The social media company WalletHub broke down the top 74 hockey cities for hockey fans, and Chicago was ranked in the top 10 for “Team and Performance.”
And America’s obsession with hockey seems only to be growing. It’s currently the fourth most followed sport among U.S. adult fans and has climbed one spot in the top 10 every year since 2012. The NHL is in fact so popular that it sold out more arenas than the National Basketball Association this past season. Equally surprising, Americans are willing to pay, on average, 15 percent more to see a hockey match than an NBA game.
So for all of you diehard and rookie fans, WalletHub crunched the numbers to find which U.S. cities offer the best deals for hockey enthusiasts. We ranked 74 of the largest cities using a total of 18 key metrics that range from ticket prices to stadium accessibility to the performance level of each city’s teams.
Best cities for hockey fans:
1. Pittsburgh, Pa.
2. Chestnut Hill, Mass.
3. St. Louis, Mo
4. Tampa, Fla.
5. Boston, Mass.
6. St. Paul, Minn.
7. Detroit, Mich.
8. Denver, Colo.
9. Chicago, Ill.
10. Anaheim, Calif.
The reason why Chicago doesn’t rank higher on the list is because Chicago ranks 25th in “Costs & Fan Engagement,” according to WalletHub.
