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Best Sports Business Cities: No. 21 — Philadelphia

By David Broughton
The new scoreboard will be 77% larger than the current scoreboard.getty images

No. 21: Philadelphia

Score: 37.1

With nine properties, there’s a lot of stability in the City of Brotherly Love. Its pro teams (which have a combined tenure of nearly four centuries) and seven Division I colleges drew 27.9 million fans over the past five seasons, topping Houston and Phoenix, which are bigger markets. Lincoln Financial Field will host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches as well as the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championships. Wells Fargo Center, which is wrapping up a $350 million makeover, will host upcoming Division I wrestling and men’s basketball postseason tournaments.

Executives did lament Philly’s daily per diem of $228, which is $40 higher than Pittsburgh.

152 x 86

The size in feet of the new Phillies scoreboard this season, which will be the largest in MLB when complete.

Sponsors (26): The region’s roster includes Comcast, Lincoln Financial Group, SAP and Subaru of America, and about a dozen service providers, including Aramark, OVG360, Playfly Sports and TurnkeyZRG.

What they’re saying: “It’s a traditional sports city that is further growing out of the shadow of NYC, driven by sports teams, organizations and outside-the-box thinking ownership groups.” — D.B.

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