Michigan, Illinois or Ohio – Which State Has the Best Baseball City?
We're kicking off the Fall Classic this week as the Rangers set to face the Diamondbacks in the World Series. Arizona is looking for their second title after winning in 2001, and Dallas is chasing their first ever World Series title.
But one thing both these teams have in common is, both rank pretty high on the list for Best Baseball Cities in the country... but not nearly as high as some midwest cities.
Wallethub put out their annual list for the best cities to watch a baseball game in, and several cities across the upper midwest made the list. But, of course, qualifications are important as to how they rank the cities.
Mostly, it's just the number of different teams you have in your city, Big points for a Major League Team, fewer points for Minor League Teams, and then a step further down for any NCAA teams in your town. The price of tickets to each of these games is also a factor. So you could have a great fan environment, but if the ticket prices are outrageous, then it hurts the city's overall score.
Now, it stands to reason that markets with multiple Major League teams are going to rank high no matter what. New York City and Los Angeles top the list for sure as they have multiple teams within their confines, but plenty of midwest cities do just fine as well.
Chicago, Illinois comes in at the No. 6 Best City for Baseball. Two very affordable MLB team experiences in the Cubs and White Sox. Even in years when one or both of the teams are competitive, ticket prices stay pretty manageable. AND the city has a pretty healthy minor league, and college ball atmosphere as well.
The two Ohio cities, Cincinnati (No. 8), and Cleveland (No. 10), each have their own MLB teams in the Reds and Guardians respectively, but also some strong college representation, and minor league ball.
And then, founding out the Top 20 on the list is... Detroit. Now, keep in mind, this list doesn't have as much to do with the success of the teams on the list, but more about the affordable experience, and the overall fan experience, too.
Detroit scored the same as ALL of the big cities when it comes to NCAA and Minor League teams, and say what you will about the Tigers right now and their recent records, but Comerica Park is a BEAUTIFUL park, and the experience, even when the Tigers lose, is a lot of fun.
You can see the FULL list of the best Baseball Cities here with Wallethub, and enjoy the World Series.