Anxiously awaiting the start of the 2016-2017 NHL season? If you’re in Detroit, you’re not alone. WalletHub released a report that ranked 72 of the largest U.S. cities to determine which ones were the best for hockey fans.
The report used 17 metrics, including ticket prices, stadium capacity, and the performance level of each city’s teams. Based on the findings, Detroit came in first as the overall best city for hockey fans.
Breaking down that ranking even further, the report shows that Detroit ranks first in the nation for NHL fans but didn’t do as well in the college hockey rankings. The city came in 56 there.
The top five overall cities for hockey are
- Detroit
- Boston
- Pittsburgh
- New York
- Chicago
The top five cities for NHL fans are
- Detroit
- Pittsburgh
- New York
- Boston
- Chicago
The top five cities for college hockey fans are
- Boston
- Ann Arbor
- Grand Forks, ND
- Houghton, MI
- Big Rapids, MI
The report then went on to rank cities based on best-performing teams, ticket price, stadium capacity, and fan engagement.
Not surprisingly, Detroit appeared high in the rankings again when it came to NHL fan engagement. The city ranked fourth for highest fan engagement. Obviously, Detroiters love their team and aren’t afraid to show it or pay for it. Detroit came in 18 (out of 21) for lowest minimum season ticket price for an NHL game.
Ann Arbor came in first for highest college hockey fan engagement, and fans are willing to pay quite a bit to go to a game. Ann Arbor tied for 38th place (out of 43) for lowest minimum season ticket price for a college hockey game.
To reach these results, WalletHub compared 72 of the most populated U.S. cities across two divisions, including NHL (Division I Men’s) and college hockey (Div. I Men’s). The cities chosen have at least one college or professional hockey team.
The report then looked at 17 metrics like number of hockey teams, number of Stanely Cup Wins, franchise value, fan attendance, and popularity index.
