Opinion | Minneapolis is the nation’s leader in women’s sports

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From championship teams on the court and ice, to record-setting crowds at national tournaments, to a pipeline of world-class athletes and coaches, Minneapolis has built something rare. We are a community where women’s sports take center stage. It’s not about one player, one team or one season. It’s about decades of growth, investment, achievement and community support that allow us to make the following bold and celebratory statement:

Minneapolis is the No. 1 city for women’s sports.

This is about more than banners and trophies — though we have plenty of those. It’s also about culture, leadership, legacy and a holistic sports ecosystem.

Since 1980, no U.S. city has hosted more major women’s sporting events than Minneapolis — from multiple NCAA Women’s Final Four and Frozen Four tournaments to Olympic trials, from the Women’s Elite Rugby Legacy Cup to next year’s USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship. And, of course, there have been WNBA and PWHL championships. We don’t just host; we show up with passion and attendance records.

Minnesota ranks fifth nationally for girls’ sports participation and fourth for high school girls’ participation. From Jessie Diggins and Suni Lee to Lindsay Whalen, Paige Bueckers and so many more, this community nurtures world-class talent.

Our infrastructure, volume of women’s professional teams, championships and a sports bar devoted to women’s sports all earn us high marks.

Our recent history includes more than $34 million in economic impact for the 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four, consecutive attendance records for back-to-back Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournaments, and more than $74 million in economic impact and 200,000 fans in downtown Minneapolis for USA Gymnastics last year. Significant work by Minnesota Sports and Events, Meet Minneapolis and our partners goes into securing these events.

This success is an investment in our community with visitors contributing tens of millions of dollars to our local economy. They fill our hotels and restaurants, support local businesses and create jobs for our workers. That economic energy sustains the ecosystem that makes Minneapolis a powerful stage for women’s sports.

But being the No. 1 city for women’s sports means more than hosting great events. It means championing access, visibility and inclusion for all women — including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ athletes — who are shaping the future of sports in Minneapolis. Ours is a community that champions inclusivity as much as our sports culture.

This magic extends beyond Minneapolis proper to St. Paul, Bloomington, Eagan, Blaine and beyond. As partners, we work collectively to position our city and our region compared with other destinations making their own claims of being the best city for women’s sports.

Minnesotans are notoriously humble. Sometimes that means we’re not saying anything at all when others are shouting their stories. It’s time to be bold. This is worth bragging about.

We invite our athletes, coaches, fans, community boosters, local businesses and leaders to embrace this identity. Tell our story. Celebrate it. And more importantly: Nurture it.

Though the Lynx season has wrapped up, the two-time defending Professional Women’s Hockey League champion Frost are just getting started and college programs across the state are in full swing. Meanwhile, thousands of girls and women throughout Minnesota are competing in dozens of sports at every level.

You can learn more at minneapolis.org/womenssports. We will continue to add content in the upcoming months.

Making this claim matters. It builds our national reputation. It drives recruitment of athletes, teams and major sporting events. It strengthens our visitor economy. And by coming together to celebrate these athletes and competitions, we build a stronger, more connected community.