Clemson University

Clemson ranked No. 1 small sports city in nation

Clemson Tigers fans celebrate after a touchdown in the second half at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Clemson Tigers fans celebrate after a touchdown in the second half at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., against the South Carolina Gamecocks. gmelendez@thestate.com

Clemson is the best small sports city in the country, according to a ranking compiled by WalletHub.

The South Carolina city, home of the Clemson Tigers, also is the second best city of any size for football fans (college or pro), second only to Green Bay, Wis., home of the Green Bay Packers. Clemson was ahead of such football hotbeds as Pittsburgh (Steelers), Tuscaloosa, Ala., (Crimson Tide) and Baton Rouge, La. (LSU Tigers).

WalletHub ranked the top cities in three categories – large, midsize and small. Criteria ranged from performance level of the city’s teams(s), to average ticket price per game to number of sports bars.

Columbia, home of the South Carolina Gamecocks teams, ranked No. 15 in midsize cities, behind Charleston at No. 7.

Conway, home of the college baseball world champs Coastal Carolina Chanticleerss, ranked No. 6 in small cities.

New York is the best large sports city, and Green Bay is the top midsize sports city.

Staff Reports

How S.C. ranked

A look at South Carolina cities in WalletHub’s rankings:

Midsize Cities

(100,000-300,000)

7. Charleston

15. Columbia

59. North Charleston

Small cities

(under 100,000)

1. Clemson

6. Conway

28. Spartanburg

54. Greenville

71. Orangeburg

118. Clinton

135. Rock Hill

189. Myrtle Beach

256. Florence

This story was originally published December 1, 2016 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Clemson ranked No. 1 small sports city in nation."

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