Sports teams in Florida
Sports teams in Florida include many professional, semi-professional, amateur and college teams. In professional sports,
Women's Soccer team and many minor league teams in various sports. Additionally, since the late 19th century Florida has been a significant spring training
destination for Major League Baseball teams and their affiliates.
Sun Life Stadium
.In college sports, thirteen Florida schools compete in
NCCAA
.
Professional major league teams
Location of major league teams in Florida
Florida has teams in all of the major league sports — National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. In the early 1980s, Florida had major league teams in only the NFL. Florida has since added two NBA teams in the late 1980s. Florida added two NHL teams in the 1990s as part of the NHL's expansion into the south, and two MLB teams in the 1990s. Florida's most recent major-league team, Inter Miami CF, began play in MLS in 2020, after Florida's first MLS team since the folding of the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion in 2001, Orlando City, joined in 2015.[2]
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Championships (Years) | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Marlins | Baseball | MLB | loanDepot Park | 2 (1997, 2003) | 1993 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Baseball | MLB | Tropicana Field | 0 | 1998 |
| Miami Heat | Basketball | NBA | Kaseya Center | 3 (2006, 2012, 2013) | 1988 |
| Orlando Magic | Basketball | NBA | Kia Center | 0 | 1989 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Football | NFL | EverBank Stadium | 0 | 1993 |
| Miami Dolphins | Football | NFL | Hard Rock Stadium | 2 (1972, 1973) | 1966 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Football | NFL | Raymond James Stadium | 2 (2002, 2020) | 1976 |
| Florida Panthers | Ice hockey | NHL | Amerant Bank Arena | 0 | 1993 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Ice hockey | NHL | Amalie Arena | 3 (2004, 2020, 2021) | 1992 |
| Inter Miami CF | Soccer | MLS | Chase Stadium (temporary) Miami Freedom Park (future) |
2018 | |
| Orlando City SC | Soccer | MLS | Inter&Co Stadium | 2013 | |
| Miami Fusion* | Soccer | MLS | Lockhart Stadium | 1997 | |
| Tampa Bay Mutiny* | Soccer | MLS | Raymond James Stadium | 1996 |
*Team has folded
Spring training
Florida is the traditional home for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "
Grapefruit League." As of 2022[update]
, Florida hosts the following major league teams for spring training:
| Club | Location |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | North Port |
| Baltimore Orioles | Sarasota |
| Boston Red Sox | Fort Myers |
| Detroit Tigers | Lakeland |
| Houston Astros | West Palm Beach |
| Miami Marlins | Jupiter |
| Minnesota Twins | Fort Myers |
| New York Mets | Port St. Lucie |
| New York Yankees | Tampa |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Clearwater |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Bradenton |
| St. Louis Cardinals | Jupiter |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Port Charlotte |
| Toronto Blue Jays | Dunedin |
| Washington Nationals | West Palm Beach |
Individual sports
Golf, tennis and auto racing are popular in Florida.
The Players Championship.
The
Honda Classic and Valspar Championship
are PGA Tour events.
In tennis, the
ATP World Tour 250
event.
Grand Prix of Miami have held IndyCar
races as well.
Auto racing tracks
- Daytona International Speedway
- Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Citrus County Speedway
- Volusia Speedway Park
- East Bay Raceway Park
- Showtime Speedway
- Bubba Raceway Park
- North Florida Speedway
- Lake City Speedway
- Freedom Factory
- Hendy County Motorsports Park
- Southern Raceway
- Sebring Raceway
- Florida International Rally and Motorsports Park
- Palm Beach International Raceway
- Streets of St. Petersburg
- Walt Disney World Speedway (demolished)
- New Smyrna Speedway
- Five Flags Speedway
- Gainesville Raceway
Minor league and semi-pro teams
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Championships (Years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Guardians (folded with league joint) | American football | XFL
|
Camping World Stadium | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp | Baseball | MiLB, International League | 121 Financial Ballpark | 6 (1968, 1996, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010) |
| Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Baseball | MiLB, Southern League | Pensacola Bayfront Stadium
|
0 |
| Bradenton Marauders | Baseball | MiLB, Florida State League | McKechnie Field
|
1 (2016) |
| Clearwater Threshers | Baseball | Spectrum Field
|
1 (2007) | |
| Daytona Tortugas | Baseball | Jackie Robinson Ballpark | 3 (1995, 2004, 2008) | |
| Dunedin Blue Jays | Baseball | Knology Park
|
0 | |
| Fort Myers Mighty Mussels | Baseball | Hammond Stadium | 7 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1978, 2018, 2018) | |
| Jupiter Hammerheads | Baseball | Roger Dean Stadium | 0 | |
| Lakeland Flying Tigers | Baseball | Joker Marchant Stadium | 3 (1976, 1977, 1992) | |
| Palm Beach Cardinals | Baseball | Roger Dean Stadium | 1 (2005) | |
| St. Lucie Mets | Baseball | Clover Park | 5 (1988, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2006) | |
| Tampa Tarpons | Baseball | George M. Steinbrenner Field | 5 (1994, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2010) | |
| Osceola Magic | Basketball | NBA G League | Silver Spurs Arena | 1 (2021 as Lakeland Magic) |
| Florida Flight | Basketball | Florida Basketball Association | RDV Sportsplex
|
1 (2019) |
| Clermont Crocs | Basketball | American Basketball Association Florida Basketball Association |
RDV Sportsplex
|
1 (2021) |
| Jacksonville Giants | Basketball | American Basketball Association | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 3 (2012, 2013, 2016) |
| Miami Midnites | Basketball | American Basketball Association Florida Basketball Association |
David Posnack Jewish Community Center | 3 (2014, 2015, 2016 in the FBA) |
| Florida Everblades | Ice hockey | ECHL | Hertz Arena | 2 (2012, 2022) |
| Jacksonville Icemen | Ice hockey | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 0 | |
Orlando Solar Bears
|
Ice hockey | Amway Center
|
0 | |
| Pensacola Ice Flyers | Ice hockey | SPHL | Pensacola Civic Center
|
3 (2013, 2014, 2016) |
| Jacksonville Sharks | Indoor football
|
Indoor Football League | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 3 (2011, 2017, 2019, 2023) |
Orlando Predators
|
Indoor football | National Arena League | Amway Center
|
0 |
| Florida Tropics SC | Indoor soccer | Major Arena Soccer League | RP Funding Center | 0 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | Rugby League | USA Rugby League | Hodges Stadium | 2 (2010, 2012) |
| Lakeland Renegades | Rugby league | USA Rugby League | All Saints Academy | 0 |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | Rugby league | USA Rugby League | Lehigh Senior High School | 0 |
| Tampa Mayhem | Rugby league | USA Rugby League | Tampa Catholic High School | 0 |
| Orlando Pride | Soccer | National Women's Soccer League | Exploria Stadium
|
0 |
| Miami FC | Soccer | USL Championship | Riccardo Silva Stadium
|
3 (2018 & 2019 in NPSL), (2019 in NISA) |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Soccer | Al Lang Stadium | 2 (1975 and 2012 in NASL) | |
| Tampa Bay Sun | Soccer | USL Super League | Blake High School | 0 |
| Inter Miami CF II | Soccer | MLS Next Pro | Chase Stadium | 0 |
| Club de Lyon | Soccer | National Independent Soccer Association | Daytona Stadium | 0 |
Beaches FC
|
Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | 0 | |
Central Florida Panthers SC
|
Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | Showalter Field | 0 |
| Jacksonville Armada FC | Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | Hodges Stadium | 0 |
| Miami United FC | Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | 0 | |
| Naples United FC | Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | 0 | |
| Storm FC | Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | 0 | |
| IMG Academy Bradenton | Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
Lakeland Tropics
|
Soccer | USL League Two | Bryant Stadium | 0 |
| FC Miami City | Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
North County United
|
Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
Next Academy Palm Beach
|
Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
| SIMA Águilas | Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
The Villages SC
|
Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
| Weston FC | Soccer | USL League Two | 0 | |
| Boca Raton FC | Soccer | United Premier Soccer League | Lynn University | 1 (2015 in APSL) |
Fort Lauderdale Herd BC
|
Basketball | National Basketball League - US | Joseph C. Carter Center | 0 |
College sports
See also
References
- ^ College Sports Scholarships. Accessed November 30, 2015.
- ^ "Major League Soccer names Orlando City SC as 21st franchise, set for 2015 debut", MLSsoccer.com, November 19, 2013.