Miami Dolphins fans rank in Top 10 football fanbases, WalletHub list says

For football fans, the sport is more than just a game. For some fans, following football is a lifestyle.

WalletHub recently released a rankings list of the best cities for football fans, and Jaguars fans might be surprised to see Jacksonville didn’t make the overall list. But Miami made the Top 10.

The list is technically three rankings lists: One for overall football fans, one that lists the best cities for NFL fans and one listing the best towns for college football fans.

“Deciding the best football cities ultimately comes down to a combination of how successful the cities’ teams are, how easy it is for spectators to enjoy games, and how dedicated the local fanbase is,” WalletHub Analyst Cassandra Happe said in the study.

Here are the best cities for professional and college football fans and where Miami ranks on the list.

Which U.S. city loves football the most?

To determine the best cities for football fans, WalletHub analyzed 249 cities, all with at least one professional football team or at least one college football team. The cities were then grouped by division — pro and college football — and measured across 20 metrics, like the average ticket price for an NFL game, fan engagement, attendance, stadium capacity and number of coaches in the past 10 seasons.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ranks as the best city for football mostly because of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but partly because of its NCAA team, the Pittsburgh Panthers.

“When it comes to the NFL specifically, the Pittsburgh Steelers have some of the most engaged football fans in the country in terms of social media likes and followers per capita,” the study said.

“Pittsburgh has some of the most loyal fans, too, measured by ticket revenues, social media engagement, and the home team’s ability to outperform its payroll investments.”

Based on the metrics used, Miami places as the seventh best city for football fans. No other Florida cities made the Top 20, but Tampa placed in 22nd (right below Las Vegas, where Super Bowl 58 is being held).

Which Florida city loves football the most?

Miami hosts two kinds of football teams. Miami is the home of Inter Miami CF, the team Lionel Messi plays soccer for.

And, of course, there’s the Miami Dolphins, who had a great season in 2023. Both Miami and Jacksonville ranked in the Top 5 cities with the most affordable average ticket prices for professional football games, while Gainesville ranked as one of the most expensive places in the country to buy a ticket for a college football game.

Miami ranks on WalletHub's list as the seventh best overall for football, tenth for NFL fans and doesn't place at all for college football fans, where Tallahassee takes sixth place.

Here are the best cities for overall football fans, according to WalletHub’s study:

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2. Dallas, Texas

3. Green Bay, Wisconsin

4. Los Angeles, California

5. Boston, Massachusetts

6. New York, New York

7. Miami, Florida

8. New Orleans, Louisiana

9. San Francisco, California

10. Kansas City, Missouri

Here are WalletHub's best cities for NFL fans:

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2. Dallas, Texas

3. Boston, Massachusetts

4. Green Bay, Wisconsin

5. Los Angeles, California

6. San Francisco, California

7. Kansas City, Missouri

8. New Orleans, Louisiana

9. New York, New York

10. Miami, Florida

Here are the top 10 cities for college football fans:

1. Tuscaloosa, Alabama

2. Clemson, South Carolina

3. Fayette, Mississippi

4. State College, Pennsylvania

5. Fargo, North Dakota

6. Tallahassee, Florida

7. Stillwater, Oklahoma

8. West Point, New York

9. Athens, Georgia

10. Ann Arbor, Michigan

How much are seats for a Miami Dolphins game?

Tickets to see the Miami Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens cost an average of around $162 per ticket, according to Vividseats.

It’s not too early to put your name down for season tickets, if you want them. You can be one of the first to sign up for 2024 season tickets and join the waitlist on the Dolphins’ website.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Study: What’s best city for football fans? Miami, not Jacksonville, Florida