{
  "id": 3109776,
  "title": "This city made a huge leap on a list of best sports towns in America",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/this-city-made-a-huge-leap-on-a-list-of-best-sports-towns-in-america",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-24T20:56:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/city-made-huge-leap-list-205629664.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Salt Lake City has climbed to 12th place on a list of best sports towns in America, a significant leap from its 44th position in 2023. This upward trajectory can be attributed to several key factors. The Utah Mammoth, an NHL team, joined the city in 2024, quickly establishing itself as a major player alongside the Utah Jazz. Additionally, the state added a professional women's volleyball team and relocated the U.S. Biathlon Association to Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway. The state's sports infrastructure is further bolstered by venues from U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USA Climbing. A new $140 million Ballpark at America First Square, built for the AAA Salt Lake Bees, has also added to the city's sports venue portfolio. Furthermore, the Delta Center, in South Jordan, is undergoing a $525 million transformation to accommodate both the Mammoth and the Jazz. These developments, along with other sports-related projects totaling over $6.6 billion, have contributed to Salt Lake City's impressive rise on the list. Sports Business Journal's ranking is based on data collected from more than 540,000 points, including construction projects, naming rights, attendance, sponsorships, and more.",
  "summary": "The Sport Business Journal cites several new teams, new minor league baseball stadium and Delta Center renovation among reason for the city's rise.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}