Which City Has the Most Professional Sports Teams
New York City has the most professional sports teams across the major North American leagues, with 11 teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, and NWSL as of the latest available data. This count includes the New York Giants, New York Jets, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New York City FC, Gotham FC, and the recently added New York Power. The city's dense sports infrastructure, large media market, and multiple stadium and arena options support this high concentration of franchises, as detailed in league and business reports on sports economics and franchise valuations Forbes most valuable sports teams.
Los Angeles is the second city by number of major professional teams, with 9 franchises spanning the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, and NWSL. Its teams include the Rams, Chargers, Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, LAFC, and Angel City FC. Both New York and Los Angeles benefit from massive local economies, broadcast revenue, and sponsorship deals that make them the top hubs for professional sports ownership and investment Forbes franchise valuations.
Professional Sports Team Counts by Major League
In the NFL, the New York metropolitan area fields two teams, the Giants and Jets, while Los Angeles has the Rams and Chargers. MLB has two teams each in New York (Yankees, Mets) and Los Angeles (Dodgers, Angels). The NBA features two teams in New York (Nets, Knicks) and two in Los Angeles (Lakers, Clippers). The NHL has two teams in New York (Rangers, Islanders) and one in Los Angeles (Kings), and MLS has one team in each city (NYCFC, LAFC) with NWSL expansion adding Gotham FC and Angel City FC Forbes team data.
Other major cities trail these leaders in total franchise count. Chicago has five major teams across MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLS (Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Fire). Boston has five teams (Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, Patriots, Revolution). Dallas has five teams (Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, FC Dallas, FC Dallas NWSL). While these cities have strong sports ecosystems, none matches the combined league presence of New York or Los Angeles Forbes franchise counts.
Why New York Leads in Professional Sports Teams
New York's dominance in professional sports teams is driven by its status as the largest U.S. media market, its dense population, and its concentration of corporate headquarters and investment firms. The city's five boroughs host multiple stadiums and arenas, including MetLife Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Barclays Center, and Madison Square Garden, which allow multiple franchises to operate profitably in the same market Forbes sports business.
Franchise valuations in New York consistently rank