Ranking the 30 best sports cities in America for 2016

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Apr 17, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando City SC midfielder Kaka (10) controls the ball against the New England Revolution during the second half at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Orlando City SC and New England Revolution ended in a 2-2 tie. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

29. Orlando, Florida

In that there aren’t many professional sports franchises, and sporting events are often rewarded for no other reason than the consistently sunny all-year weather, Orlando is a lot like San Diego.

Not that Orlando is a bad sports city — far from it. Not only has it attracted several mid-level college bowl games; it’s also slated to host both WrestleMania 33 as well as the 2017 Citrus Bowl.

As far as professional sports franchises, the city boasts two: The Magic, and MLS’s Orlando City SC. And while it’s been a bit since the team was in the playoffs, the Magic’s passionate fan base, coupled with a beautiful arena, have helped make them one of the more successful ’90s expansion teams in all of sports.

Orlando City SC is hoping for a similar fate. Indeed, with soccer on the rise in the city and an ever-growing fan base in place, the club’s prospects are looking brighter every day. Orlando is nothing if not a niche city, and if a soccer team is going to take off anywhere, Central Florida would seem like a good candidate.

Throw in the myriad bowl games the city has netted, and Orlando has just enough sports clout to crack the bottom of our list.

Next: 28. Austin