With the NBA postseason beginning with a new play-in tournament starting April 16 and the average NBA franchise being worth $3.85 billion, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the Best & Worst Cities for Basketball Fans in 2024, as well as expert commentary.
To find the best cities for basketball fans, WalletHub compared more than 290 of the largest cities across 21 key metrics, ranging from the performance level of each city’s NBA and NCAA Division 1 basketball teams to ticket prices and stadium accessibility.
| Best Cities for Basketball Fans | Worst Cities for Basketball Fans | |
| 1. Los Angeles, CA | 286. Austin, TX | |
| 2. Boston, MA | 287. Commerce, TX | |
| 3. San Francisco, CA | 288. Dover, DE | |
| 4. Salt Lake City, UT | 289. Wichita, KS | |
| 5. Miami, FL | 290. Green Bay, WI | |
| 6. Philadelphia, PA | 291. Easton, MA | |
| 7. Washington, DC | 292. Berkeley, CA | |
| 8. Milwaukee, WI | 293. Pocatello, ID | |
| 9. New York, NY | 294. Daytona Beach, FL | |
| 10. San Antonio, TX | 295. New Britain, CT |
Best vs. Worst
- Charlotte, North Carolina, has the lowest average ticket price for an NBA game, which is 4.3 times less expensive than in San Francisco, the city with the highest.
- The Phoenix Suns have the highest performance level among NBA teams, which is 2.7 times better than that of the Houston Rockets, the team with the lowest.
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs have the highest performance level among college basketball teams, which is 8.6 times better than that of the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, the team with the lowest.
- Miami has the highest fan engagement for NBA teams, which is 28.6 times higher than in New York, the city with the lowest.
