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 12, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; National League players line up for the national anthem before the 2016 MLB All Star Game at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 12, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; National League players line up for the national anthem before the 2016 MLB All Star Game at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

30. San Diego, California

While San Diego only has two professional sports franchises, with one (the Chargers) potentially on the move sooner than later, the city has always been a top attraction for tourists. Indeed, the weather and beautiful scenery at Petco Park simply can’t be beat, making for one of the more enjoyable live experiences in all of sports.

Qualcomm Stadium might no longer be state-of-the-art, but between the yearly college-football bowl games and the occasional Super Bowl, it’s got quite a history behind it. Simply put, for people that want to get out of the bad weather and enjoy pristine conditions, San Diego is the place to go.

Daygo is far from the best sports city. Truth told, it’s not even close to being in the discussion. But the gorgeous weather, along with the endless array of outdoor recreation opportunities, are enough to nudge it into the bottom of our rankings.

Just over a month ago, Petco Park played host to the 2016 MLB All-Star Game, and the venue didn’t disappoint. If the Chargers do end up leaving, however, and the Padres wind up being the lone professional team left, that could be reason enough to leave it off of next year’s list.

Unless, of course, having the sports market all to themselves can help the Padres generate the kind of fan interest necessary for bigger player spending and, eventually, a consistently solid product on the field.

Next: 29. Orlando