Detroit is the best city for visiting NFL fans, study says
(CBS DETROIT) - As football fans across the country excitedly route for their teams as the 2023 NFL season unfolds, Detroit has been named the best destination for visiting fans.
The Detroit Lions continue to see success this season, and now fans can boast about their city, too.
What makes Detroit the best NFL city
BonusFinder.com ranked destinations based on venues, bars, game day activities, and more to determine the best.
The following nine categories were used:
- Iconic stadiums (calculated based on Yelp, Google and Google Maps reviews, the age of the stadium and the number of hashtags on Instagram)
- Prestige of franchise (calculated based on the founding year of the team, number of Super Bowl wins, number of Super Bowl MVPs and number of players introduced to the Pro Football Hall of Fame)
- Sports bars (within 5-mile radius)
- Distance from major city center to the stadium
- Bars within walking distance (1-mile radius)
- Cost of hotdog at stadium
- Cost of beer at the stadium
- Gambling opportunities (casinos and if online betting is available within that state)
- Sports-related activities nearby (stadiums of other major league teams and sports-related museums)
The study shows that Detroit ranked No. 1 for number of bars within walking distance, with 129 bars within a 1-mile radius, and ranked No. 8 for number of sports bars (36) within a 5-mile radius.
The Lions' stadium, Ford Field, ranked fifth for most iconic stadium after receiving an average of 4.4/5 on review websites, the age of the stadium (it opened in 2002) and the number of times the hashtag has been used on Instagram (nearly 100,000 times).
"Detroit has a long and prestigious football history with the Lions celebrating their 95th year of existence this year," said Managing Director of BonusFinder.com Fintan Costello. "Our study wanted to discover which cities embody the spirit of football like no other by comparing their iconic venues and legendary players as well as the city's passion for sports, including all the on and off field excitement. The study is a fusion of sports, culture, and entertainment, giving fans across the nation a roadmap to the ultimate NFL experience."
How other teams ranked for best NFL fan destinations
- Detroit Lions
- Chicago Bears
- New Orleans Saints
- Carolina Panthers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Baltimore Ravens
- Denver Broncos
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Indianapolis Colts
- Tennessee Titans
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
- Atlanta Falcons
- Dallas Cowboys
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings
- Seattle Seahawks
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- New England Patriots
- Washington Commanders
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Houston Texans
- Miami Dolphins
- Buffalo Bills
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Los Angeles Chargers
What's next for the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions will play the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, before returning home to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 30.
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