Sports Business Journal Announces the 2026 Best Sports Business Cities™ in the U.S.
Atlanta named #1 in the annual ranking of top cities followed by New York City, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and Minneapolis-St. Paul
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta has been named the No. 1 Sports Business City in Sports Business Journal's annual rankings. The Best Sports Business Cities™ list highlights the top 50 cities for businesses operating in and around sports and influences strategic direction for sports business professionals across the United States.
Atlanta ranked as the Best Sports Business City of 2026 and is home to teams across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS, with an NWSL expansion team to come in 2028, supported by a deeply integrated corporate base that includes Delta Air Lines, Coca‑Cola and The Home Depot, in addition to the well-regarded Atlanta Sports Council. The market features industry-standard-setting venues and a blue‑chip event roster, highlighted by eight FIFA World Cup matches, College Football Playoff National Championships and a future Super Bowl. Atlanta's sports business opportunities continue to grow as major organizations establish headquarters in the city, large-scale sports‑anchored developments move forward, hotel construction accelerates, and the cost of doing business remains lower compared to larger competing markets.
"Sports Business Journal continues to recognize how deeply the sports industry fuels economic growth, innovation and civic pride across the country," said Abe Madkour, publisher and executive editor at Sports Business Journal. "Atlanta's rise to the No. 1 spot reflects the strength of its sports ecosystem, from world-class properties and events to a business environment strengthened by strong ownership, effective operations and sustained investment."
"Atlanta's recognition as SBJ's Best Sports Business City is great acknowledgement of the business leaders who saw the vision early, the civic institutions that believe sports can be used not just as entertainment, but as a catalyst for economic development, and the public servants at all levels of government who understand when Atlanta moves forward together, there is no ceiling to what WE can achieve," said Arthur M. Blank, owner and chairman, The Blank Family of Businesses.
Rounding out the top five cities are New York City, Indianapolis, Charlotte and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Each of these markets has a vibrant mix of companies and events that serve the sports industry.
- In terms of volume, New York City's concentration of sports properties, top-tier sponsors, media companies and marquee B2B events, supported by $4.1 billion in sports construction since 2018, remains unmatched.
- Indianapolis stands out as one of the nation's most prolific event hosting markets, pairing a centralized, walkable downtown footprint with a long‑term pipeline of NCAA, NFL, Olympic trials and major professional events.
- Charlotte generated the strongest net positive executive sentiment in the study, driven by rapid population growth, an expanding roster of sports properties and a business ecosystem built for long‑term opportunity.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul has established itself as one of the country's leading sports business markets, anchored by premier facilities, engaged fans, progressive stakeholders and steady event growth.
Started in 2023, Best Sports Business Cities™ is an editorial initiative developed by Sports Business Journal, the industry's leading news source on the business of sports. Using extensive data from dozens of sources and insights from nearly 120 influential sports business executives, SBJ evaluated more than 2,000 markets to identify the top cities based on opportunity, economic environment and industry sentiment to identify cities with strong business presence, hiring potential and long-term investment viability.
About Sports Business Journal
Sports Business Journal (SBJ), a subsidiary of Leaders Group Sports, an Advance company, sits at the epicenter of the sports industry. Headquartered in Charlotte, SBJ provides the news, the networking and the data to equip the most powerful executives in sports business to make more informed decisions, deals and partnerships. SBJ's award-winning media content is delivered through multiple media platforms, hallmark events and market-leading data. To learn more visit: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com.
Sean Burke
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SOURCE Sports Business Journal
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