Seattle A Bad City For Basketball Fans, Study Says

SEATTLE, WA — Not counting three-time WNBA championship teams, Seattle is the No. 101 worst city in the U.S. for basketball fans, according to a new ranking.

The personal finance site WalletHub took the 290 biggest cities in the U.S. and scored each one on metrics like the performance level of the local NBA and NCAA Division 1 teams, ticket prices, and stadium accessibility.

(Again, no mention of the WNBA. The Seattle Storm have won three championships, most recently in 2018. The Storm have more championships than the Seahawks or Mariners.)

At No. 101, Seattle was sandwiched between Norfolk, Va., and Normal, Ill., on the list. Seattle came in No. 84 for NCAA Division 1 teams. The University of Washington men's team made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament this year. The UW Women's team went 11-21 this season — although they did beat Montana in the Husky Classic.

Seattle may have to wait a few years for the return of a pro NBA team, and likely years more for that team to win a championship. But Seattle wasn't the worst big city for basketball fans in the U.S., according to the ranking. That title went to San Jose, Calif., which is just 50 miles from the home of the revered Golden State Warriors. Boston came in No. 1.