Top 93 Cities Most Desperate for a Pro Football Team [2025 Survey]

Our survey of over 3,000 football fans doesn’t just highlight the obvious front-runners; it also shines a light on regional trends and cultural divides. 

Taken together, the results offer a snapshot of how different communities imagine football fitting into their identity.

Here are the full rankings.

Key Findings:

College towns lead the charge. 

From Tuscaloosa (#9) to Knoxville (#17) and Iowa City (#51), the list is stacked with places where Saturdays are already sacred. The loudest calls for a pro team come from college towns where Saturdays already feel like religion.

The South is relentless. 

Alabama alone placed three cities in the top 50 (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Huntsville). With Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas all well represented, the Southeast still looks like the country’s biggest football appetite.

Texas is everywhere. 

Austin (#3), San Antonio (#10), El Paso (#13) - even with the state already spoiled for football, Texans still feel underserved. Rather than uniting under one banner, Texas football pride splits along city lines, with each community eager to carve out its own identity.

Rust Belt craving.

Cities like Toledo (#8), Columbus (#21), and Rochester (#36) highlight a regional hunger where football pride is rooted more in grit and tradition than glamor. These communities see a franchise as validation as much as entertainment.

Coastal surprises. 

A few entries on the list come from places not typically linked with big-time football. Places like Honolulu (#1), Providence (#84), and Burlington (#85) reveal a desire from smaller or less-expected communities that want to be seen on the national stage.

Westward expansion. 

The Mountain West and Pacific Northwest quietly put up contenders: Boise (#59), Spokane (#78), Salt Lake City (#92), even Missoula (#56). While they lack the size of the coasts, their fans clearly believe passion could outweigh population.

Historic cities with a chip. 

St. Louis (#15), San Diego (#18), and Oakland (#11) all rank high - and all once had pro teams. Their placement suggests fans haven’t let go of the idea that their city deserves another shot.

Smaller states, bigger voices. 

Delaware (Wilmington, #33), Vermont (Burlington, #85), and Rhode Island (Newport, #75; Providence, #84) made the cut. In smaller states, a single city showing up feels less about market size and more about recognition.

Final Thoughts

The full list shows that longing for a team isn’t just about market size - it’s about identity, history, and pride. College towns want to level up, southern cities want even more, and old pro markets still feel the sting of loss. 

If there’s one common thread, it’s that football continues to be the sport communities see as their ultimate badge of recognition.