5th

• NHL attendance: 6th

• Performance level of NHL team: 6th

• NHL team franchise value: 8th

• Minimum season ticket price for NCAA game: 10th

• Average ticket price for NHL game: 17th

Here are the nation's top 10 cities for hockey fans, according to WalletHub:

1. Boston

2. Detroit

3. Pittsburgh

4. New York

5. St. Louis

6. Denver

7. Newark

8. Tampa

9. Chicago

10. Buffalo

See the entire study here.