DALLAS — As sports-crazy as the Dallas-Fort Worth area might be, perhaps it's no surprise that the city is now considered the epicenter of where the sports and business worlds meet.
On Monday, the Sports Business Journal released the findings of a seven-month study in which it ranked the Top 50 cities in the country for sports business -- and Dallas came in ranked in the No. 1 spot.
“It fits into the narrative that Dallas is exceptionally business-friendly to begin with,” said SBJ’s Senior Market Analyst Derick Ross. “It is because of the cost of living, the regulatory structure, the taxes. These are the kind of things that a lot of businesses -- not just sports businesses -- have noticed, and why Dallas is growing so much.
Nearly half a million data points were used for the study, according to Ross, but they all fit into three major categories: number of opportunities, executive sentiment, and economic environment.
While New York and Los Angeles still own most of the opportunities, Dallas surprised with the number of sports entities (such as marketing agencies, media companies and brand sponsors) it boasts within the market.
Minneapolis, meanwhile, ranked as the top city in the category for sports executives’ sentiment, although Dallas again scored high marks.
But, ultimately, it was the economic environment category that set Dallas and the surrounding region apart from the field.
“This is an area where Dallas was exceptionally good,” said Ross. “Dallas had the highest score of any city in our study. When you think about AT&T Stadium and how that has become one of the great facilities of the world. The Rangers have a new ballpark. There is even a new cricket facility. So just the breadth and diversity of all the facilities make it an environment really conducive to sports business.”
Another trend Ross mentioned is that six of the top 10 cities in their rankings are Sun Belt cities, which says something about how business opportunities have moved away from the traditional coastal markets and into parts of the country where business conditions are favorable.
Being named the best city for sports business is a big deal for the Dallas Sports Commission and its ongoing mission to lure sports events to the area.
"When we were awarded as a host city for the [2026 FIFA] World Cup last year, I did not think there was anything that could beat that," said Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul. "Then this came out and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, this is pretty special' -- because we are very proud of our city and everything it has to offer."
Paul hopes the Sports Business Journal's designation of Dallas as the country's top sports market helps the area secure even more huge events in the immediate future.
The commission is still trying to secure a semifinal or final match for the 2026 World Cup along with the chance to hose the event’s international broadcast center. The 2031 Rugby World Cup is also on their radar, as well as many of the country’s big annual events -- like the Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star Game and the College Football Playoffs.
Regardless, Dallas-Fort Worth's penchant for sports business clearly has an impact that extends far beyond the playing fields and arenas.
"I don’t have a specific number of employees in DFW that are in the sports industry, but think about all the events and ancillary businesses that are around those," said Ross. "There are thousands of people either directly or indirectly impacted by sports, and Dallas is just a place to be for sports business -- and I think that is pretty clear."
Sports Business Journal’s top cities for sports business
- Dallas
- New York
- Charlotte
- Minneapolis
- Atlanta
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
- Nashville
- Chicago
- Phoenix
Read the Sports Business Journal's full report here.