BOSTON NO. 1 in Sporting News Best Sports City Rankings

Confirming the remarkable sports run it has been on, Boston—home to champions in the NBA and major league baseball, a 2007 team perfect in the NFL regular season as well as postseason participants in other sports—is No. 1 on Sporting News’ annual Best Sports Cities rankings for the fourth time in seven years.

“This is an unprecedented performance by the teams in one city. Even before we crunched the numbers this year, we had a pretty good idea who would be No. 1,” said Sporting News Chief of Correspondents Bob Hille, who has coordinated the rankings since their expansion 12 years ago.

This year’s list features more than 400 cities and towns in the United States and Canada, ranked based on a variety of factors, including each city’s number of teams and their regular-season won-lost records, playoff berths, bowl appearances and tournament bids; championships; power ratings; competition; fan fervor; attendance; stadium/arena quality; ticket prices/availability; franchise ownership; and marquee appeal of athletes.

“When the teams in your city are doing well, you feel good about where you live, not just as a sports fan but as a citizen,” Hille said.

Sporting News began its Best Sports City rankings in 1993. Past winners:

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 Sporting News expanded and refined the rating system.

This year’s complete list will be in the October 13 issue of Sporting News, on sale Wednesday, October 8 at Barnes and Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets. In addition to the list, there will be expanded coverage of this year’s No. 1 and its very special sports year. The magazine cover (attached) features David Ortiz and Paul Pierce.