The Best NFL Markets, Ranked
I was in the second smallest city in the NFL and having the time of my life—which got me thinking, what are the best NFL markets?
Last Sunday, I went to three different NFL games in one day as a part of Verizon’s new myAccess program. I teased the journey a day before and was met with skepticism that it would be possible.
Well, if not for elite organization and access to a private jet, it may have been impossible—but we got it done. The day began watching the underachieving but always relevant New York Jets at MetLife Stadium; then straight to Baltimore for the afternoon window; and then we finished the day in a Buffalo snow globe.
Verizon is an exclusive partner with 27 of the 32 teams in the NFL because they know just important the NFL is in our lives. “This is why we partner with the NFL. I bet anyone who was on that plane will remember it forever, and we love being a part of that,” Nick Kelly, VP of Partnerships told me. I believe that the NFL fan experience is superior to others for many reasons, but if this day confirmed anything to me, it was that the size of the market does not equate to anything.
Each leg of the trip took us to smaller cities, and the parties only got bigger. This is unique to the NFL; compare that to MLB, where New York and Los Angeles will reign much past our lifetimes.
Meanwhile, I was in the second smallest city in the NFL and having the time of my life—which got me thinking, what are the best NFL markets?
10. Dallas
No matter where you’re reading this from, there’s an annoying Cowboys fan in your life–but god bless them, they do love their Cowboys. It’s either “I’m from Texas” or “My Dad loved the Cowboys so I do, too,” and I can only respect that. Jerry Jones might not be a great GM but as an owner, the man has made the Dallas Cowboys into a global brand. They are the New York Yankees of the NFL, and whether you hate them or love them, you’re talking about them. Dallas fans have a zillion-dollar stadium, a storied history, and they always have something to do on Thanksgiving.
9. Baltimore
Sandwiched in between massive East Coast markets, Baltimore has carved out a very strong legacy in its 28 short years in the league. Built on arguably the best defense ever—with Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed—the Ravens captivated the 2000s with intimidation and theatrics. Now you can eat crabcakes outside M&T Bank Stadium before watching the most electrifying quarterback we’ve seen in years. The aggressiveness of purple and black gives Baltimore an aura that’s hard to compare. Unlike most of the teams on the list, the Ravens were founded in the ’90s, and have two Super Bowls and a list of legends to show for it. I’d be much happier in Baltimore with the Ravens than in Indianapolis with the Colts.
8. Pittsburgh
Before the 21st-century Patriots were a thing, the Steelers were the NFL’s prized son. Six Super Bowl championships sit atop the list of the accomplishments and super-rich football history under the stable ownership of the Rooney family. The team has a defensive “Steel Curtain” culture that wins playoff games in a uniform design that hasn’t changed since the beginning of time—and, of course, the Terrible Towels. Pittsburgh has always given me a hearty, blue-collar feel. When you look around the NFL at all the dumpster-fire organizations, I’d sleep well at night knowing my head coach (Mike Tomlin) has never had a losing season.
7. New Orleans
New Orleans celebrates. New Orleans also eats. The best combo for any football experience. “Who Dat” nation brings an intense love for football every Sunday while intertwining the culture and history of New Orleans with wild outfits and unwavering spirit. The Saints' role in the resurgence of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina proved just how connected the team and community are. Drew Brees chose to stay in New Orleans, the Saints returned to the Superdome in 2006, and won Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. The Saints were a catalyst for hope and healing after tragedy.
6. Seattle
In Seattle, they have their own nickname for their fans: the 12s. Rivaling Arrowhead Stadium as the loudest stadium in the world, Lumen Field’s reputation comes from its noise. I find it endearing that a crazed NFL fanbase spends its other six days at coffee shops and hiking. The fact that there’s no NFL team within 800 miles of Seattle helps cast a wide net of football fans in surrounding states and provinces (Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, etc). But ultimately the modern success of the Seahawks has helped keep Seattle fans' Super Bowl dreams alive for years. Marshawn’s run in the 2011 NFC Wild Card game alone would have renewed my season tickets for life.
5. Philadelphia
The Philadelphia mindset is so contagious that it got Coach Nick Sirianni to talk shit to Eagles fans at the Linc this year. Whether or not you like Birds fans, you have to respect the Philadelphia sports scene. A kelly green throwback jersey paired with a Whiz cheesesteak in one hand and a middle finger in the other is peak NFL aesthetic. The NFC East is also built off of historic rivalries. However much you hate the Cowboys, the Eagles hate them more, and the rest of the division is a train ride away. Fun fact, The Linc is the only stadium in the country with a jail in it. Every weekend in Philadelphia is hostile, and I hope it never changes.
4. Minnesota
I feel like this will be controversial, but as a Midwesterner I feel as though I can’t escape Vikings fans (it’s a compliment). For one, they are the only team on this list whose geographical location includes the entire state, not just the city. So if you lived a mile south of the Canadian border in northern Minnesota, the Vikings are still representing YOU. The “Skol” chant and clap can be rather annoying, but after having it done in your face numerous times on a Sunday, you cannot deny how unifying and loud it is. U.S. Bank Stadium is gorgeous and in the middle of downtown Minneapolis. Despite their lack of rings, I think being a Vikings fan would be a fulfilling experience.
3. Green Bay
The smallest market to house a professional sports team is a bucket-list destination for any sports fan. Historic Lambeau Field sits in the middle of the cold Wisconsin suburbs, and I think that is so damn cool. The team was going bankrupt in 1923 and the locals bought stock in order to save the team, making them the only publicly owned, non-profit major league sports team in the country. You quite literally cannot be more a part of the community. The waitlist for season tickets is allegedly decades long, all for their entire bit to be loving cheese. It’s a wholesome, stable, small-town team that just so happened to win the first-ever Super Bowl.
2. Buffalo
Bills fans shovel stadium snow for free because they just love ball. I’ve gotten to experience a handful of Bills games. and the hype is so real. While a lot of cities' passion is more grounded in sh*t-talking (cough, cough, Eagles fans), Bills fans have the biggest hearts in the NFL. I’ve experienced it firsthand, being welcomed into the Mafia as a very public Chiefs fan. Not to mention how the people of Buffalo have donated money in remarkable amounts, oftentimes to opposing organizations. Losing four Super Bowls in a row could turn a community evil, but Buffalo has managed to remain an optimistic bunch who love to play in the snow.
1. Kansas City
People from Kansas City dress like they’re tourists visiting Kansas City. I was in the airport last week and the entire TSA PreCheck line was full of Chiefs quarter-zips. While I am biased, I do think Kansas City sits perfectly between historic tradition and modern popularity. Arrowhead Stadium is the loudest stadium in the world and has smelled like a BBQ smoker for the last four decades. In the ’70s, the Chiefs won Super Bowl IV; in the ’90s John Elway asked a ref to quiet the Arrowhead crowd; and now in the 2020s, the Chiefs have more starpower than any team we’ve ever seen.
KC is home to Andy Reid, who will soon surpass Bill Belichick as winningest coach (he’s already more liked), the best quarterback to ever play, and now a tight end dating the most popular woman in the world. Just a small Midwest flyover town that is now rewarding its die-hard football community with a dynasty. Every Sunday, a dad can take his daughter to see Taylor Swift in the lower-bowl seats while he watches his team attempt to be the first NFL team to ever three-peat.
