How Big is College Basketball in Cheyenne, WY?
Some may jokingly want to respond to that question by saying, "It's not." I just 8 Mile'd you by the way, so let's at least indulge in the fact that the NCAA Tournament is just around the corner.
Sure, we all know Wyoming didn't exactly turn any heads in the college basketball world this season, or at least not until they pulled off a couple of impressive upsets in the first two games of the Mountain West Conference Championship. That being said, just how hyped do fans get in Cheyenne for March Madness?
I ask that as a serious question due to the fact that I've never experienced the spectacle of March Madness while living in Cheyenne until now. I happen to consider myself a huge college basketball fan and will be glued to as many TV screens as can be during the tournament, but how is it for everyone else around here?
WalletHub recently released a list of 202's Best Cities for College Basketball Fans and out of 157 cities ranked, Cheyenne did not even show up on the list. However, Laramie, WY did. Obviously it was easier for them to make impact since their city is the home of the Pokes. They came in at 85, which I was pretty impressed by. The ranking was taken from several metrics using everything from stadium capacity to social-media engagement.
That's almost 30 spots ahead of Baton Rouge, LA, which finished at 112th, which is home to the LSU Tigers. They have a decorated history in the SEC conference with players like Pete Maravich, Shaquille O'Neal, Ben Simmons, and many more.
That's just one example of more than a few cities on the list that Laramie, WY finished. If they finished that high, I know Cheyenne has to have quite the appetite when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. That being said, I hope to you at a local establishment enjoying several March Madness games with me. Cheers!