Fansided

Ranking the 30 best sports cities in America for 2016

By Charles Rahrig V

Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Fans walk on the Hope Memorial Bridge after the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Fans walk on the Hope Memorial Bridge after the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Verizon Indy Car driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi poses for a photo in his car at the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Verizon Indy Car driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi poses for a photo in his car at the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

21. Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is home to the largest spectacle in American sports, the Indianapolis 500. With well over 200,000 fans at the event each year, the Indy 500 is an event teeming with tradition, honor, and pride.

Not only is it considered one of the beacons of racing around the world, the two-mile track also doubles as host to other events, including NASCAR’s annual Brickyard 400. The most iconic tradition, meanwhile, belongs to the Indy 500, where the winner drinks from a glass jug of milk.

Aside from being a hub for racing, Indianapolis is home to some of the most ardent football and basketball fans in the world. To date, Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted a Super Bowl (including the instant-classic showdown between the New York Giants and New England Patriots in 2012), two Final Fours, and numerous NFL playoff games.

Just down the street, the Indiana Pacers play at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, built to mimic the many bandbox-style high-school gyms that pepper the Hoosier State. And while the Pacers have yet to win a NBA title, their status as one of the preeminent teams in the American Basketball Association, combined with an always-rabid fan base, have helped make their home city a flat-out great American sports town.

Next: 20. Las Vegas