Ranking the 30 best sports cities in America for 2016

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Jul 16, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins grounds crew roll out the tarp in the eleventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Minneapolis, Minnesota

If there was an award for the city that builds the best stadiums, Minneapolis might well be the winner. And while the city has been historically championship-starved, its beautiful, state-of the art stadiums make for some of the best, most fan-friendly experiences anywhere.

Minneapolis is home to both Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, each of which could make a case for World’ Most Beautiful Stadium. While the Twins are down in the dumps and the Timberwolves are just now starting to emerge from a years-long post-Kevin-Garnett funk, the Vikings and Wild have each emerged as potential contenders-in-waiting in their respective leagues. And don’t forget about the University of Minnesota, which boasts proud traditions in both football and basketball.

Though often pegged as a small market, the Minneapolis-St. Paul corridor boasts a whopping 3.2 million people. To put that in perspective, that’s almost four times as many people as live in Cleveland, long considered one of the Midwest’s preeminent sports towns.

With teams in all four major sports, a pair of world-class venues, and a history of hosting both Super Bowls and Final Fours, Minneapolis has all the makings of a top-tier sports city.

Next: 17. Atlanta