ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 08: A general view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - On Monday, the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) published its highly anticipated 2026 "Best Sports Business Cities" rankings, naming Atlanta the number one sports business city in the United States.
For its fourth annual list, SBJ conducted an extensive data-driven dive evaluating 2,384 markets across the country that house at least one professional or Division I collegiate athletic program. When the numbers were finalized, the data, industry leaders, and even rival markets agreed: Atlanta stands alone at the top.
Why Atlanta claimed the sports business crown
Dig deeper:
According to the Sports Business Journal, Atlanta's rise to the pinnacle of the sports business world comes exactly 60 years after the city built a new ballpark to entice the Milwaukee Braves to move south. Today, that sports ecosystem has become a global model for other markets.
The city outperformed massive media markets and traditional sports hubs to lead the pack. The top five cities on SBJ's 2026 list include:
- Atlanta
- New York City
- Indianapolis
- Charlotte
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
By the numbers:
To compile the rankings, SBJ tracked an extraordinary amount of national data, including 9,409 unique sports entities, 520 construction projects, more than 1,000 naming rights or uniform patch deals, and a staggering 1.48 billion in total event attendance.
Big picture view:
Ultimately, Atlanta's top ranking was driven by its world-class venues, highly entrepreneurial team owners, a blue-chip roster of corporate sponsors, and forward-thinking public officials. The city has consistently served as the epicenter for major events, including Super Bowl LIII, the NBA All-Star Game, the College Football Playoff National Championship, the MLS Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, and the annual SEC Championship Game and Peach Bowl.
But the biggest stage of all is just around the corner. Atlanta is gearing up to be a premier host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is already driving massive infrastructure upgrades and tourism projections across the metro area.
Arthur Blank credits 'Teamwork' and bipartisan leadership
Local perspective:
In a companion piece written for SBJ, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur M. Blank emphasized that the city's sports business success boils down to an "uncommon willingness to work together."
You can read more on what Blank had to say at the Sports Business Journal.
The Source: This story references data and reporting originally published by the Sports Business Journal.