October 6 – Chicago, with the Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks and fast-rising Bulls leading the way, is No. 1 in Sporting News’ 17th annual Best Sports Cities rankings. This is the third time the second city has received the honor.
The Windy City dethroned 2009’s No. 1 Pittsburgh, a first-time winner in 2009 and No. 12 in 2010’s rankings.
Rounding out the top 10 are No. 2 Boston, No 3. Los Angeles, No. 4 Philadelphia, No. 5 Dallas/Fort Worth, No. 6 New York, No. 7 Phoenix/Tempe, No. 8 Atlanta, No. 9 Denver/Boulder, No. 10 Detroit/Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti.
This year’s list is based on the 12 months from summer 2009 to summer 2010 and features 402 cities and towns in the United States and Canada. The rankings are based on a variety of factors, including each city’s number of teams and their regular-season won-lost records, postseason appearances, bowl appearances and tournament bids, championships, applicable power ratings, attendance, fan fervor and more.
Sporting News began its Best Sports City rankings in 1993. Past winners:
2009—Pittsburgh
2008—Boston
2007—Detroit
2006—Chicago
2005—Boston
2004—Boston
2003—Anaheim/Los Angeles
2002—Boston
2001—New York
2000—St. Louis
1999—New York
1998—Detroit
1997—Denver
1995—Denver
1994—Cleveland
1993—Chicago
Note: There was no Best Sports City in 1996 as the ratings were expanded and refined.
The new Sporting News Magazine, featuring Blackhawks Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and Bull Joakim Noah on the cover, hits newsstands later this week