The Boston Red Sox are a founding member of the American League of Major League Baseball and were the 2007 World Series champions. They play at Fenway Park which was constructed in 1912 and is currently the oldest sports arena in active use in the United States. The Boston Bruins ice hockey team of the NHL and the Boston Celtics of the NBA play at The TD Banknorth Garden, formally the Fleet Center and Shawmut Center. The New England Patriots of the NFL are considered Boston’s football team although they play in Foxboro. In addition to major league sports the city has many colleges and universities active sports teams. They have four NCAA Division I teams; Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. One of the most famous sporting events in the Boston Marathon. This marathon is the oldest, most popular and heavily attended.

The Boston Marathon is open to all runners, male and female from any nations but they must first meet qualifying criteria. To qualify, a runner must first complete a standard marathon course certified by a national governing body affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations within a certain period of time before the date of the desired Boston Marathon (usually within approximately 18 months prior). Prospective runners in the age range of 18–34 must run a time of no more than 3:10:59 (3 hours and 10 minutes) if male, or 3:40:59 (3 hours and 40 minutes) if female; the qualifying time is adjusted upward as age increases. For example, a 40–44 year old male can still qualify with a time of 3:20:59. An exception to the qualification requirement is awarded to 1,250 runners who raise a pre-determined level of sponsorship for officially designated local charities.

The city’s economy is comprised largely by tourism, financial services and the colleges and universities. Major companies headquartered within the city are Liberty Mutual, Gillette and Teradyne. Boston is also a printing and publishing center with companies like Houghton Mifflin, Bedford St. Martins Press, Beacon Press and Little, Brown and Company. The city is home to four major convention centers; Hynes Convention Center, Bayside Expo Center, World Trade Center Boston and Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.