Buffalo
Buffalo is a small city—NBA-wise, it’s larger than Salt Lake City, but that’s not saying much. However, the metro area has over one million and could make a case that the draw would come from the fact that Cleveland and Detroit are three and four hours away, respectively.
Don’t forget about the Queen Elizabeth Way rivalry, either! Buffalo is a mere two hours from Toronto, which yes, poses a threat to splitting too much of the area’s NBA fans. But it also provides the “US vs. Canada” marketing jackpot that usually negates such picky statistics.
The fan bases to both professional teams—the NFL’s Bills and the NHL’s Sabres—have been loyal, the former even gaining national attention and a hashtag. And Buffalo seems to have created a collective ethos: if fans are allowed to tailgate, what they’re tailgating for takes a backseat but will be attended with enthusiasm, regardless. Money for an NBA franchise is another story, though.
Odds: 1 out of 10
1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 :: 10 :: 11 :: 12 :: 13 :: 14