NC tops Kentucky on court this season. But what about when it comes to fans?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- WalletHub studied the nation’s top places for college basketball fans.
- Durham ranks No. 2 and Chapel Hill is No. 8 on the list.
- Kentucky only had one city rank in the top 10, Lexington at No. 3.
Duke and UNC have dominated Kentucky teams on the court this season — but which school has the most die-hard fans?
Both of the North Carolina teams’ hometowns rank among the nation’s best places for college hoops lovers. But as the longtime men’s basketball rivals prepare to face off this weekend, one of their cities came out on top.
Durham ranks No. 2 and Chapel Hill is No. 8 on the list from the personal finance website WalletHub.
Meanwhile, the state of Kentucky only has one city that landed in the top 10. Lexington — home to the University of Kentucky — ranked No. 3 and Louisville ranked No. 51, according to results published Wednesday, March 4.
As March Madness gets into full swing, here’s what to know about the results.
Why Durham, Chapel Hill rank high
To determine the top places for college basketball fans, WalletHub said it studied nearly 300 U.S. cities. Using data from ESPN, the NCAA and other sources, it scored each place for the presence of Division 1 teams. It also weighed those teams for winning records, coaches, stadium capacity, ticket prices and social media engagement.
Of the two North Carolina cities that landed in the top 10, Durham ranked the highest at No. 2. WalletHub gave the city a nod for being home to Division 1 programs at Duke and N.C. Central.
“It is also home to Cameron Indoor Stadium, one of college basketball’s most iconic arenas, where Duke plays before a famously passionate student section known as the ‘Cameron Crazies,’” the website wrote.
Meanwhile, Chapel Hill earned a top spot in the rankings after it was tied at No. 1 for fan engagement. That category weighed the number of Facebook reactions and X followers per capita.
But Chapel Hill didn’t fare as well when it came to prices, joining a five-way tie for the least affordable minimum cost for season tickets, results show.
Where did Kentucky teams rank?
Nationwide, North Carolina was the only state to boast two cities in the top 10. Though No. 3-ranked Lexington, Kentucky, was praised for its team’s championship wins and coaching talent, Louisville landed lower on the list at No. 51.
As of March 2, Duke men’s basketball stood at No. 1 and UNC at No. 17 in the AP poll. Meanwhile, no Kentucky teams made the top 25 list.
Here’s what The News & Observer previously reported about wins against Kentucky teams this season:
- Dec. 5: UNC beat Kentucky, 67-64
- Jan. 6: Duke beat Louisville, 84-73
- Jan. 26: Duke beat Louisville, 83-52
- Feb. 23: UNC beat Louisville, 77-74
In women’s basketball, the Blue Devils clenched the ACC regular-season title, further cementing Durham’s basketball prowess, The N&O reported.
How did other NC cities rank?
Compared to the other two cities in the Triangle, Raleigh didn’t rank as high, landing at No. 136 on the WalletHub list. Here’s how other places in North Carolina fared in the top 100:
- Davidson at No. 41
- Buies Creek at No. 50
- Boiling Springs at No. 57
- Cullowhee at No. 71
Across the country, the top-ranked city for college basketball fans was Los Angeles. Click here to see a full list of all 297 cities.
The News & Observer has reached out to WalletHub for additional information and is awaiting a response.
