Toledo has new claim to fame: `We're No. 75'

8/11/2001

In New York City they're shouting, “We're No. 1.” In Toledo it's, “We're No. 75.” OK, so it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but being in the top 20 percent of all sports cities in the U.S. still isn't bad.

This is all according to the Sporting News and its annual Best Sports Cities issue.

The magazine identified the Glass City as 75th best out of 376 cities and towns that fit the BSC's not-necessarily-scientific criteria.

Bowling Green weighed in at No. 151; other Ohio cities and their rankings were: Cincinnati 24, Columbus 31, Cleveland 32, Athens 102, Oxford 111, Kent 112, Akron 129 and Dayton 133.

To even receive consideration for the Sporting News' list, a community must be home to at least a Division I basketball team or an affiliated minor league baseball team. A community's ranking is determined by a number of things, including fan support, stadium quality and game atmosphere, to mention a few.

New York City, which also includes suburban New Jersey, topped the list for the second time in three years. The city/area that is home to nine professional teams also earned the distinction as the No. 1 sports city in 1999.

Rounding out this year's top 10 rankings were Oakland-San Francisco-San Jose, Los Angeles-Anaheim, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Baltimore-Washington, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Detroit and Phoenix.

St. Louis, named the Best Sports City a year ago, slipped to 11.

Montreal unflatteringly ranks last on the list.