Miami has quickly become one of North America's best sports hubs

Miami has long been a popular travel destination, thanks largely to its warm weather, beautiful beaches, and electric nightlife.

It is also becoming one of the best sports hubs in all of North America.

South Florida is not only home to teams in each of the four major pro sports leagues in North America, but recently, it has become home to perhaps the most well-known athlete on the planet: Lionel Messi.

That makes Chase Stadium, which serves as the temporary home for Inter Miami CF, a huge attraction.

To no surprise, the addition of Messi has increased support for Inter Miami tremendously. There is even an exhibit called “The Messi Experience,” which gives fans the opportunity to learn more about the 36-year-old phenom.

The Messi Experience

Another unique sporting experience the city has to offer is the Formula 1 Grand Prix. The event was first held in 2022 and is already a huge hit in the city.

The fans made this #MiamiGP a special one 🎉 pic.twitter.com/JUYEXuK4ur

— F1 Miami Grand Prix (@f1miami) May 6, 2024

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger sporting event, as the 2024 Miami Grand Prix had a weekend attendance of 275,000. The event takes place at the Miami International Autodrome, which is a temporary circuit around Hard Rock Stadium.

Four major sports teams

On top of the unique sporting events, Florida also boasts professional teams in all four major sports. The NBA’s Miami Heat, NFL’s Miami Dolphins, and MLB’s Miami Marlins are all directly in the city.

Meanwhile, the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers play out of the Amerant Bank in Sunrise. After struggling to gain fan support for years, they ranked ninth in attendance among all 32 NHL teams this past season with an average of 18,632.

NASCAR Cup Series

Another racing event the city has to offer is the NASCAR Cup Series, which takes place annually at the Homestead Miami Speedway. This year’s race is on October 27.

Tickets for the NASCAR Cup Series can be purchased for as low as $36. The event allows fans to bring their own coolers filled with drinks, making it a very affordable sport to attend.

Places to stay

We recently toured several facilities of the teams mentioned above, while also attending Inter Miami and Miami Marlins games, courtesy of a media trip organized by Greater Miami & Miami Beach.

For the first two nights of the trip, we stayed at The Elser Hotel, which was just a short five-minute walk to Kaseya Center, where the Heat play. It’s also a short drive to LoanDepot Park, where you can catch a Marlins baseball game.

The Elser Hotel Miami

Another spot worth considering is Loews Miami Beach Hotel, which hosted our group for the final two nights of our stay.

Loews Miami Beach Hotel

The author of this trip was hosted by Greater Miami & Miami Beach.

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