Philadelphia Ranks As A Best City For College Basketball
March Madness is quickly about to take over our collective sports lives. At this point of the year, the NFL draft (though a month out) still feels so far away, and MLB baseball is in the grind of spring training. Thankfully, hoops are about to catch fire, and WalletHub has found Philadelphia is a top city for college basketball fans.
“Each city has its own unique basketball history and charm,” WalletHub states. What’s unique about the upcoming tournaments is that fans have invested interest for numerous reasons. You may simply be cheering for the success of your bracket. Others are die-hard fans of either their alma mater or the big school in their state.
So, how does one determine whether or not a big city is great for college basketball fans? Well, for starters, it does not only have to do with which teams call that city home. “To find 2024’s top spots for NCAA hoops, WalletHub crunched the numbers on more than 290 U.S. cities using nine key metrics,” they said.
Those nine factors include focus areas such as winning percentage, stadium capacity, and social-media engagement. As we head into the most thrilling three-weeks of action in college basketball, here is why Philadelphia is a great place to be for fans.
The Second Best City For College Basketball Fans
Finishing just behind the top-ranked city of Los Angeles, California, Philadelphia received high praise for being a great spot for college hoops fans. Obviously, a dominant program like Villanova is in close proximity. Temple is also a popular program. Loretto, Pennsylvania, also deserves credit here. The home city of St. Francis University was recognized as a 12 best place for college hoops fans. In addition, Loretto tied for first in terms of access to college basketball stadiums.
This year, Philadelphia does not actually host any of the NCAA tournament games. However, there will certainly be numerous sports bars for fans to gather and enjoy the madness.
MLB Power Rankings: Top Teams to Start 2024
Spring is coming, and that means baseball is on the way. So, why not get into some early MLB Power Rankings?
If you weren’t happy with how last season ended, then you’re in luck. That’s because you have a million new games up ahead in the 2024 season. Okay, maybe not a million. But, a lot. The Major League Baseball season schedule packs a whopping 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the American League (AL) and National League (NL). Those games take place over about six months. That means baseball fans, in theory, could watch 2,430 games in the regular season alone.
Don’t do that. You have more of a life than to sit around watching 2,430 baseball games. But, I should talk. During football season, I watch all the games I can get my eyes on.
Let’s not leave out the minor leagues, by the way. It’s always really fun to go to a minor league baseball game, because it’s much more chill than a major league game. It’s also cheaper, both tickets and parking. So, don’t just support your major league team this year. Cheer for the minor league guys, too. You won’t have quite as many games to catch in the minor league, though, as a full, regular season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games and High-A and Single-A are 132 games. Still, that’s lots and lots of baseball to attend.
With the official start of baseball season getting closer, it’s a good time to get into my initial Power Rankings for 2024. Sure, this is a bit premature, since players will shift going into the season. But, the biggest players are with their respective teams now, so we have a good picture and idea of which teams will pop in 2024. Frankly, deciding between No. 1 and 2 was very difficult, because both teams are so, so solid right now. Who are your picks for the 2024 season? Reach out to me here and let me know, and find the full MLB schedule here.
MLB Power Rankings: Top Teams to Begin 2024
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
