Imagine for a minute that the Premier League was played in America. Which cities would Premiership clubs play in that best resemble their city in England?
- Arsenal: With Arsenal’s former home at Highbury featuring one of the most unique architectural designs, it’s only fitting that Arsenal would reside in Brooklyn.
- Aston Villa: It’s apt that Aston Villa’s mirror image in the United States is the Motor City, Detroit. In the UK, Birmingham has a rich history of car manufacturing.
- Blackburn: The deep history of cotton mills is prevalent in both Blackburn and Manchester, New Hampshire.
- Bolton: The gusty winds that sweep through Bolton’s Reebok Stadium remind me of Minneapolis. Both cities are working class, and Minnesotans have a unique accent just as people from Lancashire do.
- Chelsea: Expensive real estate, a melting pot and very urban, Chelsea would fit in best in New York City, the city that never sleeps. In fact, Manhattan would be a perfect locale.
- Everton: You could compare Boston’s Fenway Park to Goodison Park, both historic stadiums that are old and quaint.
- Fulham: The leafy suburbs of Staten Island would be a perfect home for Fulham’s Craven Cottage that sits next to the tranquil Bishop Park.
- Hull: No offence to its residents, but the most appropriate location for Hull in the United States would be in the middle of nowhere: Kansas City. If Hull won the Premier League, it would be almost as surprising as the Kansas City Wizards winning the MLS Cup.
- Liverpool: Boston is definitely most like Liverpool. Residents of this Massachusetts port city have a unique accent. Plus, they’re massive sports fans.
- Manchester City: While the grey skies of Manchester don’t have much in common with sunshine, only The City Of Angels, better known as Los Angeles, could host the decadence of Manchester City and their Middle East owners.
- Manchester United: A city that hosts the Hollywood movie studios would be an appropriate home to the Theatre of Dreams. The Hollywood factor would also fit in perfectly with Man United’s footballers who sometimes resemble actors more than athletes.
- Middlesbrough: The county where Middlesbrough resides in England is Cleveland, so why not locate the Boro in Cleveland, Ohio?
- Newcastle: The cold weather, bitter wind and northerly location of Chicago would be a perfect home for Newcastle United. The rich history of the Chicago Cubs has similarities with Newcastle. The last time the Cubs lifted a World Series title was 1908. The last time Newcastle won the First Division title, the modern day equivalent of the Premier League, was in 1927.
- Portsmouth: Pompey has some similarities with San Diego. Both cities have a rich naval history, and are located in a southerly position.
- Stoke: The geographic location of Stoke-On-Trent, deep in the heart of England is similar to Columbus, Ohio, centrally located in the heartland of the Midwest. Just as Columbus is very vanilla, so too is Stoke.
- Sunderland: With Newcastle located down the road in Chicago, an appropriate location for Sunderland in the United States would be Milwaukee, sitting next to water and a city renowned for its manufacturing history.
- Tottenham Hotspur: It’s only fitting that Spurs would reside in the borough of Bronx, home to Yankee Stadium. The old Yankee Stadium is reminscent of the atmosphere and character found at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane.
- West Brom: If Detroit is Motor City and Birmingham is the English equivalent of it, then West Bromwich Albion would best resemble Toledo, Ohio, known as “The Auto Parts Capital of the World.”
- West Ham: The ethnically diverse population of Queens is synonymous with the racial diversity of east London. You could also compare West Ham’s Upton Park to Shea Stadium.
- Wigan: Historically a working-class port town, Baltimore best resembles Wigan, the Lancashire town famous for its pier on the Liverpool and Leeds Canal.
What do you think? Do you disagree with any of the above comparisons and, if so, where would you put the Premier League clubs in America? Click the comments link below. I look forward to reading your feedback.
