Birmingham has made a list of the top sports business cities in the entire nation according to Sports Business Journal, coming in ranked at No. 38 in the entire United States.

While there may not be major professional sports, the Magic City has established itself as a haven to host big time events such as the NCAA Tournament, numerous NCAA championships, and not to mention being the hub for the most popular league in the entire Southeast in the SEC.

“The college sports haven is home to the SEC and SWAC, the Knight Eady marketing agency, UAB football’s Protective Stadium that opened in 2021 and the JLab Birmingham Bowl (since 2006),” the article read. “Birmingham has hosted numerous NCAA championships, including basketball, cross-country running and indoor track and field.”

Fascinatingly, Birmingham came in ahead of numerous cities who do have professional sports franchises such as Portland (No. 41), New Orleans (No. 43), San Antonio (No. 44), and Oklahoma City (No. 47).

“Birmingham is firmly on the national sports map,” president and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau Dan Williams told ALdotcom. “This is a meaningful recognition of the collaboration across our community to elevate Birmingham as a sports destination. From youth and amateur play to collegiate championships, we’ve built a reputation for hosting high-caliber events that bring visitors to our city and create lasting economic impact.”

As Birmingham continues to grow and expand to bring in even more big time sporting events, look for it to keep on climbing in the next edition of the list.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.