The six-county region — Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Union — is home to 2.6 million residents, six major league teams and four NCAA Division I athletic programs that collectively drew 12.7 million in attendance during our study.

Home base: The region is home to sports business companies including: 16W Marketing; BetMGM; Goldklang Group; Mars Wrigley (U.S. operations); Prudential Financial; Samsung; Skanska; and ZRG Partners.

Over the past three years, MetLife Stadium (which will host eight 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, including the final), and Prudential Center (which added the PWHL Sirens to its busy roster) each reported record revenues, and Sports Illustrated Stadium snagged a new naming-rights deal and will be the official NY/NJ World Cup 26 Jersey Fan Hub.

Recent events and wins for the area include WrestleMania in 2019; the SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa in March; 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional; and Brazil’s base camp at the Red Bulls’ Columbia Park Training Center.

Previous Rankings

2023: #2 (with New York City)

2024 Event Hosting: #7 (with New York City)

2025 Soccer: #2 (with New York City)

A black bear was spotted in the area of Frederick Court in Princeton on Saturday night, according to an alert issued to residents. A bear was also spotted May 15 in the area of Heather Lane between Cherry Valley Road and Great Road. It is unclear whether the latest sighting is the same bear.

Residents are advised not to approach the bear and to remain indoors if they see it.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are common in parts of New Jersey, and they sometimes travel through residential neighborhoods as part of their natural movement patterns.

Residents should not leave food or garbage outdoors because bears can quickly become attracted to human food sources. Bears may eat garbage, pet food, birdseed, and other easily accessible items. Bears that gain access to food in residential neighborhoods may lose their fear of people and repeatedly return to the area. Some nuisance bears eventually must be trapped.

State wildlife officials urged residents in bear-prone areas to take precautions to reduce the chances of attracting bears.

Recommended precautions from the The information was provided by the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife include:

• Use certified bear-resistant garbage containers.
• Store garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Keep garbage in a secure location until the morning of pickup.
• Do not feed bears.
• Do not approach bears.
• Do not run from bears because running may trigger a chase response.
• Avoid direct eye contact with bears.
• Remain calm and slowly back away if encountering a bear.
• Make noise by yelling, clapping, singing, or using an air horn.
• Make yourself appear larger by waving your arms or lifting a jacket overhead.
• Stay together if you are in a group.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route.

Officials also advised residents to watch for warning behaviors from bears, including huffing sounds, jaw popping, and swatting at the ground, which can indicate the animal feels threatened.

Bears may stand on their hind legs to get a better view or detect scents in the air, which is not always considered threatening behavior.

Residents can report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the NJDEP’s 24-hour hotline at 1-877-WARN-DEP, or 1-877-927-6337.