Sports play a huge role in everyday life across the United States. And it can’t be denied that some locations carve out a bigger piece of the pie than others. With everything from rabid fans to a wide selection of college and professional teams to choose from, here are 4 top sport destinations for athletics fans in the US. Not to mention the large number of luxury places to indulge there, too.
1. New York
Sports fans don’t talk about East Coast bias for anything… With seven teams in the professional Big Four calling the Big Apple home (and the New York Islanders right next door in Nassau County), New York is a haven for sports fans. Even without the media attention that comes from playing in the largest city in the nation!
Just as important is the fact that New York teams are always in the thick of it: the Yankees (+650) and Mets (+750) are tied for the first and second-best odds of winning the World Series this year at the top US online sports betting sites.
New Yorkers love their sports teams. This is evidenced by the heated rivalries that have developed between fans of and players on the Knicks and Nets, the Rangers and Islanders, the Yankees and Mets… Even fans of teams like the Giants and Jets love to talk trash back and forth.
The Empire State is loaded with sports teams, but most importantly the fans care. And this makes New York one of the top sport destinations in the United States. Visit the city by staying in one of its splendid luxury boutique hotel.
2. Florida
Sports are a way of life in Florida, earning the Sunshine state its place in this ranking. It has long been a recruiting hotbed for college coaches, as the state turns out more than its fair share of top athletes in sports like football and baseball, making it a sort of pipeline to the pros.
What’s more, sports thrive in Florida even outside of their traditional environments. Even in sunny Florida ice hockey has found a chance to thrive. The Tampa Bay Lightning is one of the most successful NHL teams of this millennium! It won three Stanley Cup championships in the past 19 years!
Colleges like Miami, Florida, and Florida State churn out top professional talents. Even when the teams themselves have down years, Florida will always have a seat at the table.
3. Texas
It really couldn’t happen any other way. Take everything said about Florida, increase it exponentially and you might scratch the surface of how seriously Texans treat sports.
Even high school sports are treated like the pros in more affluent areas of Texas, with stadiums that can seat nearly 20,000 people complete with Jumbotrons, luxury boxes, and, of course, a $72 million price tag.
The saying goes that everything is bigger in Texas and the Lone Star State takes that to heart for athletics. Indeed, massive, gleaming arenas like the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, the Rangers’ Globe Life Field, and the Astros’ Minute Maid Park serve as a mecca for sports fans across the country.
Fans of teams like the Cowboys can be found around the world. This is an excellent reminder of just how strong the pull of Texas sports is on the public consciousness.
4. California
California is well-known for its movie stars and beautiful people, but it also has a lot to offer tourists who love sports. The Lakers (basketball) and Dodgers (baseball) are some of the most popular teams in Los Angeles.
Sports fans in the City of Angels love the Lakers and Dodgers but don’t care much about the other teams that have been stuffed into the city. Fans roasted the Rams for the lack of fans at their parade after winning the Super Bowl in 2022: even after a championship victory, Angelenos couldn’t be bothered to turn up and celebrate the team.
On the other hand, San Francisco has some amazing landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, but it is also a great place for sports fans. The Giants (baseball) and 49ers (football) are two of the most popular teams here. If you are looking for a place to watch some live soccer then look no further than Kezar Stadium, where the San Francisco Deltas play.
