Sportainment, the merger of sports and entertainment, is on the rise, attracting investors and consumers looking for fun and immersive experiences while enjoying fine food and beverages. Also known as competitive social entertainment concepts, these brands create a space for sports fans and those looking to interact and engage.
These concepts have also been shown to benefit sports teams and stadiums, boosting fan loyalty, generating additional revenue, and attracting new supporters. This intersection of sports, entertainment, and real estate offers a unique opportunity for investors and operators looking to capitalize on the exponential growth of this segment.
So, where is one of the best places to open these concepts? Where are the locations that support high foot traffic and the target audience?
Stadium districts.
Recently, Cobroker.AI, an AI-powered platform transforming commercial real estate analysis, and EMERGING Fund, a growth capital fund driving innovation in the restaurant and entertainment sector, joined forces to analyze the top stadium districts in the U.S. for investment potential.
Here, we’ll explore their findings.
Stadium Districts Defined
A stadium district evolves around a professional sports stadium or, in some areas, a collegiate stadium. These districts are growing hubs of entertainment and nightlife with a variety of bars, restaurants, and live music venues.
Cobroker.AI and EMERGING Fund’s Stadium Districts Investment Analysis revealed the top 20 stadium districts that offered the best potential for long-term success in the sportainment sector. Concepts to consider include interactive sports bars, competitive gaming venues, and experiential dining aligned with the gameday vibe.
The Essential Considerations
Determining the best options required looking into the factors that support sports-oriented entertainment and restaurant operators. These factors include demographic appeal, heavy foot traffic, economic vitality, and discretionary income.
They considered these factors by answering the following questions:
Are there enough people in the area who would be interested in the venue and have the discretionary income to visit it frequently? Does the surrounding area have synergies that could amplify success, such as retail, tourism, or corporate hubs?
Their evaluation was based on the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)—a region encompassing a major city and its accessible suburbs. The determining factors included:
- Estimated Population 2024: Stadium districts with larger populations have a bigger pool of potential customers and a natural advantage.
- Estimated Population Growth (2029): Growing cities translate to increasing demand, offering an ideal environment for new ventures looking to scale.
- Average Household Income Above $75,000: Households with this income level are likelier to have the discretionary income needed to frequent entertainment and dining concepts.
- White Collar Workers: Corporate events drive significant revenue for these concepts. The more white-collar workers, the more opportunities for group bookings.
- Food & Beverage Spend Away from Home: Populations that regularly spend money on experiences and dining out will more likely embrace a new sportainment venue.
- Buy Sports Tickets: Ordering a sports ticket within the past six months suggests a strong interest in sports-themed entertainment.
- Foot Traffic: High area foot traffic boosts visibility and spontaneous visits, especially on non-gamedays.
And the Winners Are…
This in-depth analysis revealed the top three stadium districts belong to New York. Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and MetLife Stadium came out on top due to high-income levels, robust sports culture, and the massive NYC metro population.
Los Angeles came in next with two contenders, Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium. LA’s sprawling MSA, tourism draw, and entertainment synergy took these stadiums to second place.
Like the state of Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA is a large and populous region. Because of its strong population growth and sports-obsessed culture, AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field are also some of the top contenders.
Though smaller in size, the historic gems known as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park garner their place in the stadium ranking. Why? Intense fan loyalty and tourist appeal.
Here’s the complete list of the top 20 stadium districts analyzed for this report.
- Yankee Stadium – New York Yankees (Baseball)
- Citi Field – New York Mets (Baseball)
- MetLife Stadium – New York Giants & Jets (Football)
- Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles Dodgers (Baseball)
- Angel Stadium of Anaheim – Los Angeles Angels (Baseball)
- Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs (Baseball)
- Globe Life Field – Texas Rangers (Baseball)
- AT&T Stadium – Dallas Cowboys (Football)
- Fenway Park – Boston Red Sox (Baseball)
- Nationals Park – Washington Nationals (Baseball)
- Minute Maid Park – Houston Astros (Baseball)
- Guaranteed Rate Field – Chicago White Sox (Baseball)
- Northwest Stadium – Washington Commanders (Football)
- Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia Phillies (Baseball)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta Falcons (Football)
- Gillette Stadium – New England Patriots (Football)
- T-Mobile Park – Seattle Mariners (Baseball)
- Oracle Park – San Francisco Giants (Baseball)
- Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia Eagles (Football)
- Petco Park – San Diego Padres (Baseball)
About the Partners: Cobroker.AI
Cobroker.AI’s AI-powered platform streamlined the aggregation and analysis of Census Demographic Data, Esri Demographic Projections, Esri Census Questionnaire Projections, and Placer.AI Anonymized Mobile Traffic Data, delivering precise, actionable insights in record time.
Founded by Isaac Herrera, Cobroker.AI is reshaping commercial real estate. By automating research, data analysis, and marketing, it empowers professionals with instant access to property values, demographic insights, and traffic analytics. Discover how they’re accelerating decision-making at Cobroker.ai.
EMERGING Fund
EMERGING Fund is a growth capital fund revolutionizing the restaurant and entertainment sector through technology-driven transformation. The fund provides capital, strategic guidance, and industry expertise to innovative companies reimagining guest experiences, boosting efficiency, and advancing sustainability. Learn more at EMERGING.com.
