2018’s Best Cities for Soccer Fans
2:53 AMPosted by: Richie Bernardo
Americans finally have found their own soft spot for the world’s most beloved professional sport. After what seemed an eternity of low popularity among U.S. fans, soccer — better known as “football” to the international community — has gained admiration and respect here at home.
Much of the credit for the sport’s growing domestic acceptance goes to the U.S. Women’s National Team, who made us proud with its record-breaking victory in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Part of the glory is also owed to COPA América Centenario, the world’s oldest soccer competition, held the following year on U.S. turf for the first time in its 100-year history.
But a more recent development suggests the sport is continuing in the right direction. After only five months since its inception, Atlanta United, one of two new soccer clubs that formed in early 2017, broke the average per-game home attendance record — for every major sport except the National Football League. Whether it’s poised to become Major League Soccer’s most valuable team, however, remains to be seen. The average MLS team was worth $223 million in 2017, up from $185 million in 2016.
If those attendance figures and franchise values are any indication, it’s an exciting time to be a soccer fan in America. But not every soccer city in the U.S. is a good place to love on the sport. To determine the top spots for soccer fandom, WalletHub compared nearly 300 U.S. cities with at least one college or professional soccer team across six divisions and examined each based on 63 key metrics. Our data set ranges from minimum season-ticket price for a game to stadium accessibility to number of championship wins. Read on for the winners, expert insight on the future of soccer and a full description of our methodology.
Main FindingsEmbed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/14207/geochart-soccer.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2Jzjzis>
Best Soccer Cities in America
Ranking by City Size
|
Rank (1 = Best) |
Large City (Score) |
Rank (1 = Best) |
Midsize City (Score) |
Rank (1 = Best) |
Small City (Score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA (50.36) | 1 | Orlando, FL (47.17) | 1 | Piscataway, NJ (22.47) |
| 2 | Seattle, WA (46.80) | 2 | Salt Lake City, UT (40.77) | 2 | Bethlehem, PA (15.70) |
| 3 | Portland, OR (41.75) | 3 | Cary, NC (27.90) | 3 | Edinburg, TX (13.36) |
| 4 | New York, NY (41.71) | 4 | Cincinnati, OH (20.59) | 4 | Harrisburg, PA (12.78) |
| 5 | Washington, DC (38.11) | 5 | Charleston, SC (16.99) | 5 | Charlottesville, VA (11.39) |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO (37.91) | 6 | Richmond, VA (16.25) | 6 | Clemson, SC (10.82) |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA (37.55) | 7 | Irvine, CA (13.08) | 7 | State College, PA (10.50) |
| 8 | Chicago, IL (32.27) | 8 | St. Petersburg, FL (12.20) | 8 | Chapel Hill, NC (10.47) |
| 9 | Houston, TX (30.28) | 9 | Reno, NV (11.23) | 9 | Storrs, CT (9.95) |
| 10 | Columbus, OH (28.09) | 10 | Kansas City, KS (11.13) | 10 | Stanford, CA (9.66) |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN (27.15) | 11 | South Bend, IN (7.76) | 11 | Lewisburg, PA (9.35) |
| 12 | Boston, MA (26.62) | 12 | Dayton, OH (7.76) | 12 | Bloomington, IN (8.80) |
| 13 | Dallas, TX (26.10) | 13 | Providence, RI (7.64) | 13 | Conway, SC (8.73) |
| 14 | San Jose, CA (25.09) | 14 | Cambridge, MA (7.46) | 14 | West Point, NY (8.57) |
| 15 | Denver, CO (23.88) | 15 | Columbia, SC (7.39) | 15 | College Park, MD (8.52) |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA (23.64) | 16 | Greensboro, NC (7.26) | 16 | Boiling Springs, NC (8.42) |
| 17 | Louisville, KY (19.24) | 17 | Wilmington, NC (6.76) | 17 | Durham, NH (8.41) |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA (18.76) | 18 | Lowell, MA (6.68) | 18 | Buies Creek, NC (8.32) |
| 19 | Miami, FL (16.57) | 19 | Hartford, CT (6.56) | 19 | Princeton, NJ (8.29) |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO (15.83) | 20 | Des Moines, IA (6.51) | 20 | Valparaiso, IN (8.26) |
| 21 | San Antonio, TX (15.28) | 21 | High Point, NC (6.21) | 21 | Kingston, RI (8.26) |
| 22 | Tulsa, OK (15.19) | 22 | Santa Clara, CA (6.13) | 22 | Morgantown, WV (8.16) |
| 23 | Pittsburgh, PA (14.22) | 23 | Buffalo, NY (5.64) | 23 | Hamilton, NY (8.12) |
| 24 | Indianapolis, IN (13.89) | 24 | Winston-Salem, NC (5.62) | 24 | Greenville, SC (8.07) |
| 25 | Phoenix, AZ (13.89) | 25 | Berkeley, CA (5.52) | 25 | Fairfield, CT (7.88) |
| 26 | Nashville, TN (13.32) | 26 | Akron, OH (5.49) | 26 | Harrisonburg, VA (7.53) |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO (12.83) | 27 | Fullerton, CA (5.43) | 27 | Spartanburg, SC (7.52) |
| 28 | Jacksonville, FL (12.46) | 28 | Spokane, WA (5.41) | 28 | Allegany, NY (7.50) |
| 29 | Charlotte, NC (12.34) | 29 | Green Bay, WI (5.26) | 29 | Rosemont, IL (7.50) |
| 30 | Las Vegas, NV (11.26) | 30 | Gainesville, FL (5.22) | 30 | Hamden, CT (7.49) |
| 31 | Oklahoma City, OK (11.08) | 31 | Durham, NC (5.18) | 31 | Lynchburg, VA (7.48) |
| 32 | Fresno, CA (7.91) | 32 | Norfolk, VA (5.05) | 32 | Fairfax, VA (7.42) |
| 33 | San Diego, CA (7.73) | 33 | Ann Arbor, MI (4.65) | 33 | West Long Branch, NJ (7.41) |
| 34 | Memphis, TN (6.98) | 34 | Madison, WI (4.24) | 34 | New Britain, CT (7.35) |
| 35 | Milwaukee, WI (6.68) | 35 | Springfield, MO (4.20) | 35 | Farmville, VA (7.32) |
| 36 | Tampa, FL (6.66) | 36 | Syracuse, NY (4.09) | 36 | Corvallis, OR (7.28) |
| 37 | Detroit, MI (6.64) | 37 | College Station, TX (4.05) | 37 | Radford, VA (7.28) |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH (6.41) | 38 | Knoxville, TN (4.01) | 38 | Easton, PA (7.25) |
| 39 | San Francisco, CA (5.73) | 39 | Macon-Bibb County, GA (3.97) | 39 | Smithfield, RI (7.15) |
| 40 | Lexington-Fayette, KY (5.56) | 40 | Clarksville, TN (3.87) | 40 | Williamsburg, VA (7.13) |
| 41 | Albuquerque, NM (5.37) | 41 | Abilene, TX (3.82) | 41 | Conway, AR (6.85) |
| 42 | Baltimore, MD (5.17) | 42 | Provo, UT (3.80) | 42 | Fort Myers, FL (6.83) |
| 43 | Omaha, NE (4.66) | 43 | Birmingham, AL (3.78) | 43 | Hackensack, NJ (6.83) |
| 44 | Riverside, CA (4.46) | 44 | Denton, TX (3.66) | 44 | Loretto, PA (6.80) |
| 45 | Raleigh, NC (4.25) | 45 | Evansville, IN (3.64) | 45 | Amherst, MA (6.60) |
| 46 | Honolulu, HI (3.35) | 46 | New Haven, CT (3.51) | 46 | Kalamazoo, MI (6.60) |
| 47 | Stockton, CA (3.20) | 47 | Lincoln, NE (3.44) | 47 | San Luis Obispo, CA (6.44) |
| 48 | Austin, TX (3.11) | 48 | Tallahassee, FL (3.34) | 48 | Hanover, NH (6.30) |
| 49 | Bakersfield, CA (2.86) | 49 | Norman, OK (3.32) | 49 | Orem, UT (6.26) |
| 50 | Long Beach, CA (2.86) | 50 | Waco, TX (3.31) | 50 | Moraga, CA (6.08) |
| 51 | Tucson, AZ (2.57) | 51 | Boulder, CO (3.21) | 51 | Santa Barbara, CA (5.98) |
| 52 | Fort Worth, TX (2.44) | 52 | Athens, GA (3.08) | 52 | Highland Heights, KY (5.94) |
| 53 | El Paso, TX (2.19) | 53 | Lubbock, TX (2.99) | 53 | Elon, NC (5.91) |
| 54 | Corpus Christi, TX (1.59) | 54 | Fort Wayne, IN (2.93) | 54 | Rock Hill, SC (5.72) |
| 55 | Peoria, IL (2.92) | 55 | Charleston, IL (5.65) | ||
| 56 | Eugene, OR (2.72) | 56 | Evanston, IL (5.56) | ||
| 57 | Beaumont, TX (2.59) | 57 | East Lansing, MI (5.40) | ||
| 58 | Tempe, AZ (2.58) | 58 | Stony Brook, NY (5.19) | ||
| 59 | Worcester, MA (2.49) | 59 | Oxford, MS (5.14) | ||
| 60 | Columbia, MO (2.43) | 60 | Albany, NY (5.11) | ||
| 61 | North Charleston, SC (2.30) | 61 | Lewiston, NY (5.11) | ||
| 62 | Montgomery, AL (2.18) | 62 | Vestal, NY (5.09) | ||
| 63 | Mobile, AL (2.15) | 63 | Auburn, AL (5.04) | ||
| 64 | Newark, NJ (2.10) | 64 | Davidson, NC (4.93) | ||
| 65 | Murfreesboro, TN (2.02) | 65 | Kent, OH (4.85) | ||
| 66 | Fargo, ND (2.01) | 66 | Statesboro, GA (4.84) | ||
| 67 | Boise, ID (1.98) | 67 | Huntington, WV (4.84) | ||
| 68 | Baton Rouge, LA (1.96) | 68 | Homewood, AL (4.78) | ||
| 69 | Jersey City, NJ (1.92) | 69 | Hempstead, NY (4.74) | ||
| 70 | Toledo, OH (1.88) | 70 | Asheville, NC (4.64) | ||
| 71 | Little Rock, AR (1.80) | 71 | Edwardsville, IL (4.57) | ||
| 72 | Huntsville, AL (1.79) | 72 | Blacksburg, VA (4.47) | ||
| 73 | Fort Collins, CO (1.58) | 73 | Lawrence, NJ (4.32) | ||
| 74 | Chattanooga, TN (1.48) | 74 | Annapolis, MD (4.28) | ||
| 75 | Jackson, MS (1.34) | 75 | Emmitsburg, MD (4.25) | ||
| 76 | Las Cruces, NM (1.24) | 76 | Logan, UT (4.18) | ||
| 77 | Hampton, VA (1.20) | 77 | Nacogdoches, TX (4.11) | ||
| 78 | Burlington, VT (4.11) | ||||
| 79 | Muncie, IN (4.10) | ||||
| 80 | DeKalb, IL (4.08) | ||||
| 81 | Catonsville, MD (4.06) | ||||
| 82 | Greeley, CO (4.04) | ||||
| 83 | Poughkeepsie, NY (4.00) | ||||
| 84 | Boone, NC (3.93) | ||||
| 85 | Champaign, IL (3.93) | ||||
| 86 | Johnson City, TN (3.85) | ||||
| 87 | Hammond, LA (3.84) | ||||
| 88 | Newark, DE (3.83) | ||||
| 89 | Huntsville, TX (3.80) | ||||
| 90 | Bowling Green, OH (3.79) | ||||
| 91 | West Lafayette, IN (3.79) | ||||
| 92 | Mount Pleasant, MI (3.77) | ||||
| 93 | Iowa City, IA (3.76) | ||||
| 94 | Orangeburg, SC (3.76) | ||||
| 95 | Normal, IL (3.73) | ||||
| 96 | Kennesaw, GA (3.73) | ||||
| 97 | Ypsilanti, MI (3.72) | ||||
| 98 | Davis, CA (3.70) | ||||
| 99 | Athens, OH (3.68) | ||||
| 100 | Lake Charles, LA (3.64) | ||||
| 101 | Clinton, SC (3.63) | ||||
| 102 | Stillwater, OK (3.61) | ||||
| 103 | Ames, IA (3.61) | ||||
| 104 | Martin, TN (3.61) | ||||
| 105 | Rochester, MI (3.51) | ||||
| 106 | Cookeville, TN (3.42) | ||||
| 107 | Brookings, SD (3.38) | ||||
| 108 | Macomb, IL (3.37) | ||||
| 109 | Boca Raton, FL (3.34) | ||||
| 110 | Fayetteville, AR (3.32) | ||||
| 111 | DeLand, FL (3.31) | ||||
| 112 | Thibodaux, LA (3.30) | ||||
| 113 | Prairie View, TX (3.23) | ||||
| 114 | Cape Girardeau, MO (3.19) | ||||
| 115 | Malibu, CA (3.17) | ||||
| 116 | Ruston, LA (3.16) | ||||
| 117 | Morehead, KY | ||||
| 118 | South Orange Village, NJ | ||||
| 119 | Ogden, UT | ||||
| 120 | Flagstaff, AZ | ||||
| 121 | Greenville, NC | ||||
| 122 | Lexington, VA | ||||
| 123 | Laramie, WY | ||||
| 124 | Manhattan, KS | ||||
| 125 | Oneonta, NY | ||||
| 126 | Starkville, MS | ||||
| 127 | Ithaca, NY | ||||
| 128 | Natchitoches, LA | ||||
| 129 | Moscow, ID | ||||
| 130 | Orono, ME | ||||
| 131 | Murray, KY | ||||
| 132 | San Marcos, TX | ||||
| 133 | Lawrence, KS (2.36) | ||||
| 134 | Cullowhee, NC (2.36) | ||||
| 135 | New Rochelle, NY (2.32) | ||||
| 136 | Tuscaloosa, AL (2.30) | ||||
| 137 | Itta Bena, MS (2.25) | ||||
| 138 | Bowling Green, KY (2.23) | ||||
| 139 | Cheney, WA (2.18) | ||||
| 140 | Pullman, WA (2.12) | ||||
| 141 | Cedar City, UT (2.04) | ||||
| 142 | Missoula, MT (2.03) | ||||
| 143 | Oxford, OH (1.98) | ||||
| 144 | Towson, MD (1.89) | ||||
| 145 | Troy, AL (1.87) | ||||
| 146 | Jacksonville, AL (1.86) | ||||
| 147 | Hattiesburg, MS (1.81) | ||||
| 148 | Fayette, MS (1.78) | ||||
| 149 | Pocatello, ID (1.75) | ||||
| 150 | Coral Gables, FL (1.58) | ||||
| 151 | Vermillion, SD (1.52) | ||||
| 152 | Terre Haute, IN (1.50) | ||||
| 153 | Cedar Falls, IA (1.40) | ||||
| 154 | Grambling, LA (1.36) | ||||
| 155 | Jonesboro, AR (1.33) | ||||
| 156 | Pine Bluff, AR (1.30) | ||||
| 157 | Monroe, LA (1.28) | ||||
| 158 | Richmond, KY (1.25) | ||||
| 159 | Youngstown, OH (1.17) | ||||
| 160 | Grand Forks, ND | ||||
| 161 | Dover, DE |
Ask the Experts
Soccer is evolving, which is evident not only in rising attendance and viewership rates but also in the emergence of new sports TV networks and soccer clubs. For additional insight into soccer-related issues and trends, we turned to a panel of leading sports experts. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are the biggest issues facing U.S. soccer today?
- What is the long-term outlook for professional soccer in the U.S.?
- To what extent has U.S. soccer embraced fantasy sports, including the daily-fantasy model?
- What, in your mind, makes a good soccer fan?
- If your child were an elite youth soccer player, would you encourage him or her to pursue the MLS/NWSL or a premier international league?
- The U.S. Women’s soccer team recently negotiated higher pay and will now receive some of the same travel “perks” as their male counterparts. Do you think other sports should follow this example to increase pay equity between male and female athletes?
Al Albert Associate Director of Athletic Development, College of William and Mary
Scott Baker Head Men’s Soccer Coach, Rowan University Athletics
Kwame J.A. Agyemang Assistant Professor, Sport Management Program, Deputy Editor, Sport, Business & Management: An International Journal, Louisiana State University
N. Jeremi Duru Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law
What are the biggest issues facing U.S soccer today?
In my opinion, the biggest issue facing US soccer is getting all the great athletes in the country to want to play soccer and to have access to the game. Although we have an enormous population, most of our most gifted athletes never give a serious thought to playing soccer over football or basketball. We have to figure out a way to engage children from every socioeconomic level of society. Organizations like the US Soccer Foundation and the United Soccer Coaches are trying to give children from underserved communities opportunities to play, and - equally important in my opinion - to improve the abilities of coaches in those communities. It’s a big country and will take many years for these programs to produce measurable results.
What is the long-term outlook for professional soccer in the US?
I think the long term outlook for US professional soccer is very good. Major League Soccer has done a fantastic job of developing franchises with stadia, practice facilities and the infrastructure to have a top professional league. The USL is also doing a nice job of developing teams that can move into MLS with the right backing and also filling the geographical gaps to offer pro soccer in many smaller cities. Compared to earlier efforts to have a top pro league in retrofitted facilities, I don’t see this effort at developing a top pro league failing. The women’s pro league is going to be more of a challenge, but I think the most recent attempt has a good chance to be successful.
What, in your mind, makes a good soccer fan?
A good soccer fan loves the game and will watch any good match live or televised. Most have a number of teams they support-MLS, international and perhaps local high school, college or club.
If your son or daughter were an elite youth soccer player, would you encourage them to pursue the MLS / NWSL or a premier international league?
I think that’s totally dependent on the individual. If they have the soccer ability and the resilience to go to a top international club, that would be my first choice, but for many, it’s tough to do the soccer and the cultural challenge as well.
The U.S. Women’s soccer team just negotiated higher pay and will now receive some of the same travel “perks” as their male counterparts. Do you think other sports should follow this example to increase pay equity between male and female athletes?
I do.
Scott Baker Head Men’s Soccer Coach, Rowan University Athletics
What are the biggest issues facing U.S soccer today?
Trusting our own identity. Learning from other countries, but keep our core principles as a country. Our culture, education, and several aspects of being in the U.S. are superior to many other countries that have a better level of soccer. I do not feel we need to adopt their exact system, rather I believe we can takes parts of their development system that work so well and create them within our culture.
What is the long-term outlook for professional soccer in the US?
I see the MLS building to one of if not the top league in the world. I see foreign as well as Americana players filling the rosters. Top players from around the world will enhance the level and excitement of the league just as it is done with any other successful league in the world…in any sport.
What, in your mind, makes a good soccer fan?
Anyone who has a love and passion for the sport and who supports their team (college, high school, club, or pro) by watching them in person and or on TV.
If your son or daughter were an elite youth soccer player, would you encourage them to pursue the MLS / NWSL or a premier international league?
The international leagues are superior. That is like asking a great basketball player if they would rather play in Italy or in the NBA here in the U.S. I would encourage them to play at the highest possible level they can (with all other aspects of a career in place). My hope is that the MLS becomes that league or one of the leagues that would be in the discussion of the highest level.
The U.S. Women’s soccer team just negotiated higher pay and will now receive some of the same travel “perks” as their male counterparts. Do you think other sports should follow this example to increase pay equity between male and female athletes?
As in any other entertainment industry there is no equity and I do not feel like there should be in pro sports. The people that attract more revenue should make more money. I believe the U.S. Women’s team deserved higher pay because of the revenue that they generated. I do not think this should be a male or female discussion. No one in this country wants to be involved in any business, sport, or any industry that loses money. With that said, the athletes that bring in the most revenue should be paid more. Again, I will say that the U.S. Women’s soccer team appears to bring in much more money and attention than they were getting paid for. This is bad business and should be corrected.
Kwame J.A. Agyemang Assistant Professor, Sport Management Program, Deputy Editor, Sport, Business & Management: An International Journal, Louisiana State University
What are the biggest issues facing U.S soccer today?
I think U.S. needs to take a look at how they go about youth development. Specifically, the “pay to play” system is hurting the game. To be clear, this system calls for parents to pay, in my opinion, outrageous fees, for their children to play on elite soccer clubs. I ask myself, “How many elite soccer players is the U.S. missing out on because of the pay to play system?” Because of such a system, you’re missing out on a lot of talent from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. If you look to other countries, some of the world’s best players come socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, countries in which this system does not exist. Among other issues, at the top level, I think U.S. soccer should reconsider promotion and relegation, like they do in international leagues. I also think the “American” way of running soccer (e.g., salary caps) dissuades top talent, international players from coming here.
What is the long-term outlook for professional soccer in the US?
I don’t think any of us can accurately predict the long-term future of soccer in the U.S. However, I think we can all agree that if we continue doing the same things, we’ll continue to see the same results.
If your son or daughter were an elite youth soccer player, would you encourage them to pursue the MLS / NWSL or a premier international league?
As a soccer fan, this is something I’ve contemplated and discussed with other parents who are avid soccer fans. It really depends on the gender of the child. If the child is a girl, I’d be more inclined to stay here in the U.S. given the success of the U.S. Women’s National Team. However, for my son, I’d most likely pursue opportunities for him to get a “footballing” education in Europe. I think the gap between our youth boys and that of Europe, South America, and Africa is obvious. I surmise much of this had to do with coaching education and these countries don’t have to compete with basketball and American football. However, with regard to coaching, the better the coaching, the better you can educate the player.
The U.S. Women’s soccer team just negotiated higher pay and will now receive some of the same travel “perks” as their male counterparts. Do you think other sports should follow this example to increase pay equity between male and female athletes?
Yes, I see no reason not to. Not simply because of the success of the women’s team, but because it’s the right thing to do. There should not be such a huge discrepancy in the pay. While pay discrepancies exist throughout the world, we see women getting paid better in European professional than that of the U.S. We risk losing out on some great talent if we continue on this trend.
N. Jeremi Duru Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law
What are the biggest issues facing U.S soccer today?
The biggest and most underappreciated issue facing US and global soccer is head trauma. I’ve actually written a law review article (coming out in the fall - I can forward it to you if you wish) that details the dangers soccer players’ brains face - not just from concussive blows, but from the countless sub-concussive blows that heading causes. Few are talking about it, but it demands attention. My ultimate conclusion is that heading should be completely eliminated from the game to protect the people who play it.
What is the long-term outlook for professional soccer in the US?
I certainly see an upward trajectory, with MLS drawing more fans and getting stronger, but I think the plethora of high-level sporting options in the US puts a bit of a cap on the USMNT success – at least in the less than distant future. Imagine LeBron James, Mike Trout, and Saquon Barkley, etc. having channeled their athletic gifts into soccer as children. The competition to be on the USMNT would be unreal, and the USMNT would consequently be unreal.
What, in your mind, makes a good soccer fan?
Passion and a willingness to interact with the world. The game transcends borders, culture, and language. It is great to love and follow your nation’s national team and / or your domestic league, but if you cannot appreciate other nations’ styles of play and the passion of their fans, you cannot call yourself a true fan of the game.
If your son or daughter were an elite youth soccer player, would you encourage them to pursue the MLS / NWSL or a premier international league?
I would want them to play at the highest level at which they were comfortable - which I would hope would be in a premier international league. I will say, though, that I am worried about head trauma in soccer (see above question), and would be concerned if one of my sons (I have three sons, no daughters) played at a high level. (Note: I played a great deal from age 5 through young adulthood and sometimes worry about myself.)
The U.S. Women’s soccer team just negotiated higher pay and will now receive some of the same travel “perks” as their male counterparts. Do you think other sports should follow this example to increase pay equity between male and female athletes?
Absolutely. It bears noting that the worst gender inequity in US pro sports is in basketball. Men can enter the NBA one year post-high school (the “one and done” rule) but women cannot enter the WNBA until four years post-high school. It is unbelievable. I’ve written on this as well and can forward what I’ve written to you, if you’d like.
MethodologyIn order to determine the best cities for soccer fans, WalletHub compared 292 of the most populated U.S. cities across six divisions: 1) MLS (Division I Men’s), 2) NWSL (Division I Women’s), 3) NASL (Division II Men’s), 4) USL (Division III Men’s), 5) College Soccer (Division I Men’s) and 6) College Soccer (Division I Women’s). For our sample, we chose cities with at least one college or professional soccer team.
We evaluated the six divisions using 63 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for soccer fans. In order to determine the weight for each division, we surveyed the top-performing five teams in each division’s Facebook account, summed the number of “Likes” and calculated the proportion that each league represented in total. The weight attributed to each division is therefore based on its popularity.
Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities in our sample.
We also ranked the cities based on population size, using the following groupings:
- Large Cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize Cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people
- Small Cities: Fewer than 100,000 people
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~5.88 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~5.88 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~5.88 Points)
- Number of Regular Season Conference (2 conferences) Titles: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)
- Franchise Value: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This metric measures the team’s estimated value in dollars.
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~5.88 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~5.88 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~2.94 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
- Attendance: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.
- Popularity Index: Half Weight (~2.94 Points)
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Number of Regular Season League Titles: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
- Attendance: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.
- Popularity Index: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Number of Regular Season Combined (Spring & Fall) Titles: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
- Attendance: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.
- Popularity Index: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Number of Regular Season Conference (2 conferences) Titles: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
- Attendance: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.
- Popularity Index: Half Weight (~0.63 Points)
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Number of Conference Regular Season Titles: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
- Number of Teams: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Performance Level: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total games played. The past three seasons’ average was used for this calculation.
- Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Number of Conference Regular Season Titles: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Number of Hall of Fame Head Coaches who Conducted the Team: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Minimum Season-Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)
- Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~0.71 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by adding the number of Twitter followers and the number of Facebook “Likes” per capita.
- Number of Coaches in Past 10 Seasons (Seasons 2008-09 to 2017-18): Half Weight (~0.36 Points)
- Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.36 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by city population.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ESPN, USL, Soccer Stadium Digest, U.S. Soccer, FlashScore, North American Soccer League, each conference’s website and each team’s website.
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