The Most Miserable Sports Cities

Forbes.com: Most Miserable Sports Cities

Where have U.S. sports fans suffered the most misery? Not from futility, but the heartbreak that comes from building fans' hopes up only to let them down in the end. Sticking to sports towns with at least 75 cumulative seasons in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, we rank each by playoff failures (the deeper you lose in the playoffs, the more misery points) and championship droughts.
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

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The Most Miserab... Where have U.S. sports fans suffered the most misery? Not from futility, but the heartbreak that comes from building fans' hopes up only to let them down in the end. Sticking to sports towns with at least 75 cumulative seasons in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, we rank each by playoff failures (the deeper you lose in the playoffs, the more misery points) and championship droughts.
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

More From Forbes:
America’s Most Disliked Athletes
Ten Bad Sports Deals of 2011
America’s Most Miserable Cities

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 10 Cincinnat... Teams: Reds, Bengals, Royals
Championship Round Record: 5-6
Semifinal Round Record: 7-5
Total Seasons/Championships: 180/5
Last title: 1990

As great as the Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s were, they did lose in the post season in 1970, ’72 and ’73. The Bengals are 0-2 in the Super Bowl, while the NBA Royals, a team that once showcased Oscar Robertson, left for Kansas City in 1972 (and then for Sacramento in 1985).
(Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 9 Kansas Cit... Teams: Royals, Athletics, Chiefs, Kings, Scouts
Championship Round Record: 2-2
Semifinal Round Record: 4-6
Total Seasons/Championships: 120/2
Last title: 1985

The Royals lost in the ALCS or World Series five times between 1976 and 1984, before breaking through with a championship in 1985.
(Otto Greule, Jr./Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 8 Cleveland Teams: Indians, Browns, Browns II, Rams, Cavaliers, Barons
Championship Round Record: 7-9
Semifinal Round Record: 4-11
Total Seasons/Championships: 225/7
Last title: 1964

No, Cleveland. Miserable as you are, you’re not No. 1. Those seven titles before 1965 are part of the city’s history. They count.
(Mark Duncan/AP Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 7 Denver Teams: Rockies, Broncos, Nuggets, Original Rockies (NHL), Avalanche
Championship Round Record: 4-6
Semifinal Round Record: 10-11
Total Seasons/Championships: 136/4
Last title: 2001

A great run from 1996 to 2001 (four titles) doesn’t quite mitigate a long bridesmaid history for the Mile High City. The Broncos lost four Super Bowls between 1978 and 1990, while the Nuggets have come up short of a ring through more than 20 playoff appearances dating back to their ABA days.
(George Rose/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 6 Houston Teams: Astros, Oilers, Texans, Rockets
Championship Round Record: 4-4
Semifinal Round Record: 5-8
Total Seasons/Championships: 137/4
Last title: 1995

A history full of solid teams coming up short in the end: from 1978 through 2005 the Oilers and Astros combined for 19 playoff appearances but no bananas.
(Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 5 San Diego Teams: Padres, Chargers, Rockets, Clippers
Championship Round Record: 1-7
Semifinal Round Record: 3-3
Total Seasons/Championships: 104/1
Last title: 1963

Neither NBA club in the city’s history stuck around, while the Chargers and Padres are a combined 0-3 in Super Bowl and World Series play. Beware Farmers Field -do the Chargers follow the Clippers to L.A.?
(Peter Southwick/AP Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 4 Buffalo Teams: Bills, Sabres, Braves
Championship Round Record: 2-6
Semifinal Round Record: 6-6
Total Seasons/Championships: 100/2
Last title: 1965

The Sabres have been to the NHL semifinals six times without a Stanley Cup. The NBA Braves of Bob McAdoo and Randy Smith didn’t last. And there’s the matter of four straight Super Bowl losses in the ‘90s.
(Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 3 Phoenix Teams: Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Suns, Coyotes
Championship Round Record: 1-3
Semifinal Round Record: 4-9
Total Seasons/Championships: 95/1
Last title: 2001

The Suns lost both of their NBA Finals appearances, not to mention another seven losses in the Western Conference Finals.
(Al Bello/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 2 Seattle Teams: Mariners, Seahawks, Sonics
Championship Round Record: 1-3
Semifinal Round Record: 4-7
Total Seasons/Championships: 112/1
Last title: 1979

It must be a blast watching Kevin Durant and the Thunder dominate the NBA from Oklahoma City this year.
(Otto Greule, Jr./Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
No. 1 Atlanta Teams: Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Flames, Thrashers
Championship Round Record: 1-5
Semifinal Round Record: 6-9
Total Seasons/Championships: 154/1
Last title: 1995

Over the past year, Atlanta fans have watched their hockey team leave for Winnipeg, their baseball team blow the playoffs on the final day, and their football and basketball teams bow out early in the playoffs. It’s enough to nudge the city past Seattle back into the top spot.
(Al Bello/Getty Images)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
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