Best sports cities in America for 2023, ranked

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FILE-Fans cheer in stands with woman holding American flag (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)

No matter who you ask, sports fans like to boast that they not only have the best teams but also the best fan bases in the country.

As subjective as the debate can get among sports enthusiasts, Wallethub tested this theory by looking at the best sports cities in America in 2023.

The Miami-based personal finance company gathered data using criteria in the sports categories of football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey to rank more than 300 cities.

A detailed view of the Spalding basketball on the court during the first half in a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on February 25, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Ima

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Wallethub’s top sports cities featured Los Angeles, Boston, Pittsburgh, New York, and Dallas.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles earned the no. 1 spot in the rankings based on its rich sports culture, numerous professional teams, and iconic sports venues like the Staples Center, Dodgers Stadium, the Rose Bowl, and SoFi Stadium, according to Wallethub.

L.A. has professional teams across various sports, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA, the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels in the MLB.

The Lakers are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA titles in league history with 17, making Los Angeles the No. 1-ranked city for basketball and soccer fans.

Boston

Boston ranks second on the list with a gaudy 38 championship titles among its five professional sports teams.

With the Boston Celtics' popularity and success in the NBA, the city ranks as the No. 2 city for basketball fans, and is ranked the top locale for hockey fans.

Two practice footballs sit beside the goal line marker before the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) game between the Illinois State University Redbirds and the Indiana State University Sycamores, Saturday, October 22, 2022, at Memorial Stadi

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The six-time Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins are one of the top franchises in the NHL, with college hockey also playing a prominent role in the area's sports landscape.

Boston is no. 1 and 2 in hockey and basketball. But the town has enjoyed success in the NFL, with the New England Patriots winning six Super Bowl championships to make Boston the No. 4 spot for football.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh ranks No. 3 overall and No. 1 in football. The Pittsburgh Steelers are tied with the Patriots in the NFL for the most Super Bowl wins.

The Steelers are a historic franchise known for the 1970s dynasty that began with the hiring of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll and the stellar play of quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain defense.

In the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins also make the city a destination for hockey fans with six Stanley Cup championships, including back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 and 2016 and 2017.

New York

Coming in at no. 4 is New York, which has the most championships across the four major sports of any city, with the New York Yankees' 27 World Series titles in baseball consisting of nearly half of the areas titles.

The city has three NHL teams, two NFL teams, the New York Giants and New York Jets, two MLB teams with the New York Yankees and New York Mets and two MLS teams, making it one of the top sports destinations in the nation.

Dallas

And rounding out the top 5 is Dallas, with its main attraction being football and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. Dallas only ranks in the top 5 in one category for football at No. 3.

Separately, the city ranks in the top 20 for basketball, soccer and hockey but is ranked no. 262 for baseball, according to Wallethub. However, the Texas Rangers winning the 2023 World Series in baseball this may boost ranking in 2024.

Here are some of the top sports cities that made the cut this year.