Cities With the Most Professional Sports Franchises

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Based on comprehensive data from 2024-25, here are the cities with the most professional sports franchises in North America:

Top Cities by Total Professional Teams

  • New York metropolitan area (11 teams)
  • Los Angeles metropolitan area (10 teams)
  • Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area (7 teams)
  • Chicago metropolitan area (6 teams)
  • Boston metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • San Francisco Bay Area (5 teams)
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • Philadelphia metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • Denver metropolitan area (5 teams)
  • Detroit metropolitan area (4 teams)
  • Toronto-Hamilton metropolitan area (6 teams)
  • Houston metropolitan area (4 teams)
  • Atlanta metropolitan area (4 teams)
  • Seattle metropolitan area (4 teams)
  • Phoenix metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Tampa Bay Area (3 teams)
  • Cleveland metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Pittsburgh metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Charlotte metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Salt Lake City metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • St. Louis metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Kansas City metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Cincinnati metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Nashville metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Las Vegas metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Sacramento metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Indianapolis metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Milwaukee metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Buffalo metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • New Orleans metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Montreal metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • Vancouver metropolitan area (3 teams)
  • San Diego metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Orlando metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Portland metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Columbus metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Calgary metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Edmonton metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Ottawa metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • Winnipeg metropolitan area (2 teams)
  • San Antonio metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Raleigh metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Jacksonville metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Memphis metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Oklahoma City metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Green Bay metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Austin metropolitan area (1 team)
  • Regina metropolitan area (1 team)

List of teams by city

New York City (11 teams):

  • MLB: Yankees, Mets
  • NFL: Giants, Jets
  • NBA: Knicks, Nets
  • NHL: Rangers, Islanders, Devils
  • MLS: Red Bulls, NYC FC

Los Angeles (10 teams):

  • MLB: Dodgers, Angels
  • NFL: Rams, Chargers
  • NBA: Lakers, Clippers
  • NHL: Kings, Ducks
  • MLS: Galaxy, LAFC

Chicago (7 teams):

  • MLB: Cubs, White Sox
  • NFL: Bears
  • NBA: Bulls
  • NHL: Blackhawks
  • MLS: Fire

Philadelphia (5 teams):

  • MLB: Phillies
  • NFL: Eagles
  • NBA: 76ers
  • NHL: Flyers
  • MLS: Union

Dallas (5 teams):

  • MLB: Rangers
  • NFL: Cowboys
  • NBA: Mavericks
  • NHL: Stars
  • MLS: FC Dallas

Washington DC (5 teams):

  • MLB: Nationals
  • NFL: Commanders
  • NBA: Wizards
  • NHL: Capitals
  • MLS: DC United

Boston (5 teams):

  • MLB: Red Sox
  • NFL: Patriots
  • NBA: Celtics
  • NHL: Bruins
  • MLS: Revolution

San Francisco Bay Area (5 teams):

  • MLB: Giants, Athletics
  • NFL: 49ers
  • NBA: Warriors
  • NHL: Sharks
  • MLS: Earthquakes

Notable Market Developments

  • Salt Lake City recently became the newest major sports market with the addition of the Utah Hockey Club (NHL) in the 2024-25 season.
  • Austin, despite having no Big Four teams, maintains a professional presence with Austin FC (MLS)
  • Toronto-Hamilton region stands out as the only Canadian market with six total teams, including CFL representation

League Distribution

The major professional sports leagues in North America include:

  • NFL (National Football League): 32 teams
  • MLB (Major League Baseball): 30 teams
  • NBA (National Basketball Association): 30 teams
  • NHL (National Hockey League): 32 teams
  • MLS (Major League Soccer): Expanding to 30 teams by 2025
  • CFL (Canadian Football League): 9 teams

These numbers reflect current team distributions as of the 2024-25 season, with New York City maintaining its position as the metropolitan area with the highest concentration of professional sports franchises.

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