Home to Madison Square Garden, New York has more brand sponsors than any other market ranked in the report.getty images
No. 2: New York
Score: 95.1
It will come as a surprise to many that New York is not on top of our rankings, and if we were measuring only the sheer size of the sports footprint it would not be a particularly close contest. However, the cost of doing business in the city is a major concern of the executives we surveyed. Several noted that labor costs, high taxes and a complex regulatory landscape are major factors to consider when planning an event.
Sports properties (28): New York’s advantage over every other market is its heft, as evidenced by the presence of a survey-topping 28 pro teams and permanent events, 16 NCAA Division I schools as well as the headquarters of every major league and players union. The market has been host to the NBA Draft since 2017, and is home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. MetLife Stadium will be a 2026 FIFA World Cup site. Outside of college basketball, the NCAA and U.S. Olympic governing bodies rarely host major events in the market.
Sponsor footprint (129): One out of every 12 of the top 8,107 brand sponsors tracked by SBJ Atlas for this report are in the city, which has the most of any of the markets we ranked. And they are many of the biggest brands in sports: American Express, Mastercard, Pepsi, Samsung and Verizon, among others.
Facilities: The $1.5 billion UBS Arena (home of the Islanders) is the newest sports venue, and there are plans for a new stadium for NYCFC in the works. Madison Square Garden, one of the most historic sports venues in the world, last underwent a renovation in 2013, and is still considered a top-tier arena by most standards.
Cost: This is where New York’s ranking takes a hit, as the cost of living is 95% higher than the national average and housing is 258% pricier. The federal per diem rate for a stay is $159 for lodging and $79 for meals — 52% higher than the national average.
Did you know … : New York leads all U.S. markets in number of sports marketing agencies (193) and major media companies (16), narrowly beating out Los Angeles in both categories.
What they’re saying: “The movie industry would not exist without Hollywood, and the world of sports business wouldn’t be the same without New York.”
“Union mandates and the expense of it all [in New York] can make it a pain in the butt, but if you know that’s what you’re dealing with, you can plan for it.” — D.M.
