RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – As the Carolina Hurricanes battle on the ice to keep the hopes of their first Stanley Cup title in nearly two decades alive, the city of Raleigh continues to solidify itself as a true hockey town, and it’s even starting to gain national attention.
Raleigh landed a spot on the list of best cities for hockey fans, according to the personal finance website WalletHub.
The home of the Hurricanes just missed the cut in the top 10 rankings, falling to the No. 11 spot.
WalletHub’s study crunched the numbers to figure out the best places for hockey enthusiasts, ranking 76 U.S. cities based on 21 key indicators. Researchers calculated their list based on a dataset that ranges from ticket prices to stadium capacity to the performance level of each city’s teams.
On the economic side, business is booming within the sport. The National Hockey League is expected to cross $6.6 billion in revenue this season, marking a new record, the study shows.
“Hockey is one of the most underappreciated sports in America, but its popularity is steadily growing, bringing in record-breaking revenue and attendance,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “The best cities for hockey provide good opportunities to watch high-performing NHL teams in person, and sometimes NCAA teams as well. They also have some of the most dedicated fans in the country.”
Raleigh finished second nationwide for performance level of the local NHL team, fifth for game attendance, sixth for average ticket price, as well as tenth in stadium capacity.
WalletHub’s top U.S. cities for hockey fans
| Rank | City | Total Score | NHL Rank | NCAA Rank |
| 1. | Boston, MA | 61.44 | 3 | 1 |
| 2. | Detroit, MI | 57.15 | 1 | 60 |
| 3. | Pittsburgh, PA | 55.58 | 2 | 38 |
| 4. | New York, NY | 52.52 | 4 | 49 |
| 5. | Newark, NJ | 49.81 | 5 | 60 |
| 6. | Denver, CO | 49.42 | 8 | 6 |
| 7. | Sunrise, FL | 49.27 | 6 | 60 |
| 8. | Tampa, FL | 46.43 | 7 | 60 |
| 9. | Buffalo, NY | 42.86 | 11 | 41 |
| 10. | St. Louis, MO | 42.65 | 9 | 60 |
| 11. | Raleigh, NC | 42.61 | 10 | 60 |