30 cities, one field – GoDaddy puts them head-to-head 

TEMPE, Ariz. , Sept. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Game on! To mark the start of the fall football season, GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) is releasing its Entrepreneurial Power Rankings, pitting 30 professional football-loving cities against each other in a battle for small business bragging rights.

GoDaddy's Power Rankings, determined by the number of entrepreneurs per 100 people, capture not only pro football stadiums but also neighboring downtown and suburban areas. It's here where small and microbusinesses – most with fewer than 10 employees, including many solo entrepreneurs – are starting and growing alongside the flow of game-day fans, tourists and workforce talent drawn to live entertainment events.

The key takeaways:

• Entrepreneurs thrive in pro football cities. Nearly every metro area in the rankings has more entrepreneurs per 100 people than the national average, with only last-place Pittsburgh narrowly falling short. These results highlight how strong entrepreneurship is in pro football stadium-adjacent communities.
• Florida doesn't just shine, it builds. Florida's entrepreneurial trifecta of Miami Gardens (#1), Tampa (#8) and Jacksonville (#15) demonstrates how a supportive environment – steady population growth, strong multicultural hubs and warm weather – can combine to fuel small business growth.
• Mid-sized metros move the chains. Cities like Glendale, AZ (#4) and Nashville, TN (#7) highlight how affordable, livable and digitally connected suburban communities in mid-sized metros, not just major cities, are driving U.S. economic growth.

"The concentration of small business entrepreneurs around pro football stadiums is no surprise, as game day and other events hosted in some of America's biggest arenas drive significant economic activity," said Alexandra Rosen, economist and global head of GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab.

"GoDaddy research shows small businesses create jobs throughout their community and, with a digital presence, also impact customers and vendors far beyond their zip code."

AI: The new quarterback for American entrepreneurs

With football set to draw global attention with the start of a new season, it's worth remembering the qualities fan admire on the field are the same qualities fueling America's small business owners every day.

In football, the story is resilience: every setback is temporary, every comeback essential. But no player fights alone. They've got teammates, coaches and trainers to give them an edge. For small business owners, AI is playing these supporting roles as the team they can count on.

Platforms like GoDaddy Airo^® take small business owners from idea to online in minutes, freeing up their energy so they can not only stay in the game but compete with larger rivals.

The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab's findings consistently demonstrate that small business owners:

• Start with little or no outside capital
• Show representation from women, immigrants or people of color
• Often don't consider themselves "entrepreneurs" at first - they're just pursuing their passion
• Pick themselves back up after closures or setbacks, because resilience isn't optional

The Entrepreneurial Power Rankings build on GoDaddy's ongoing work to highlight how small businesses strengthen communities and make opportunity inclusive for all. GoDaddy will continue giving entrepreneurs the tools and insights they need to start up and grow, putting them in the best position to march down the field and score.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services, and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo^®, the company's AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy's expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

About GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab (formerly known as Venture Forward) analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2018, the program has surveyed more than 50,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit www.godaddy.com/research. 

Source: GoDaddy Inc.

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SOURCE GoDaddy Inc.