Ranking the 30 best sports cities in America for 2016

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Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Armed policeman Ofc. Winkler patrols outside the stadium prior to the 2015 SEC Championship Game between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

17. Atlanta, Georgia

Only a select few U.S. cities can boast of having hosted the Olympic Games. That gives Atlanta, long known for their championship droughts and somewhat fickle fan bases, a huge boost on our list.

While the city could never quite make hockey work, Atlanta is well represented on the pro-sports front, with the Braves, Hawks, and Falcons each having had stretches of sustained success over the decades. Indeed, the Braves dominated the scene in the N.L. East for over a decade, bringing home a World Series title in 1995. Meanwhile, the Hawks have been a consistent playoff team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, and the Falcons — despite a string of somewhat disappointing seasons — have had a talented enough core to compete consistently in the NFC South.

More than any other team, the Falcons remain the pride and joy of the Atlanta sports scene. They may have only one Super Bowl appearance to their credit (in 1998), but the Falcons remain just a piece or two away from making some real noise in the conference.

Collegiately speaking, Atlanta is one of the strongest cities in America, with support for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Georgia State Panthers, and Georgia Bulldogs all staple fixtures of the sports scene.

Next: 16. Kansas City