I constantly hear high school kids complain about how much they hate living in Indiana. But, as a sports fan who is willing to watch any form of competition, Indiana isn’t so bad after all.

I whole-heartedly believe that Indiana is the best state to live in as a major sports fan.

Between Lucas Oil Stadium, an NFL venue that was ranked 10th in ESPN’s 2020 NFL stadium rankings, and Bankers Life Fieldhouse, one of the top NBA arenas in the nation, Indianapolis is a premier city to live in for someone like me, who will watch any sports game, anywhere.

Not only are those two stadiums within walking distance of each other, but, within the same area someone can find Victory Field, one of the MLB’s top Triple A facilities. These three venues clustered together in Downtown Indianapolis could provide an argument on their own for why Indiana is the best sports state in the U.S.

But that’s not all. Outside of Indianapolis, looking past what everyone believes to be straight cornfields for miles, sports fans can find the most historic college football program in the world at the University of Notre Dame, along with two of the top college basketball arenas across the nation, Assembly Hall and Mackey Arena.

And when it comes to college basketball, it is widely accepted that Indiana does it best. No wonder why the NCAA was so naturally able to pick Indiana as its sole destination for the 2021 March Madness tournament. It was the perfect location to create a bubble-like atmosphere for the 68 different men’s basketball teams selected for this year’s tournament.

The many different locations that are capable of holding a college basketball game throughout Indiana make it clear why this was the only option. These locations are just another reason why no other state comes close to Indiana in the argument of best sports states.

Even if someone isn’t a fan of college basketball or the NFL, and they would rather take a trip to an MLB ballpark, Indiana’s central location provides quick access to prime MLB stadium locations.

Less than two hours away, a fan can arrive in Cincinnati, and just a three hour trip gets them to either of the Chicago stadiums. Drive a little bit farther, and they could find themselves in Cleveland.

And, if that’s not enough for any sports fan, maybe try the Indianapolis 500, the hallmark race for an entire form of racing named solely after the city of Indianapolis.

Granted, Indianapolis sports teams may not have the professional championships like teams in Tampa Bay, Los Angeles or Boston, seeing that the Indianapolis Colts have one Super Bowl win under their belt, and the Indiana Pacers have never won a NBA championship. But despite that, the history and wide variety of sports teams and venues are what put Indiana above everywhere else.

In my opinion, sports fans living in Indiana need to be more grateful for this top-tier sports state. On top of that, those living in Indiana that don’t love sports, first, need to learn to enjoy them, and second, must come to appreciate the incredible state they live in.