Let's take a look at the list...

I saw this story in the Peoria Journal Star this morning.

The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce caught considerable flak for the “It’s Better Here” promotion during the recession. In terms of American cities with minor-league professional sports, though, the chamber was on the mark.

Peoria ranks sixth nationally in a survey of 239 minor-league markets conducted by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal. Hershey-Harrisburg, Pa., ranked first.

“It’s a measure of stability,” said David Broughton of SportsBusiness Journal. “It’s built on the premise of how people in a market support their teams and how long they’ve supported those teams, through thick and thin.”

Then, I took a look at the list...which will be gotten to in a moment or two.

First the criteria...is that right?...criteria?

Each league studied for this project was asked to provide a list of its member teams’ territories or boundaries. Fifteen minor league teams had no designated boundary. In those cases, if the team shared a market with another minor league team, the same boundary was applied to each club. In the absence of a shared team, one of the 2,759 U.S. Census market designations was used.

Attendance was included for the five most recently completed seasons for leagues whose regular seasons finished by Aug. 9 of this year. For baseball teams, attendance was included for the 2005-08 seasons and for games played through Aug. 9 of this season. The Abilene, Texas; Alpine, Texas; Avon, Ohio; Bowling Green, Ky.; Houma, La.; Madison, Wis.; and Ypsilanti, Mich., markets, whose only teams are clubs playing in their inaugural season this year, were not included in the study.

Attendance figures used were based on team and league official reports, conversations with facility officials, and box scores. As is the case at all levels of organized sports, reported attendance can vary from being an actual turnstile count to number of tickets sold to number of tickets distributed. Ticket prices were not factored in.

The ranking also does not take into account other sports options in each market, such as racetracks, high-profile college programs or major junior hockey leagues. In addition, markets that are home to a major league franchise in addition to having a minor league team were not included in the ranking.

There is more there if you want to read about it...But, it would take a person involved in sports to explain it...um...er...Okay, so...Top 10 list, anyone?

1. Hershey-Harrisburg, Pa.
2. Fort Wayne, Ind.
3. Tulsa, Okla.
4. Billings, Mont.
5. Spokane, Wash.
6. Peoria, Ill.
7. San Bernardino County, Calif.
8. Bossier City-Shreveport, La.
9. Idaho Falls, Idaho
10. Rochester, N.Y.

Appleton....Appleton...Appleton...

21. Appleton, Wis.

Right between #20 Princeton-Bluefield, WV and #22 Reading, PA.

Fort Wayne? #2! Wow. I can't wait to read that press release from the TinCaps.

Other Midwest League cities:
31. Quad Cities
33. Burlington, IA
39. Grand Rapids, MI
54. Dayton, OH
56. Cedar Rapids, IA
68. Clinton, IA
80. Beloit, WI
100. Lansing, MI
109. South Bend, IN
117. Midland, MI
132. Geneva, IL

Geneva...home of the Cougars...#132? Really?

Click the links if you are interested.