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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Jul 9, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Brock Lesnar (red gloves) reacts to his win against Mark Hunt (blue gloves) during UFC 200 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Brock Lesnar (red gloves) reacts to his win against Mark Hunt (blue gloves) during UFC 200 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports /

20. Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas has finally been awarded its first professional sports franchise — a NHL team, weirdly enough, which is slated to arrive ahead of the 2017-18 season. With the opening of the luxurious T-Mobile Arena, a venue equipped to handle just about anything that comes its way, Las Vegas may well tout the most beautiful arena in all of American sports.

While the arena is brand new and hockey is still a ways off, Las Vegas has earned a well-worn reputation for hosting the biggest fights, be it in boxing or mixed martial arts. Indeed, some of the greatest moments in boxing history have unfolded beneath the city’s gleaming lights, while UFC always has a great card lined up and ready to go.

Gambling might be the force that drives the city, but Vegas has emerged as a legitimate sports destination, touting both a bowl game and the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League. Coupled with the possibility of the city eventually landing the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, there’s real potential for Vegas to rocket up the ranks as one of the country’s truly great sports cities.

It’s safe to say Vegas is the only city on the list without either a pro or franchise or top-tier college program (sorry, UNLV fans — just missed the cut). So it’ll be interesting to see how the city responds when its NHL team finally does arrive.

Next: 19. St. Louis