Ask 10 sports fans "what's the Sports Capital of America?" and you may get 10 answers. We bleed our city's colors but are often blinded by pride. Until now, our debates have been biased and subjective. Until now, we celebrated championships by sport, not by market.

Introducing The Sports Capital Cup, a yearly race to crown the true "Sports Capital of America." We pit the top three teams from each market (across the top 6 leagues) against each other, assigning points based on win percentage and playoff success. Because if you want the crown, winning is what matters most.

We are here to bestow bragging rights and stir debate. Based on fan feedback, we aim to optimize the algorithm over time to get things just right.

So keep track on the Leaderboard, chime in in the community, and cheer on ALL your city's teams!

The Philosophy Behind the Score

Objectivity
Champions must WIN. Our system is anchored in regular season winning percentages and meaningful bonuses for playoff success — not attendance, TV ratings, or revenue.
Inclusivity
A win in the NFL and a win in the WNBA carry different cultural weight — but that's subjective. Every league earns equal value here, celebrating all of professional sports.
Fan-Powered
This is a resource for fans, by fans. We continuously gather feedback through community polls and suggestions to sharpen the algorithm over time.

How the Score Works

Each Team Earns Points Two Ways

Regular season performance and playoff success are combined into a single team score. By default they're weighted equally, but you can adjust that on the Leaderboard.

Season Performance
Win percentage across all games played
+
Playoff Success
Points for every round advanced
=
Team Score
Combined result for that team

Three Ways to Think About It

Shift the weight between the regular season and the playoffs to match your sports philosophy.

Balanced
Equal credit for grinding out wins and going deep in the playoffs
50%
50%
Season Playoffs
Right Now
Regular season dominance counts most — show up every night
80%
20%
Season Playoffs
Trophy Case
Championships and playoff runs are what define a great sports city
20%
80%
Season Playoffs

Playoff Points Ladder

The further a team advances, the more playoff points they earn. Every round matters.

Won the Championship
Max Points
Reached the Finals
High Points
Semi-Finals
Solid Points
Quarter-Finals
Some Points
Made the Playoffs
Base Points
Did Not Qualify
0 Points

How Cities Are Ranked

A city's score is the average of its top 3 teams across all 6 leagues. Every sport counts.

Team 1
Score
+
Team 2
Score
+
Team 3
Score
÷ 3
City Score

Cities need at least 2 eligible teams to qualify for the main standings. Cities with only 1 team appear as Honorable Mentions.

Rolling Mode: Recent Years Matter More

Rolling mode blends multiple years of city scores into one number — but not equally. Each prior year is discounted by 25%, so the most recent year always carries the most weight. The further back you go, the less it counts. Each year variant simply extends that same pattern further into the past.

3-Year
100%
Now
75%
−1
56%
−2
Divisor: 2.31
5-Year
100%
Now
75%
−1
56%
−2
42%
−3
32%
−4
Divisor: 3.05
10-Year
100%
Now
75%
−1
56%
−2
42%
−3
32%
−4
24%
−5
18%
−6
13%
−7
10%
−8
8%
−9
Divisor: 3.77

Each year's weight is 75% of the previous one. The divisor is the sum of all weights, keeping the final score on a consistent scale regardless of how many years are included.