Ranking the 30 best sports cities in America for 2016

2. Chicago, Illinois

Is there a city that wears its teams’ colors on its sleeve more than Chicago? The city might be known for its championship pedigree, but Chicago has also experienced more than its fair share of heartbreak — which only adds to its status as a tried-and-true sports mecca.

For all of the Bulls’ championships; the ’85 Chicago Bears; the recent success of the Chicago Blackhawks: There’s also the Cubs, who have gone 107 years (think about that for a second) without a World Series win.

Still, Cubs fans show up to Wrigley Field no matter what, and despite the team’s perennial propensity for not meeting expectations, the city itself has had a pretty good past two decades, all things considered. Indeed, while the Bulls haven’t won a title since the 90s and the Bears haven’t won since ’85, their respective fan bases are loyal enough to come out en mass no matter what the venue.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, have won three Stanley Cups in the past decade, and remain a force in the Western Conference. The White Sox might be struggling, but the Cubs are — wait for it — finally great again, with their sites squarely set on a World Series run this October.

Next: 1. Boston