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I disagree. Now, the Astros are an excellent team and they won the World Series title two years ago. The Rockets have had some good teams with Harden and CP3 but they didn't produce a championship or even a NBA Finals appearance. The Texans are a pretty good team, they're borderline SB contenders; I think they just need to make a couple of more moves to put themselves into contender status. But, they have been constantly eliminated in the Wild Card Game or Divisional round the last few years.
Now, if the Astros win another WS title this year, Rockets had won or win an NBA title with Harden and the Texans make a deep playoff run that turns into a SB title or appearance then Houston would have the best teams. Right now, Houston has great or pretty good teams but not the best because only one of them has won a title.
Of the cities listed, I think only LA can make an argument for having the most success with their sports teams recently. Even then, none of their 8 pro teams have won a championship in the last five years, although they've gotten close with the Dodgers twice and the Rams losing in the Super Bowl this year. Until one of their teams gets a ring, I give the nod to Houston for assembling the best teams right now. If the poster meant the entire country, then that obviously should be Boston.
It helps that Houston is stocked with a bunch of sports stars/talent at the moment that few markets can match including Harden, Westbrook, JJ Watt, Deshaun Watson, Deandre Hopkins, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, and Gerrit Cole.
Only LA can say it has more sports stars which include Lebron, Kawhi, PG13, Anthony Davis, Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Jalen Ramsey, Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger, and Clayton Kershaw. Wisconsin pro sports is up there as well for being a small market, with each team producing a recent MVP recipient (Giannis, Rodgers, and Yelich).
For the purposes of this thread when accounting for history, success, fanbases, and other factors, then I have LA at the top spot, Dallas 2nd and probably Houston at 3rd. Miami does have a lot of rings but their fan support is amongst the worst in the country.
Of the cities listed, I think only LA can make an argument for having the most success with their sports teams recently. Even then, none of their 8 pro teams have won a championship in the last five years, although they've gotten close with the Dodgers twice and the Rams losing in the Super Bowl this year. Until one of their teams gets a ring, I give the nod to Houston for assembling the best teams right now. If the poster meant the entire country, then that obviously should be Boston.
It helps that Houston is stocked with a bunch of sports stars/talent at the moment that few markets can match including Harden, Westbrook, JJ Watt, Deshaun Watson, Deandre Hopkins, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, and Gerrit Cole.
Only LA can say it has more sports stars which include Lebron, Kawhi, PG13, Anthony Davis, Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Jalen Ramsey, Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger, and Clayton Kershaw. Wisconsin pro sports is up there as well for being a small market, with each team producing a recent MVP recipient (Giannis, Rodgers, and Yelich).
For the purposes of this thread when accounting for history, success, fanbases, and other factors, then I have LA at the top spot, Dallas 2nd and probably Houston at 3rd. Miami does have a lot of rings but their fan support is amongst the worst in the country.
The OP meant which Sun Belt city is the best sports city, not which city is the best sports city in the entire country. L.A. isn't a Sun Belt city, it's a Coastal city. Plus, it's been almost 10 years since L.A. has won a championship (2010 Lakers).
I agree with you on Miami, they have a nice amount of titles but their fan support is terrible. Their fan base has a lot of fair weather fans too; but to me Florida's fan base is terrible and fair weather. They only support the teams only when they doing good. But, that's to be expected because there's a lot of transplants in Miami. So, most of the transplants are still going to fans of their hometown teams. Most of them are not gonna move to Miami and start cheering for Miami teams. Or, the Miami residents feel that they're too cool for school to go to a game because they have to get to the beaches and clubs on South Beach.
The OP meant which Sun Belt city is the best sports city, not which city is the best sports city in the entire country. L.A. isn't a Sun Belt city, it's a Coastal city. Plus, it's been almost 10 years since L.A. has won a championship (2010 Lakers).
I agree with you on Miami, they have a nice amount of titles but their fan support is terrible. Their fan base has a lot of fair weather fans too; but to me Florida's fan base is terrible and fair weather. They only support the teams only when they doing good. But, that's to be expected because there's a lot of transplants in Miami. So, most of the transplants are still going to fans of their hometown teams. Most of them are not gonna move to Miami and start cheering for Miami teams. Or, the Miami residents feel that they're too cool for school to go to a game because they have to get to the beaches and clubs on South Beach.
You nailed it with the transplants, and really, this is a Florida issue in general when it comes to sports.
You nailed it with the transplants, and really, this is a Florida issue in general when it comes to sports.
But LA is a transplant city as well. The only difference I can see is that teams like the Dodgers and Lakers have a more established fan base to already join. It wouldn't be so hard to become a Dodgers fan, but I could see it being a challenge to become a new Marlins fan.
But LA is a transplant city as well. The only difference I can see is that teams like the Dodgers and Lakers have a more established fan base to already join. It wouldn't be so hard to become a Dodgers fan, but I could see it being a challenge to become a new Marlins fan.
To me, a lot of folks who move to L.A. and start rooting for L.A. only do it because it's the cool thing to do. It's like they can move from Dallas rooting for the Mavericks all their life, but then change up to rooting fro the Lakers just to fit in. California has felt bandwagon to me as well. A lot folks who were rocking Laker gear switched up to the Warriors once they started their run and now they're Laker fans again. Or, some Cali residents will make the excuse that, "I'm rooting for California" when a lot of weren't rooting for that team before they became good.
To me, a lot of folks who move to L.A. and start rooting for L.A. only do it because it's the cool thing to do. It's like they can move from Dallas rooting for the Mavericks all their life, but then change up to rooting fro the Lakers just to fit in. California has felt bandwagon to me as well. A lot folks who were rocking Laker gear switched up to the Warriors once they started their run and now they're Laker fans again. Or, some Cali residents will make the excuse that, "I'm rooting for California" when a lot of weren't rooting for that team before they became good.
I'm not saying your experience is wrong, but I've never experienced this with my friend/social group from SoCal. We all grew up Dodgers/Lakers fans. The ones who started bandwagoning for the Clippers the few times they were good were definitely laughed at. And nobody would be caught dead in SoCal repping a NorCal team unless they're from NorCal.
I never county L.A. as a Sun Belt city because it sits on the Coasts and they're by the Ocean.
So the sun doesn't shine on the ocean?
Cities can have more than one identifier you know. Boston is both Northeast and East Coast. Cleveland is both Rust Belt and Great Lakes. New Orleans is both Southern and Gulf Coast. Phoenix is both Sunbelt and Southwest. And so on and so forth.
Just for the record, I'm a born and bred South Carolinian and a lifelong Lakers fan. If I ever move to LA, me rooting for the Lakers would not be anything new whatsoever.
Just wanted to put this out there because you never know what the future may hold.
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