Rankings look at the 12 months from summer 2009 to summer 2010. Are based on point values assigned to categories including but not limited to win-loss records, postseason appearances, power ratings, number of teams, attendance.
Fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.Cleveland, Ohio -- Cleveland is the 28th-best sports city in North America for 2010, according to the Sporting News' annual rankings.
The Sporting News explains how it ranks the cities:
It takes more than championships. Sporting News’ Best Sports Cities rankings, which look at the 12 months from summer 2009 to summer 2010, are based on point values assigned to various categories, including but not limited to won-lost records, postseason appearances, applicable power ratings, number of teams and attendance.
College and minor league teams are included in the equation. And, sports such as auto racing, besides the team sports. Factored in for Cleveland, for instance, are the Indians, Cavaliers, Browns, Gladiators, Monsters and Cleveland State.
Chicago is ranked first, followed by No. 2 Boston and No. 3 Los Angeles. Cleveland's No. 28 ranking is better than some other large major-sports cities, such as Baltimore, San Francisco, Seattle and Milwaukee. In all, 402 cities are ranked.
Cincinnati, at No. 16, is rated first among Ohio cities. Others from Ohio are Columbus (38), Athens (98), Kent (112), Bowling Green (116), Akron (117), Oxford (126), Toledo (135), Dayton (140), Youngstown (205) and Eastlake (341).