"Major Leagues" redirects here. For other meanings of "Major League" or "Major Leagues" see Major League (disambiguation). Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in North America. ...

Major professional sports league, or simply major league, is the term used in North America to refer to the highest professional division in any team sport. The term "major league" was first used in 1921 in reference to Major League Baseball, the top level of professional American baseball, and for many years "major league" or "the majors" referred exclusively to baseball. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... North American redirects here. ... Womens Australian rules football is a team sport. ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ...

Major leagues are complemented by minor leagues, which are lower division and/or developmental leagues below the major league in the national sport-tier hierarchy; and amateur leagues, in which the athletes receive no salary. The designation as to whether a league is a major or minor league is made by the national or international governing body for that sport, not by the popular perception of that sport (e.g., TV ratings or number of articles in the daily newspaper). In any country or region, the top major leagues generally will have the best athletes, the largest-capacity stadiums, the largest and most active fan bases, the most lucrative television contracts, and, therefore, the largest revenues and player salaries. Minor leagues in the sense intended in this article are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A sportsperson (British and American English) or athlete (principally American English) is any person who participates regularly in a sport. ... A sport governing body comes in several forms. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... The new Wembley Stadium in London is the most expensive stadium ever built; it has a seating capacity of 90,000 This article is about the building type. ... For more information on fans of football (soccer), see Football (soccer) culture. ...

In North America, the top major leagues are generally accepted to be: Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League. Prominent major leagues outside the "Big Four" are mainly Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Canadian Football League (CFL), while the Arena Football League (AFL), the National Lacrosse League (NLL), Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), and the WNBA deserve mention. Major Leagues redirects here. ... NFL redirects here. ... NBA redirects here. ... NHL redirects here. ... Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league sanctioned by FIFA as the top flight of the American Soccer Pyramid. ... CFL redirects here. ... The Arena Football League (AFL) was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. ... NLL redirects here. ... Major League Lacrosse is a professional outdoor Lacrosse league that is made up of teams within the United States. ... The Major Indoor Soccer League is the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league is a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. ... The Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States. ...

Unlike similar sports leagues around the world (with Australian leagues as a notable exception), those in the United States and Canada do not use the system of promotion and relegation. Rather, their structures are characterized by the use of franchises and closed membership; the same teams compete in the leagues each year. In many sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the least successful team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ...

Note that in North America, the term "major league" is usually limited to team sports, even though individual-driven spectator sports such as golf, tennis and auto racing are also very popular, such as with the PGA, ATP, WTA, IndyCar, and NASCAR. Womens Australian rules football is a team sport. ... This article is about the sport. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... A Peugeot 206 World Rally Car Motor racing and Motorsports redirect here. ... The PGA Tour is an organization that operates the USAs main professional golf tours. ... The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) was formed in 1972 to protect the interests of male professional Tennis players. ... WTA stands for Womens Tennis Association, and is also known as the WTA Tour, and is to womens tennis what the ATP is to mens tennis. ... The term IndyCar has multiple uses: Indycar (sometimes spelled Indy car) is a generic name used in the United States for a type of open wheel race car. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

The Big Four

Thus, the most commonly accepted list of the top four major leagues in North America is: Major Leagues redirects here. ... The 2008 Major League Baseball season will begin on March 30th, 2008 and end on September 28th of that same year. ... The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The American League East Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... The American League Central Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... The American League West Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... This article is about the contemporary American major league baseball team. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 19, 42, 72 Name Chicago White Sox (1904–present) Other nicknames The Sox, The South Siders, The ChiSox, The Pale Hose, The Good Guys, The Go-Go Sox, The... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 11, 26, 29, 30, 42, 50 Name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005–present) Anaheim Angels (1997-2004) California Angels (1965-1996) Los Angeles Angels (1961-1965) Other nicknames The Halos, The Wings, The Seraphs... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Other nicknames The Tribe, The Wahoos Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 9, 27, 34, 42, 43, (As) Name Oakland Athletics (1968–present) Kansas City Athletics (1955-1967) Philadelphia Athletics (1901-1954) (Referred to as As) Other nicknames The As, The White Elephants, The... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 5, 6, 16, 23, 42, Cobb Name Detroit Tigers (1901–present) Other nicknames The Motor City Kitties, The Bengals, The Tigs, The Bless You Boys Ballpark Comerica Park (2000–present) Tiger Stadium (1912-1999... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Rays (2008–present) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-2007) Other nicknames Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles... Major league affiliations American League (1969–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 10, 20, 42 Name Kansas City Royals (1969–present) Other nicknames The Boys in Blue Ballpark Kauffman Stadium (1973–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Other nicknames None in common use Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Other nicknames The Twinkies Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1911-1960... For other uses, see National League (disambiguation). ... The National League Yellow Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of three subdivisions of the National League. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1871, 1874-1889) (a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) West Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-backs, The Snakes Ballpark Chase Field (1998–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1993–present) East Division (1993–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 42 Name Florida Marlins (1993–present) Other nicknames The Fish Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 5, 8, 10, 13, 18, 20, 24, 42 Name Cincinnati Reds (1958–present) Cincinnati Redlegs (1953-1958) Cincinnati Reds (1882-1953) Cincinnati Red Stockings (1876-1882) Other nicknames The Redlegs, The Big Red Machine... Major league affiliations National League (1993–present) West Division (1993–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Colorado Rockies (1993–present) Other nicknames The Rocks, The Rox, Blake Street Bombers, Hurdles Heroes. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans, The Kings of Queens Ballpark Shea Stadium (current) (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1913) Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 14, 20, 32, 36, 42 Name Philadelphia Phillies (1884–present) Philadelphia Quakers (1883-1889) (Also referred to as Blue Jays 1943-1945 despite formal name remaining Phillies) Other nicknames The Phils, The Phightin Phils... This article is about the contemporary American major league baseball team. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 6, 19, 31, 35, 42 Name San Diego Padres (1969–present) Other nicknames The Pads, The Friars, The Fathers, The Dads Ballpark PETCO Park (2004–present) Qualcomm Stadium (1969-2003) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Other nicknames The Nats Ballpark Nationals Ballpark (2008–present) RFK Stadium 2005-2007 Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977... This article is about the baseball team. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885–1957) New York Gothams (1883–1885) Other nicknames Jints, Gigantes, G-Men Ballpark AT... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... A playoff in sports (North American professional sports in particular) is a game or series of games played after the regular season is over with the goal of determining a league champion, or a similar accolade. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... ALCS redirects here. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseballs championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. ... In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the respective managers (from the previous years World... The World Baseball Classic, sometimes abbreviated WBC, is an international baseball tournament, first held in March 2006. ... Baseball leagues around the world, as well as various sportswriting associations or other interested groups, confer awards on various baseball players and teams for excellence in achievement, sportsmanship, and community involvement. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union of professional major-league baseball players. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For the organization which many minor leagues belong to, see Minor League Baseball Part of the History of baseball series. ... Bud Fowler, the first professional black baseball player with one of his teams, Western of Keokuk, Iowa The Negro Leagues were American professional baseball leagues comprising predominantly African-American teams. ... The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a womens professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. ... Wikipedia has a number of articles about the history of baseball: Origins of baseball History of baseball in the United States History of baseball outside the United States Baseball in the United Kingdom 1845 to 1868 in baseball Pre-1850s in baseball London Tecumsehs (and origins of baseball in Canada... NBA redirects here. ... The 2007-08 NBA season is the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. ... The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, and organized in three divisions of five teams each. ... The Western Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, and organized in three divisions of five teams each. ... The Atlantic Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The 76ers, Knicks, Nets, and the Celtics were already in the seven team Atlantic before the merge that brought the Raptors and sent the Heat, Magic and Wizards to the new Southeast Division. ... The Central Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The current divisions have been active since the start of the 04-05 season. ... The Southeast Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. It was formed when the Charlotte Bobcats entered the NBA as an expansion team in 2004. ... The Northwest Division is a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. The division was created at the start of the 04-05 season. ... The Pacific Division is a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. All five Pacific teams were in the division before the Blazers and Sonics went to the new Northwest Division. ... The Southwest Division is a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. The Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Spurs all came from the now defunct Midwest Division and the Hornets came from the Central Division in the Eastern Conference. ... The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Chicago Bulls are a professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... For the original defunct Denver Nuggets, see Denver Nuggets (original). ... The Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. ... The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are an NBA basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. ... The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. ... The Charlotte Bobcats are a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Clippers redirects here. ... The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. ... Knicks redirects here. ... The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. ... The Miami Heat (known as the HEAT [in all capital letters] on official team publications) is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. ... The Portland Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. ... The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Los Angeles, California. ... This is an article about the National Basketball Association team; for the defunct World Football League team, see Memphis Southmen. ... The Philadelphia 76ers (also known as the Sixers for short) are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. ... The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. ... The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team, based in Phoenix, Arizona. ... The New Orleans Hornets are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C.. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. ... The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. ... Current NBA Playoff logo. ... Logo of the NBA Finals. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) holds an All-Star Weekend every February, with a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night. ... The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. ... The Rookie Challenge is a competition held during the NBA_All-Star_Weekend on the day prior to the regular All-Star game. ... The Three-point Shootout is a National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend contest held on the Saturday before the All-Star Game. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The Shooting Stars Competition is a National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend contest held on the Saturday before the All-Star Game. ... The Slam Dunk Contest is an annual NBA competition held during the week of the NBA All-Star Game. ... The NBA Draft is an annual North American event in which the National Basketball Associations (NBA) thirty teams (29 in the United States and one in Canada) can select players who wish to join the league. ... NBA TV is a television network that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. ... Below is a list of current NBA team rosters. ... The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the NBA. The division was created at the start of the 1970-1971 Season. ... On October 17, 2005, National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern implemented a mandatory dress code for all NBA and NBA Development League players. ... The NBA Salary Cap is the limit to the total amount of money that NBA teams are allowed to pay their players. ... The following is a list of National Basketball Association arenas: Category: ... The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Associations officially sponsored and operated developmental basketball organization. ... The Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an organization governing a professional basketball league for women in the United States. ... WNBA Championship Trophy The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA), played under a best-of-five playoff format. ... The 2007 NBA Europe Live Tour is a basketball exhibition tour featuring teams from the NBA and teams from Europes top professional leagues. ... The Larry OBrien trophy is coveted by NBA teams. ... The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award is presented to the National Basketball Association (NBA) player in the NBA Finals that is seen as contributing the most to the series. ... The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History (also referred to as the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time Team) were chosen in 1996 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... NFL redirects here. ... This is a list of seasons of the National Football League. ... The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL). ... The AFC East is a division of the National Football Leagues American Football Conference. ... The AFC North is a division of the National Football Leagues American Football Conference. ... The AFC South is a division of the National Football Leagues American Football Conference. ... The AFC West is a division of the National Football Leagues American Football Conference. ... For other uses, see Buffalo Bills (disambiguation). ... City Baltimore, Maryland Team colors Purple, Black, and Gold Head Coach Brian Billick Owner Steve Bisciotti General manager Ozzie Newsome Mascot The Ravens: Edgar, Allan, & Poe League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1996–present) American Football Conference (1996-present) AFC Central (1996-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team history Baltimore... This article is about the current National Football League team. ... City Denver, Colorado Other nicknames Orange Crush (1977-1979 defense) Team colors Orange, Broncos Navy Blue, and White[1] Head Coach Mike Shanahan Owner Pat Bowlen General manager Ted Sundquist Mascot Miles League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American... City Miami Gardens, Florida Other nicknames The Fins Team colors Aqua, Coral, White and Navy Head Coach liljimjim Owner Wayne Huizenga General manager Randy Mueller Mascot T.D. League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1966-1969) Eastern Division (1966-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970-present... City Cincinnati, Ohio Team colors Black, Orange and White Head Coach Marvin Lewis Owner Mike Brown Mascot Who Dey League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1968-1969) Western Division (1968-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC Central (1970-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team... City Indianapolis, Indiana Other nicknames The Horseshoes Team colors Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Owner Jim Irsay General manager Bill Polian Mascot Blue League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-2001... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... City Foxborough, Massachusetts Other nicknames The Pats Team colors Nautical Blue, New Century Silver, Red, and White Head Coach Bill Belichick Owner Robert Kraft General manager Bill Belichick (de facto) Mascot Pat Patriot League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960–69) Eastern Division (1960–69) National Football League (1970–present... Browns redirects here. ... City Jacksonville, Florida Other nicknames The Jags Team colors Teal, Black, White, and Gold Head Coach Jack Del Rio Owner Wayne Weaver General manager James Harris Mascot Jaxson de Ville League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) American Football Conference (1995-present) AFC Central (1995-2001) AFC South (2002... City Oakland, California Other nicknames The Silver and Black Team colors Silver and Black Head Coach Lane Kiffin Owner Al Davis General manager Al Davis League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960–1969) Western Division (1960–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC West (1970... City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Gang Green, the Green and White, Jersey Jets Team colors Hunter green and white Head Coach Eric Mangini Owner Woody Johnson General manager Mike Tannenbaum League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American... Steelers redirects here. ... City Nashville, Tennessee Team colors Navy, Titan Blue, White, and Red Head Coach Jeff Fisher Owner Bud Adams General manager Mike Reinfeldt Mascot T-Rac League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960–1969) Eastern Division (1960–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC Central (1970... Chargers redirects here. ... National Football Conference logo. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The NFC North is a division of the National Football Leagues National Football Conference. ... The NFC South is a division of the National Football Leagues National Football Conference. ... The NFC West is a division of the National Football Leagues National Football Conference. ... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames Americas Team, The Boys, The Pokes Team colors White, Silver, Silver-Green, Royal Blue, Navy Blue Head Coach Wade Phillips Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1960–present) Western Conference (1960) Eastern Conference (1961-1969) Capitol Division... City Chicago, Illinois Other nicknames Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway Team colors Navy Blue and Orange Head Coach Lovie Smith Owner Virginia Halas McCaskey Chairman Michael McCaskey General manager Jerry Angelo Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley Da Bear League/Conference affiliations Independent (1919) National Football... City Atlanta, Georgia Team colors Black, Red, Silver and White Head Coach Bobby Petrino Owner Arthur Blank General manager Rich McKay Mascot Freddie Falcon League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1966–present) Eastern Conference (1966) Western Conference (1967-69) Coastal Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present) NFC West... City Glendale, Arizona Other nicknames The Cards, The Birds, Big Red, The Buzzsaw Team colors Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt Owner Bill Bidwill General manager Rod Graves Mascot Big Red League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1920–present) Western Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952... This article is about the current National Football League team. ... City Detroit, Michigan Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Rod Marinelli Owner William Clay Ford, Sr. ... City Charlotte, North Carolina Other nicknames The Cardiac Cats Team colors Black, Carolina Blue, and Silver Head Coach John Fox Owner Jerry Richardson General manager Marty Hurney Mascot Sir Purr League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) National Football Conference (1995-present) NFC West (1995-2001) NFC South (2002... City St. ... City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Team colors Midnight Green, Black, White, and Silver Head Coach Andy Reid Owner Jeffrey Lurie General manager Tom Heckert Fight song Fly, Eagles Fly Mascot Swoop League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933–present) Eastern Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference (1953-1969) Capitol... Packers redirects here. ... City New Orleans, Louisiana Team colors Gold and black Head Coach Sean Payton Owner Tom Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc General manager Mickey Loomis Mascot Gumbo the dog League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1967–present) Eastern Conference (1967-1969) Capitol Division (1967; 1969) Century Division (1968) National Football Conference... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... For other uses, see Redskins (disambiguation). ... City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Fight song Skol, Vikings Mascot Viktor the Viking League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1961–present) Western Conference (1961-1969) Central Division... City Tampa, Florida Other nicknames The Bucs, Pewter Pirates Team colors Buccaneer Red, Black, Pewter, and Orange Head Coach Jon Gruden Owner Malcolm Glazer General manager Bruce Allen Mascot Captain Fear League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1976) AFC West (1976) National Football Conference (1977... City Seattle, Washington Team colors Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White Head Coach Mike Holmgren Owner Paul Allen General manager Tim Ruskell Mascot Blitz, and Taima the hawk League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1977-2001) AFC West (1977-2001) National Football Conference (1976... This is a list of seasons of the National Football League. ... This is a list of National Football League team season lists. ... The National Football League (NFL) playoffs is a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the 16-game regular season to determine the NFL champion. ... The AFC Championship Game is one of the two semi-final matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. ... NFC Championship Game is an American football game played every year to determine the champion of the National Football Conference of the National Football League. ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy. ... // This is a list of Super Bowl champions, that is, all the franchises that have won the championship game of the National Football League. ... In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League (NFL). ... Throughout its history, the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion, including a period of interleague match-ups determining a true world champion. ... From 1960 to 1968, the American Football League determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions (although ties in the standings during the 1963 and 1968 seasons necessitated a divisional playoff game). ... This is a list of National Football League champions prior to the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger, that is, all the franchises that have won the championship of the National Football League. ... A one-game playoff or pennant playoff is a tiebreaker in certain American professional sports, to determine which of two teams, tied in the final standings, will qualify for a post-season tournament. ... The Playoff Bowl was the colloquial name for a post-season game for third place in the NFL, played following the 1960-1969 seasons. ... The following is a list and brief history of American football franchises that at one time played in the National Football League (NFL). ... The following is a list of current National Football League franchise owners. ... McAfee Coliseum Monster Park Qwest Field Qualcomm Stadium University of Phoenix Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Soldier Field RCA Dome Edward Jones Dome Arrowhead Stadium Invesco Field [at Mile High] Ford Field Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Lambeau Field Ralph Wilson Stadium Gillette Stadium Giants Stadium Reliant Stadium Louisiana Superdome Georgia Dome... The following is a list of past National Football League stadiums, that is, all past home stadiums used by teams playing in the National Football League (NFL), and their locations and capacities. ... This is a list of individual National Football League records. ... This is a list of team NFL records. ... The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL). ... National Football League lore is a collection of information that NFL fans retain and share. ... The American Football League (AFL) was a professional football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when all of its teams were absorbed into the National Football League (NFL). ... The AFL-NFL Merger of 1970 involved the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States during the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). ... The lack of a National Football League (NFL) team in Los Angeles, the second-largest media market in the United States, is a large issue the league has been working on to resolve since both the Raiders and the Rams left the area after the 1994 season. ... NFL Europa is an American football league which operates in Europe. ... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia... The television rights to broadcast National Football League (NFL) games are the most lucrative and expensive rights of any sport. ... The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor union of players in footballs National Football League. ... Commissioner Goodell frequently emphasizes the protection of the NFLs public image, including the shield. ... The NFL Draft (officially the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting[1]) is an annual sports draft in which National Football League (NFL) teams take turns, through seven rounds[2], selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players. ... In the National Football League, NFL Training Camp refers to the time before the season commences. ... The National Football League exhibition season refers to the NFLs pre-season games before the NFL regular season starts. ... The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game is an annual National Football League pre-season exhibition game that is held a few days after the Pro Football Hall of Fames induction ceremonies. ... For the championship game of the American Indoor Football League, see American Bowl (AIFL). ... The China Bowl is the name of an upcoming National Football League (NFL) pre-season exhibition game scheduled to take place in August 2009 between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at the National Stadium in Beijing. ... The logo for the 2002 concert event before the Kickoff Game The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. ... MNF redirects here. ... NFL Thanksgiving 2006 logo. ... NHL redirects here. ... The 2007-08 NHL season is the 90th season of the National Hockey League. ... Eastern Conference logo, circa 2006 French version of the Eastern Conference logo The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League (NHL) used to divide teams. ... The Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. ... The NHLs Atlantic Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment. ... The NHLs Northeast Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Adams Division. ... The NHLs Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion. ... The NHLs Central Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Norris Division. ... The NHLs Northwest Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Western Conference due to expansion. ... The NHLs Pacific Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment. ... The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Atlanta Thrashers are a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... The Anaheim Ducks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... The Buffalo Sabres is the best professional ice hockey team around. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Dallas Stars are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. ... The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, U.S.A. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... For the animal species by this name, see Florida Panther. ... The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... For other uses, see Ottawa Senators (disambiguation). ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. ... The Minnesota Wild are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. ... The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... For other uses, see Toronto Maple Leafs (disambiguation). ... The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The St. ... The Vancouver Canucks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. ... A list of National Hockey League seasons since inception of the league: 1917-18 | 1918-19 | 1919-20 | 1920-21 | 1921-22 | 1922-23 | 1923-24 | 1924-25 | 1925-26 | 1926-27 | 1927-28 | 1928-29 | 1929-30 | 1930-31 | 1931-32 | 1932-33 | 1933-34 | 1934-35 | 1935-36... The National Hockey League (NHL) season is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The modernized NHL shield logo, debuting in 2005. ... Image:Stanleycuptrophy. ... The Stanley Cup This is a list of Stanley Cup champions, including the finalists/challengers. ... The Presidents Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team which finishes with the best record in the league during the regular season. ... The National Hockey League All-Star Game (French: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey) is an exhibition hockey game that marks the midway point of the National Hockey Leagues regular season, with many of the leagues star players playing against each other. ... The NHL Entry Draft is a collective meeting in which the franchises of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur players who meet the eligibility requirements to play professional hockey in the NHL. // The first NHL Amateur Draft was held on June 5, 1963 at the... National Hockey League The list of National Hockey League (NHL) players is divided into the following lists: By specific groups Current players List of every NHL player List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame List of members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame List of NHL... The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League of North America. ... The NHL All-Star Teams were added to the NHL at the end of the 1930-31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season to each position. ... Stanley Cup on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame The National Hockey League presents numerous awards and trophies per year; some are given to National Hockey League teams, and other are given to players. ... The classic NHL shield logo, used until the end of the 2004 lockout. ... The following is a timeline describing the history of the National Hockey Leagues teams and their franchise histories. ... This is a list of teams that once played in the National Hockey League but no longer exist. ... This article is part of the Evolution of the NHL series. ... The Original Six is a well-known term for the six teams which comprised the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 25 seasons between the 1942-43 NHL season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. ... The National Hockey League added six new franchises for the 1967-68 NHL season, doubling the size of the league. ... WHA redirects here. ... This is a list of NHL franchise playoff appearance streaks up to and including the 2006-07 season. ... This is a list of current NHL franchise post-season and Stanley Cup droughts. ... Hockey Hall of Fame logo The Hockey Hall of Fame, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to the history of ice hockey with exhibits featuring memorabilia and NHL trophies (including the Stanley Cup) along with interactive activities. ... This is a list of all the members of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. ... Rivalries in the National Hockey League (NHL) have occurred between many teams and cities. ... The following is a list of National Hockey League arenas including past, present, and future arenas: // Map of Arenas National Hockey League arenas HP Pavilion Honda Center General Motors Place Staples Center Jobing. ... While the National Hockey League follows the general rules of Ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation such as the Olympics. ... Referees attempt to break up a fight around the Tampa Bay goal during the first ice hockey playoff game between the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2006 Stanley Cup. ...

• The National Football League (32 teams as of 2007, founded in 1920). The NFL partially absorbed the All-America Football Conference in 1949 and merged with the American Football League in 1970.
• Major League Baseball (30 teams as of 2007, constituent leagues began cooperation in 1903). MLB is divided into the American League (founded in 1901) and the National League (founded in 1876). The two are effectively merged on an organizational level and have shared a single Commissioner since 1920.
• The National Basketball Association (30 teams as of 2007, founded in 1946). The NBA partially absorbed the rival National Basketball League in 1949. The BAA partially absorbed the rival American Basketball Association in 1976.
• The National Hockey League (30 teams as of 2007, founded in 1917). The NHL partially absorbed the rival World Hockey Association in 1979.

Since the four major leagues listed above are those listed as the top four major leagues, the sports they play (baseball, basketball, American football and ice hockey) are often referred to as the top four "major professional sports" or even just the top four "major sports" in North America ("the Big Four"). As of 2005, thirteen American metropolitan areas have at least one team in each of the top four major leagues. NFL redirects here. ... The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. ... The AFL-NFL Merger of 1970 involved the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States during the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). ... The American Football League (AFL) was a professional football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when all of its teams were absorbed into the National Football League (NFL). ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... For other uses, see National League (disambiguation). ... NBA redirects here. ... The National Basketball League was a professional basketball league in the United States from 1937 to 1949. ... NHL redirects here. ... WHA redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ... This article is about the sport. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... In the United States, the four prominent major professional sports leagues are the following: Major League Baseball (MLB), in existence de facto since 1903 National Football League (NFL), founded in 1920 National Basketball Association (NBA), founded in 1946 National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1917 There are currently thirteen metropolitan...

The best players can become cultural icons to tens of millions of North Americans because the leagues enjoy a dominant place in U.S. popular culture combined with a significant (and dominant with the NHL) place in Canadian popular culture. American cultural icons. ... American cultural icons, apple pie, baseball, and the American flag. ... Canadian popular culture is mainly influenced by the United States and by its British and Canada is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world with a high immigration rate which allows for broad assimilation of cultures, especially from Asian countries. ...

Finances

The top four major leagues each have revenues that can be many times greater than the payrolls of less popular major leagues in North America. In terms of overall league revenue, the NFL, MLB and the NBA (in that order) rank as the three of the four most lucrative sports leagues in the world, with the Premier League of English soccer being in third or fourth place (depending on what is counted as league revenue - calculating finances in European soccer is somewhat more complicated compared to North America). The NHL is ranked in fifth place. For other sports leagues which may be referred to by this name, see List of professional sports leagues. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Soccer redirects here. ...

Other major leagues

MLS

While soccer is a giant of sports participation in the U.S. (particularly among youth of grade school age), it has yet to achieve the same level of success as a spectator sport at the professional level. The most popular year was the league's inaugural season in 1996, which posted impressive attendance numbers. After a slight decline and leveling out, MLS has now experienced consistent growth, stabilization, and a recent expansion over the past couple of years, as well as a huge amount of publicity and coverage with the landmark signing of world soccer superstar David Beckham in 2007 for $50 million in direct salary plus $200 million in other income over five years. Beckham's addition has been followed by other stars such as returning American captain Claudio Reyna, Mexican legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Colombian striker Juan Pablo Ángel. Furthermore, it has new national TV deals with ESPN, HDNet, Fox Soccer Channel, and Univision (Telefutura) that provide rights fees to the league for the first time, as well as numerous foreign television rights contracts. Additionally, MLS has began to solidify its standing by building soccer-specific stadiums, with the latest opening in 2007, DSG Park and BMO Field. Meanwhile, Sandy Stadium and Red Bull Park are currently under construction and scheduled for opening within the next couple of years, as well as two about to be started in San Jose and Kansas City. Lastly, expansion to multiple additional major markets is expected within the next couple years, to at least already announced Philadelphia and Seattle and possibly to St. Louis and elsewhere. Soccer redirects here. ... David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ... Claudio Reyna (born July 20, 1973 in Livingston, New Jersey) is an American soccer player. ... Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo (born January 17, 1973 in Mexico City) is a Mexican football striker, who currently plays for CD Veracruz. ... Juan Pablo Ángel Arango (born October 24, 1975 in Medellín) is a Colombian football striker, who is currently playing for Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... HDNet is a general interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format, and available via cable and satellite television. ... Fox Soccer Channel is a United States digital cable network, owned by News Corporation, that specializes in soccer. ... TeleFutura is a U.S. Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by Univision with headquarters in Miami, Florida. ... Columbus Crew Stadium opened in 1999 as the first of a growing number of American stadiums built for soccer Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. ... Dicks Sporting Goods Park is a soccer-specific stadium located in Commerce City, Colorado, home to the Colorado Rapids professional soccer team. ... BMO Field is a soccer-specific stadium under-construction located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. ... Sandy Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Sandy, Utah, United States that is currently under construction. ... Red Bull Park is the proposed future home of Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. ... This article is about the MLS franchise. ... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards, The Wiz, KC Stadium CommunityAmerica Ballpark Kansas City, KS Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20... Major League Soccer officials have confirmed Seattle, Washington as the location for their next expansion franchise, possibly playing as early as the 2009 season. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ...

CFL

The Canadian Football League is the highest level of play in Canadian football and the second most popular sports league in Canada after the NHL.^[1] Average per-game CFL attendance ranks sixth of all professional leagues in the world, and third in North America. The CFL championship trophy, the Grey Cup, was first awarded in 1909 and has a rich history comparable to the NHL's Stanley Cup. CFL redirects here. ... Diagram of a Canadian football field. ... The table below lists domestic professional sports leagues from around the world by total attendances for the last completed season for which data is available. ... The Grey Cup circa 2006. ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ...

The CFL was founded in 1958, however most of the teams competed in its two main antecedent leagues in the decades prior to that year. It was only in 1981 that these organizations (then known as the Eastern and Western Football Conferences) were legally dissolved into the CFL. Of the eight current teams, seven have competed continuously in the same city since 1954 or earlier. The oldest extant teams (Hamilton and Toronto) trace their origins to the late 1860s and early 1870s, which ranks them amongst the oldest sports teams still in existence. CFL East Division Logo The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. ... CFL West Division Logo The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. ... The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Flying Wildcats. ... The Toronto Argonauts are a Canadian Football League team based in Toronto, Ontario. ...

The CFL can be prone to receiving a negative perception from gridiron football fans because of its close proximity and relative similarity to the NFL, the world's richest sports league. Although the U.S. league has the highest per-game attendance of any sports league in the world, the primary source of the disparity between CFL and NFL team revenues is the leagues' television contracts (the U.S. television market is ten times that of Canada). However, the CFL plays on a larger field and with substantially different rules compared to the NFL, and as a result exploits a largely different pool of talent, where speed is typically valued over size. Gridiron football (or more commonly, just gridiron) is a term used in some countries outside the United States and Canada that refers to both American football and Canadian football. ... Diagram of a Canadian football field Diagram of an American football field Canadian and American football are very similar, as both have their origins in rugby. ...

AFL

The Arena Football League is the highest level of play in indoor/arena styles of gridiron football. Since commencing play in 1987, the league has stabilized and overcome the perception that it was merely a fad. In recent years, the AFL has seen attendance increase dramatically. Typically, a team will play in hockey or basketball arenas. The league has recently signed a new television deal with ESPN after its NBC contract expired. Unlike the NFL or CFL, the AFL has a formal minor league system in the form of arenafootball2. The Arena Football League (AFL) was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. ... Indoor football is a variation of American football with rules modified to make it suitable for play within ice hockey arenas. ... Arena football is a sport invented by Jim Foster, a former executive of the United States Football League and the National Football League. ... Gridiron football (or more commonly, just gridiron) is a term used in some countries outside the United States and Canada that refers to both American football and Canadian football. ... For other uses, see FAD (disambiguation). ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... This article is about the television network. ... af2 (short for arenafootball2) is the name of the Arena Football Leagues minor league, which started play in 2000. ...

MLL/NLL

Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League are other major leagues in North America. Though they have not yet achieved the level of success of MLS, they became more successful in recent years. MLL is an outdoor league starting in the year 2001. It is a much younger league than NLL and plays in many college football and MLS stadiums. On the other hand, the NLL is an indoor league, which is older than MLL and plays in many NBA, NHL, and smaller arenas. Which is more successful is debatable, though each have some level of success. Major League Lacrosse is a professional outdoor Lacrosse league that is made up of teams within the United States. ... NLL redirects here. ...

Traits of the top North American major leagues

Franchise stability

All of the top four major leagues exhibit the stability of most of their franchises. No team from any of the top four major leagues has collapsed outright in decades. Although all of the top four major leagues have had at least one franchise relocate to another city in the last fifteen years, relocation of teams is generally uncommon compared to the less successful major leagues in North American history. It should be noted that all four of the top major leagues have had frequent franchise collapses and relocations in their early histories, but these events became much less frequent by the time these major leagues reached their "top four" status. In sport, a franchise is a club given permanent rights to play in a specific league. ... Relocation of professional sports teams, is a common practice in North America but not at all common in Europe. ...

The major leagues in North America are different from most leagues outside North America in that there is no promotion and relegation system. The same teams compete in the leagues each year. The worst teams are not relegated each year to a second tier league, to be replaced by the best teams from the second tier league. One could even argue the worst teams are rewarded for their futility, as the worst teams receive a higher position in the following year's draft for new players, which in football and basketball, usually consists of players who have played the sport in college. A notable result of the "closed shop" aspect of the major leagues is that the franchises have average book values that are considerably more than those of the clubs of the Premier League (which as noted above has comparable average team revenues to the major North American leagues but also a relegation system). In many sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the least successful team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ...

The most recent team from one of the top four major leagues to fold outright were the original Baltimore Bullets in 1955, while the last team to cease operations were the Cleveland Barons (formerly the California Golden Seals), which were merged into the Minnesota North Stars (now the Dallas Stars) organization in 1978, two years after moving to Ohio from California. The last NHL team to fold outright were the New York Americans in 1942. (The NBA and NHL did however, merge with rival leagues in the 1970s. During these mergers only four franchises in each rival league, the American Basketball Association and World Hockey Association, survived: the remaining ABA and WHA franchises went out of business.) The last NFL team to fold were the Dallas Texans in 1952 and no MLB team has folded since 1899, when four National League teams ceased to exist. The Baltimore Bullets were a National Basketball Association team based in Baltimore, Maryland. ... The Oakland Seals were a team in the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League between 1967 and 1993. ... The Dallas Stars are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The New York Americans were a NHL hockey team, the third expansion team in league history and the second to play in the United States. ... WHA redirects here. ... The Dallas Texans played in the National Football League for one season, 1952, with a record of 1–11. ... For other uses, see National League (disambiguation). ...

The top four major leagues all expanded within the last decade and currently have either 30 or, in the case of the NFL, 32 teams. The newest major league team is the Charlotte Bobcats, who joined the NBA in 2004. The newest NFL team is the Houston Texans, who became the NFL's 32nd team in 2002 after the NFL was unable to find a viable ownership group and stadium plan in Los Angeles. The newest NHL teams are the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, who began play in 2000, while the newest MLB teams are the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays, who joined the NL and AL respectively in 1998. The Charlotte Bobcats are a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... This article is about the current National Football League team. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. ... The Minnesota Wild are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) West Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-backs, The Snakes Ballpark Chase Field (1998–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Rays (2008–present) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-2007) Other nicknames Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles...

Recent expansion franchises have commanded huge entry fees, which are generally held to represent the price the new team must pay to gain its share of the existing teams' often guaranteed revenue streams. The Houston Texans paid an unprecedented $700 million to join the NFL. By comparison, the Charlotte Bobcats paid $300 million to join the NBA. The Diamondbacks and Devil Rays paid $130 million each to join MLB while the Blue Jackets and Wild paid $80 million each to join the NHL. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Many sports analysts and owners believe that 30 is the optimal number of teams for a major league, which is only two below the maximum number any league has ever had. Thus, future expansion is by no means certain, especially by the NFL which is now over the 30-team threshold. The NFL is still anxious to return to Los Angeles (see below) but many believe that NFL officials would privately prefer to re-locate an existing team in order to avoid altering its current eight four-team division alignment. Even if expansion franchises could continue to command huge fees, as more teams join the leagues the owners' share of the fees is constantly reduced. Even if large markets remain without a team, a point could still be reached where one-time expansion revenues are offset by chronic stresses such as a drain on the talent pool (which could have a noticeable impact on the quality of play and thus start turning off fans) and saturation of the national television market (if the leagues are unable to negotiate higher fees from the television networks, then additional teams will simply cause the existing television revenue to be split into smaller shares).

Franchise locations

See also: List of U.S. and Canadian cities by professional sports teams

This is a list of cities or metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada categorized by the number of major league professional sports franchises in their metropolitan areas. ...

United States

Major leagues tend to have franchises only in the largest, most heavily-populated cities and market areas. Most teams are in metro areas having populations over two million — all but one metropolitan area of this size or larger have at least one team. This typically means at least one franchise (and often two) per league in each of the New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles areas. There are two major exceptions: The NFL has not had a franchise in L.A. since 1995, and the Green Bay Packers survive in professional sports' smallest metropolitan area (less than 300,000) thanks to a unique community ownership, and their proximity to the larger Milwaukee area, not to mention the loyalty of their fanbase. The Packers are the last remaining link to the NFL's small-town Midwest roots. Many such teams existed in the NFL before 1934 in places like Decatur, Illinois, Akron, Ohio, and Muncie, Indiana; since then only the Packers remain. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... Green Bay is the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Packers redirects here. ... For other places with the same name, see Milwaukee (disambiguation). ... Cheesehead is a nickname (sometimes used derogatorily) referring to a person from either Wisconsin or the Netherlands, referring to the large volume of cheese production in those locales. ... Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Nickname: The Rubber Capital of the World Location within the state of Ohio Country United States State Ohio County Summit Founded 1825 Incorporated 1835 (village) - 1865 (city) Government  - Mayor Don Plusquellic (D) Area  - City  62. ... Muncie (IPA: ) is a city in Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. ...

The Utah Jazz are located in the least populous state of any U.S. team. They relocated to Salt Lake City from New Orleans during a turbulent period in NBA history and have enjoyed strong support from a wide swath of the Intermountain West devoid of other major sports teams. The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... For ships of the United States Navy of the same name, see USS Salt Lake City. ... NOLA redirects here. ... The Intermountain West is a region of North America lying between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Cascades and Sierra Nevada to the west. ...

Professional sports leagues as we know them today evolved during the decades between the Civil War and World War II, when the railroad was the main means of intercity transportation. As a result, virtually all major league teams were concentrated in the northeastern quarter of the United States, within roughly the radius of a day-long train ride. No MLB teams existed south or west of St. Louis, the NFL was confined to the Great Lakes and the Northeast, and the NBA's 1946 launch spanned only from from the Iowa-Illinois Quad Cities to Boston. The NHL remained confined to six cities in the Northeast, Great Lakes and eastern Canada until 1967, though in the 1910s and 1920s, teams from its predecessor league had contested the Stanley Cup at season's end with teams from western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. College, minor league and amateur teams existed from coast to coast in all four sports, but rarely played outside of their home region for regular season games. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States of America defined by the US Census Bureau. ... The I-74 Bridge, connecting Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline, Illinois is located near the geographic center of the Quad Cities. ... Boston redirects here. ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The Pacific Northwest from space The Pacific Northwest, abbreviated PNW, or PacNW is a region in the northwest of North America. ... Minor leagues in the sense intended in this article are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. ... For the 1994 film, see Amateur (film). ... The regular season is a term used, primarily, in North American sports. ...

As travel and settlement patterns changed, so did the geography of professional sports. With the arguable exception of the western hockey teams which competed for the Stanley Cup in the early 20th century, there were no major league teams in the far west until after World War II. The first west coast major-league franchise was the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, who moved from Cleveland in 1946. The same year, the All-America Football Conference began play, with teams in Los Angeles and San Francisco (not to mention the Miami Seahawks, who became the only southern-based major league franchise, although Louisville, Kentucky had previously had shortlived baseball and football teams). Baseball would not extend west until 1958 in the controversial move of both New York-based National League franchises. The NBA would follow in 1960 with the move of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, while the NHL would not have a west coast presence until it doubled in size in 1967. With the exception of the Los Angeles Kings, the NHL's initial franchises in the Southern and Western United States were ultimately unsuccessful — teams in Oakland, Atlanta, Kansas City and Denver all relocated. From 1982 until 1991, the Kings were the only U.S.-based NHL franchise south of St. Louis and/or west of Bloomington, Minnesota. Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... City St. ... Cleveland redirects here. ... The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. ... The Los Angeles Dons were an American football team in the now defunct All-America Football Conference from 1946 - 1949 that played in the Los Angeles Coliseum. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... The Miami Seahawks were an original member of the All-America Football Conference, a league that formed in 1946 and merged into the NFL in 1950. ... Louisville redirects here. ... Sports in Louisville, Kentucky // College College basketball and football, are the very popular here which prides itself on being one of the best college sports towns in America. ... Louisville, Kentucky had two National Football League teams. ... The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Los Angeles, California. ... The National Hockey League added six new franchises for the 1967-68 NHL season, doubling the size of the league. ... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. ... location in Hennepin County, Minnesota Coordinates: Country United States State Minnesota County Hennepin Founded 1843 Incorporated 1858 Mayor Gene Winstead Area    - City 99. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ...

Since then, as newer, fast-growing Sunbelt areas such as Phoenix and Dallas became prominent, the major sports leagues expanded or franchises relocated (usually quite controversially) to service these communities. Most major areas are well-represented, with all but seven continental U.S. metropolitan agglomerations over one million people hosting at least one major sports franchise. As of 2006, the largest metropolitan area without a major professional sports franchise is California's Inland Empire. However, since this area is adjacent to the Los Angeles metro area and serves as a local market for those teams, no major league franchise is likely to move there without purporting to represent L.A. Categories: Stub | Belt regions of the United States ... Nickname: Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State County Maricopa Incorporated February 25, 1881 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Phil Gordon (D) Area  - City  515. ... Dallas redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Inland Empire and its regions within The Inland Empire refers to the region in Southern California located in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in the United States. ...

The most populous independent metropolitan area outside of a major franchise's local market is Las Vegas. Despite the area's explosive growth, all four leagues are wary of placing a team there due to the city's legal gambling industry, which includes sports betting. In the U.S., for a professional sports organization to have any association, real or perceived, with gambling interests has been taboo ever since the 1919 Black Sox scandal. All four leagues forbid their teams or personnel to have any type of contact or association with gambling interests and any connection between professional sports and gambling, no matter how benign, quickly gains the attention of law enforcement. Additionally, the city's abundance of entertainment options might make it difficult for a Las Vegas-based team to attract a large and stable fan base. The NBA hosted its 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, at which point both the league and the city expressed interest in locating a team there. However, NBA Commissioner David Stern says the city will need a new arena larger and more modern than the Thomas & Mack Center before it will even host another All-Star Weekend.^[2] While the event was initially regarded as successful and incident-free, media reports of criminal incidents (including two shootings related to the event, one of them involving NFL player Pacman Jones) that began to surface after the conclusion of the weekend may hurt the city's chances of gaining an NBA or any major league team.^[3] For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... Sports betting is the general activity of predicting sports results by making a wager on the outcome of a sporting event. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... Dates: October 1–October 9, 1919 MVP: none selected Television: N/A TV announcers: N/A Radio network: {{{radio_network}}} radio announcers: {{{radio_announcers}}} Umpires: Cy Rigler (NL), Billy Evans (AL), Ernie Quigley (NL), Dick Nallin (AL) Future Hall of Famers: Reds: Edd Roush. ... Not to be confused with the Baltimore Black Sox of the Negro Leagues. ... The 2007 NBA All-Star Game will be played on February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegass Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... For other persons named David Stern, see David Stern (disambiguation). ... The Thomas & Mack Center is an arena on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The facility was first opened in the summer of 1983. ... Adam Bernard Pacman Jones (born September 30, 1983) is an African American cornerback and kick return specialist currently signed to the Tennessee Titans American football franchise of the National Football League (NFL). ... NFL redirects here. ... Adam Bernard Pacman Jones (born September 30, 1983) is an African American cornerback and kick return specialist currently signed to the Tennessee Titans American football franchise of the National Football League (NFL). ...

The most populous individual city without a major professional sports franchise is Austin, Texas, which sits in the middle of a conglomeration of teams in other Texas cities such as Houston, San Antonio, and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. ... The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. ...

Another major metro area without a professional franchise is the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, nearly 200 miles (320 km) from the nearest major sports teams in Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, North Carolina. It previously hosted a successful franchise in the American Basketball Association. Virginia is also the most populous state without a team within its borders, though its northern reaches are served by the Washington clubs (two of whom -- the Capitals and the Redskins -- actually have their practice facilities and operational headquarters in Virginia). This view from space in July 1996 shows portions of each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads which generally surround the harbor area of Hampton Roads, which framed by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel visible to the east (right), the Virginia Peninsula subregion to the north (top), and the... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... For other uses of this name, see Raleigh. ... The Virginia Squires was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from 1970 through 1976. ...

Canada

When the WHA and NHL merged, the NHL inherited teams in Canadian metro areas that were under one million in population at the time, these being Edmonton, Winnipeg and Quebec City. The NHL later added teams in Calgary (via relocation from Atlanta) and Ottawa (via expansion). The distinctive place hockey holds in Canadian culture allowed these franchises to compete with teams in larger cities for some time. However, the teams in Winnipeg and Quebec City were eventually moved to the U.S. The three remaining small-market Canadian teams have survived largely because their markets are growing rapidly; all three metro areas in question are now over one million in population and are thus comparable in size to some of the smaller American metro areas with teams in other leagues such as Salt Lake City, Jacksonville, and Memphis. For other places with the same name, see Edmonton (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Winnipeg (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Motto: Don de Dieu feray valoir (I shall put Gods gift to good use; the Don de Dieu was Champlains ship) Coordinates: , Country Province Agglomeration Quebec City Statute of the city Capitale-Nationale Administrative Region Capitale-Nationale Founded 1608 by Samuel de Champlain Constitution date 1833 Government... This article is about the Canadian city. ... Atlanta redirects here. ... This article is about the capital city of Canada. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... It has been said that Canadian culture rests solely in the effort to distinguish itself from its southern neighbour, the United States. ... The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... For ships of the United States Navy of the same name, see USS Salt Lake City. ... “Jacksonville” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ...

Although Calgary and Edmonton remain the two smallest television markets of any of the major leagues as of 2006, any small-market disadvantage in the two Albertan cities has been largely off-set in recent years by the fact that the oil-driven Albertan economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. High resource prices have contributed to a rapid appreciation of the Canadian dollar against its U.S. counterpart, mitigating the financial problems brought on by unfavourable exchange rates which plagued many Canadian franchises in the 1990s. Alberta's GDP per capita is the highest of any Canadian province or U.S. state even after exchange rates are taken into account. Alberta's total GDP is over C$200 billion as of 2005 and expected to exceed US$200 billion in 2006, surpassing Indiana, which also has two teams. Alberta's economy is well over twice the size of Utah's (less than $90 billion as of 2006); thus it is not difficult to explain how Alberta can support two major league teams if Indiana can also support two and Utah can support one. For other uses, see Alberta (disambiguation). ... Drilling rig in northern Alberta Canadian Oil Patch is how the Oil and Gas Industry is called in Canada, especially in Alberta where it is also called the Alberta Oil Patch or simply, the patch. The term refers especially to upstream operations (exploration and production of oil and gas), and... Drilling rig in northern Alberta The Alberta Advantage is a phrase coined by the government of the province of Alberta, Canada to describe Albertas prosperous circumstance at the beginning of the 21st century. ... C$ redirects here. ... In finance, the exchange rate between two currencies specifies how much one currency is worth in terms of the other. ... Canada consists of ten provinces and three territories. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ...

The first Major League Baseball team in Canada was the Montreal Expos, who began play in 1969 and were one of the most unprofitable franchises in the sport. They became the Washington Nationals in 2005. The Toronto Blue Jays, who began play in 1977, have done much better. The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Other nicknames The Nats Ballpark Nationals Ballpark (2008–present) RFK Stadium 2005-2007 Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ...

The Toronto Huskies were a charter member of what is now known as the NBA, but they only lasted from 1946 to 1947. The NBA returned to Toronto in 1995 when the Raptors joined the league. The same year, the Vancouver Grizzlies began play: they moved to Memphis in 2001. The Toronto Huskies was a team in the Basketball Association of America (a forerunner of the National Basketball Association) during the 1946-1947 season, based in Toronto, Canada. ... The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. ... This is an article about the National Basketball Association team; for the defunct World Football League team, see Memphis Southmen. ...

The NHL has operated on both sides of the Canadian-American border since 1924, and there were strong American-based clubs even before the NHL was founded in 1917. The first US-based club to compete for the Stanley Cup was the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey League, who lost the 1916 series to the Montreal Canadiens (then of the National Hockey Association). The next year, the PCHA's Seattle Metropolitans took the Cup away from the Canadiens. The Boston Bruins are the oldest US-based franchise in the NHL, having played in the league since 1924. The Portland Rosebuds were an ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon which played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1914 to 1918. ... The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an amateur ice hockey league with teams in western United States and Canada that played from 1944 to 1952. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... This article is part of the Evolution of the NHL series. ... Seattle Metropolitans The Seattle Metropolitans were an ice hockey team based in Seattle, Washington which played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1915 to 1924. ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ...

The NFL has never attempted to enter the Canadian market, leaving Canada to the Canadian Football League, which plays under significantly different rules than those used in the United States. The CFL was formed in the 1950s from the merger of two competing leagues, one based in the west and the other in the east. The CFL briefly expanded south of the border in the mid-1990s: the venture was unsuccessful, although the Baltimore Stallions (aka "CFL Colts"), before the Cleveland Browns' decision to move to Baltimore, did draw respectable crowds and win a Grey Cup before becoming the current incarnation of the Montreal Alouettes. The CFL and NFL forged a working relationship less than a year later, with the NFL providing an interest-free loan to the CFL in exchange for the right to sign CFL players entering the option year of their contracts. Recently, there has been speculation that an NFL franchise would be located in Toronto, to balance out a new team in Los Angeles. No other U.S. metro area with more than half of Toronto's population lacks an NFL team. CFL redirects here. ... ‎ CFL USA refers to the failed expansion of the Canadian Football League (CFL) into the United States in the mid 1990s. ... The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian football team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. ... Browns redirects here. ... City Baltimore, Maryland Team colors Purple, Black, and Gold Head Coach Brian Billick Owner Steve Bisciotti General manager Ozzie Newsome Mascot The Ravens: Edgar, Allan, & Poe League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1996–present) American Football Conference (1996-present) AFC Central (1996-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team history Baltimore... The Grey Cup circa 2006. ... The Montreal Alouettes (French: Alouettes de Montréal) are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ...

Ownership restrictions

All four major leagues have strict rules regarding who may own a team, and also place some restrictions on what other sort of activities the owners may engage in. To prevent the perception of being in a conflict of interest, the major leagues generally do not allow anyone to own a stake in more than one franchise, a rule adopted after several high-profile controversies involving ownership of multiple baseball teams in the 1890s. Notably, Major League Soccer has been unable to adopt this sort of league structure — it operates as a single entity league and for the sake of stability has been forced to allow soccer enthusiasts such as the late Lamar Hunt to own multiple teams at least for now (see below). However, there was one recent exception to this rule in the major leagues — after being blocked in their bid to eliminate or "contract" two franchises in 2001, Major League Baseball purchased the Montreal Expos from its owners. Although MLB eventually relocated the team to Washington, D.C., the franchise (now known as the Nationals) remained owned by the other 29 MLB clubs. In May 2006, the team was sold to a local group lead by Theodore N. Lerner. A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional or personal interests. ... The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. ... Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league sanctioned by FIFA as the top flight of the American Soccer Pyramid. ... Lamar Hunt (August 2, 1932 – December 13, 2006) was a promoter of American football, soccer, tennis, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee of the first three sports halls of fame. ... The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Other nicknames The Nats Ballpark Nationals Ballpark (2008–present) RFK Stadium 2005-2007 Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977... Theodore N. Lerner (born c. ...

All of the top four major leagues grant some sort of territorial exclusivity to their owners, precluding the addition of another team in the same area unless the current team's owners consent, which is generally obtained in exchange for compensation and/or residual rights regarding the new franchise. For example, to obtain the consent of Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos to place an MLB team in Washington (which is about 35 miles (56 km) from Oriole Park at Camden Yards), a deal was struck under the terms of which television and radio broadcast rights to Nationals games are handled by the Orioles franchise, who formed a new network (the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) to produce and distribute the games for both franchises on local affiliates and cable/satellite systems. This article is about the contemporary American major league baseball team. ... Peter Angelos (born July 4, 1929) is a trial lawyer and the current owner of the Baltimore Orioles, a baseball team in the American League East Division. ... Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a baseball stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, which was completed in 1992 to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. ... Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) is a team-owned regional sports network that televises both Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles games in the mid-Atlantic region (Harrisburg, PA to Charlotte, NC) When the Montreal Expos were relocated to Washington, D.C. in 2004, the issue arose regarding television rights for...

Some major leagues, such as the NFL have even stronger ownership restrictions. The NFL currently forbids large ownership groups or publicly-traded corporations from purchasing NFL teams. This policy allows the league office to deal with individual owners instead of boards of directors, although the Packers' ownership group was grandfathered into the current policy. The NFL also forbids its majority owners from owning any sports teams (except for soccer teams and Arena Football League teams) in other NFL cities, and prohibits owners from investing in casinos or being otherwise involved in gambling operations. (NFL owners may freely own soccer teams without league restrictions because Lamar Hunt won a court challenge stemming from his investment in the old North American Soccer League. When he died in December 2006, he owned 2 teams in Major League Soccer, based in Dallas and Columbus, and he had only sold a third team, in Kansas City, less than four months before.) Chairman of the Board redirects here. ... A grandfather clause is an exception that allows an old rule to continue to apply to some existing situations, when a new rule will apply to all future situations. ... The Arena Football League (AFL) was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Gamble redirects here. ... North American Soccer League or (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. ... Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league sanctioned by FIFA as the top flight of the American Soccer Pyramid. ... Year founded 1996 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname FCD, Hoops, Toros, Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas City... Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards, The Wiz, KC Stadium CommunityAmerica Ballpark Kansas City, KS Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20...

Regarding territorial rights, the main concern for many team owners has become television revenue although the possibility of reduced ticket sales remains a concern for some teams. Because the National Football League shares all of its television revenue equally, and most of its teams sell out their stadiums with little difficulty, some NFL owners are seen as being less reluctant to share their territories. For example, the return of the NFL to Baltimore in 1996 attracted no serious opposition from the Washington Redskins organization. NFL redirects here. ... Baltimore redirects here. ... For other uses, see Redskins (disambiguation). ...

Weathering challenges from rival leagues

All of the majors have bested at least one rival league formed with the intention of being just as "big" as the established league, often by signing away star players and by locating franchises in cities that were already part of the existing league. In many cases, the major leagues have absorbed the most successful franchises from its failing rival, or merged outright with it.

• The National League withstood three early challenges in its first quarter century of existence. The American Association began in 1882 in response to the NL leaving several lucrative markets vacant, the NL banning the sale of beer at games and the NL's steep (at the time) spectator admittance fee of 50 cents. It was a viable competitor to the NL for most of its existence and its champion competed in an informal World Series with the NL's champion for several years. Four of the AA's teams defected to the NL in its later years and it expired in 1891. Labor problems led to the formation of the Players League for the 1890 season; it attracted a significant percentage of the existing high-caliber baseball talent and caused the NL and AA significant financial harm, but it lacked robust financial backing and folded after only one season. The minor Western League moved several franchises in NL cities and cities abandoned by the NL for the 1900 and 1901 seasons and renamed itself the American League in direct competition with the NL. The NL and AL made peace in 1903; the resulting agreement formed what today is known as Major League Baseball. MLB withstood the challenge of the Federal League in 1914 and prevented the Continental League from getting off the ground in the early 1960s by awarding franchises to some of the proposed CL cities. Before the end of World War II, the combination of a gentlemen's agreement and the restrictive policies of Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis prevented African American players from playing Major League Baseball, and various Negro Leagues sprung up to showcase black players' talents. Although no official cross-league play took place, white and black players often faced off in post-season barnstorming tours where the Negro League players showed themselves to be MLB players' competitive equals. After Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier in 1947, the influx of black stars into the major leagues drained the Negro Leagues of talent and eventually caused their collapse.
• The NBA withstood the challenge of the American Basketball Association in the 1960s and 70s, absorbed four of its most successful franchises (Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs) and adopted several of the ABA's rule variations, most notably the three-point shot.
• The NFL has fought off the most rivals throughout the years. Four (all unrelated) were named American Football League; the last of these existed from 1960-1970, before merging with the NFL. In the AFL's last years, it achieved parity with the NFL: AFL teams won the last two of the four pre-merger Super Bowl games, and TV ratings and in-person attendance for the two leagues were about the same. Another strong rival to the NFL was the All-America Football Conference of 1946-1949; three of their seven teams merged with the NFL for the 1950 season. Other rival football leagues were the World Football League of 1974-1975, the United States Football League of 1982-1985, the Canadian Football League's American franchises of 1993-1995 and the XFL of 2001. All told, 13 of the NFL's current 32 franchises were absorbed from a rival league — all 10 AFL franchises of the 1960s, the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers from the AAFC, and the St. Louis Rams (originally based in Cleveland and later relocated to Los Angeles) of the 1936 AFL. Another three NFL franchises have been added or moved to USFL cities since the USFL's demise in 1986, these being Phoenix, Jacksonville and Baltimore.
• Prior to the challenge of the World Hockey Association, the NHL prevented the old Western Hockey League from achieving parity with the NHL by doubling in size in 1967. During its existence from , the WHA was able to strongly challenge the dominance of the NHL; the WHA initially attracted star players such as Bobby Hull and Derek Sanderson to its teams by offering substantially higher salaries than did the NHL at the time. To compete for free agents, NHL teams were forced to match this salary escalation, bringing hockey players' salaries to parity with those of other North American professional athletes. Unfortunately, many WHA franchises were mired in financial difficulty, due to high player salaries, and there were frequent franchise moves even in mid-season. With the WHA faced with collapse, NHL President John Ziegler negotiated a merger of the leagues. The four strongest teams joined into the NHL: the Edmonton Oilers, the Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche), the New England Whalers (later renamed the Hartford Whalers and now the Carolina Hurricanes), and the Winnipeg Jets (now the Phoenix Coyotes). A few WHA players became NHL stars after the merger, including Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Howe and Mike Liut.

For other uses, see National League (disambiguation). ... The American Association (AA) was a baseball major league from 1882 to 1891. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... The Players League, also known as The Brotherhood, was an attempt to establish a third major baseball league in 1890. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... The Federal League was the last major attempt to establish an independent major league in baseball in the United States in direct competition with and opposition to the established National and American Leagues in 1914 and 1915. ... See also: 1913 in sports, 1915 in sports and the list of years in sports. Baseball April 22 - Baltimore Orioles Babe Ruth, age 19, pitches his first professional game Football (Australian Rules) Victorian Football League Carlton wins the 18th VFL Premiership (Carlton 6. ... The Continental League (or formally the Continental League of Professional Baseball Clubs) was a proposed third major league for baseball, announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 1961 season. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A Gentlemens agreement is an informal agreement between two or more parties. ... In 1920, the owners of Major League Baseball, in order to reestablish confidence of fans in the sport following the Black Sox Scandal, established the office of Commissioner of Baseball. ... Kenesaw Mountain Landis Kenesaw Mountain Landis (November 20, 1866 – November 25, 1944) was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922, and subsequently as the first commissioner of Major League Baseball. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Part of the History of baseball series. ... Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, often in groups as a flying circus. ... Jack Roosevelt Jackie Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) became the first African-American major league baseball player of the modern era in 1947. ... The baseball color line was the policy, unwritten for nearly its entire duration, which excluded African American baseball players from organized baseball in the United States before 1946. ... For the original defunct Denver Nuggets, see Denver Nuggets (original). ... The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2007 In basketball, a three-point field goal, three-pointer, three-point shot, or simply three is a field goal made from beyond the three point line, a designated semi-ellipsoid arc radiating from the basket. ... The American Football League (AFL) was a professional football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when all of its teams were absorbed into the National Football League (NFL). ... // December 4 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan Mens Winner: Barry Magee (NZL) 2:19:04 Stock car racing: Junior Johnson won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Rex White Indianapolis 500 - Jim Rathmann USAC Racing - A.J. Foyt won the season championship Formula One Championship - Jack Brabham of Australia 24 hours of... See also: 1969 in sports, other events of 1970, 1971 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Pete Hamilton won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Bobby Isaac Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr. ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy. ... The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. ... // August 22 — European Championships Marathon, Oslo, Norway Mens Winner: Mikko Hietanen (FIN) 2:24:55 January 23: Hall of Fame election: The writers vote again fails to select an inductee, despite a newly revamped voting process. ... See also: 1948 in sports, other events of 1949, 1950 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto racing The first 24 hours of Le Mans is held since the beginning of World War II. Luigi Chinetti and Lord Seldson win the race in a Ferrari 166M. Baseball... // August 23 — European Championships Marathon, Brussels, Belgium Mens Winner: Jack Holden (ENG) 2:32:14 December 10 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan Mens Winner: Shunji Koyanagi (JPN) 2:30:47 May 21 — United States Mens Winner: — 2:45:55 July 22 — Netherlands Mens Winner: Adri Moons — 2:58... WFL logo The World Football League was an American football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. ... See also: 1973 in sports, other events of 1974, 1975 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Richard Petty IROC Championship - inaugural year won by Mark Donohue Indianapolis 500 - Johnny Rutherford USAC Racing - Bobby Unser... See also: 1974 in sports, other events of 1975, 1976 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics August 12, In Gothenburg, Sweden, New Zealander, John Walker set a new world record becoming the first man to break 3:50 for the mile when he clocked 3:49. ... “USFL” redirects here. ... See also: 1981 in sports, other events of 1982, 1983 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 CART Racing - Rick Mears won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Gordon Johncock Formula One Champion - Keke... See also: 1984 in sports, other events of 1985, 1986 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Bill Elliott won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Darrell Waltrip Ken Schrader enters NASCAR CART Racing - Al Unser Sr won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Danny... CFL redirects here. ... ‎ CFL USA refers to the failed expansion of the Canadian Football League (CFL) into the United States in the mid 1990s. ... See also: 1992 in sports, other events of 1993, 1994 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics February 11 - Irina Privalova sets a new womens 60m indoors world record August 13 - August 22 - World Championships held in Stuttgart Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won... See also: 1994 in sports, other events of 1995, 1996 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Sterling Marlin won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Jeff Gordon CART racing - season championship won by Jacques Villeneuve Indianapolis 500 - Jacques Villeneuve. ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... See also: 2000 in sports, other events of 2001, 2002 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500, a race that also saw the death of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt in an unspectacular crash during the... Browns redirects here. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... City St. ... Cleveland redirects here. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... City Glendale, Arizona Other nicknames The Cards, The Birds, Big Red, The Buzzsaw Team colors Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt Owner Bill Bidwill General manager Rod Graves Mascot Big Red League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1920–present) Western Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952... City Jacksonville, Florida Other nicknames The Jags Team colors Teal, Black, White, and Gold Head Coach Jack Del Rio Owner Wayne Weaver General manager James Harris Mascot Jaxson de Ville League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) American Football Conference (1995-present) AFC Central (1995-2001) AFC South (2002... City Baltimore, Maryland Team colors Purple, Black, and Gold Head Coach Brian Billick Owner Steve Bisciotti General manager Ozzie Newsome Mascot The Ravens: Edgar, Allan, & Poe League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1996–present) American Football Conference (1996-present) AFC Central (1996-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team history Baltimore... WHA redirects here. ... The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. ... The National Hockey League added six new franchises for the 1967-68 NHL season, doubling the size of the league. ... Robert Marvin Bobby Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. ... Derek Turk Sanderson (born June 16, 1946 in Niagara Falls, Ontario), is a former Canadian professional ice hockey center who is now a bank executive and restauranteur. ... John A. Ziegler, Jr (born February 9, 1934 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan) is a former President of the NHL. In 1977, Ziegler became the fourth president of the NHL, succeeding Clarence Campbell. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Quebec Nordiques (in french Nordiques de Québec, pronounced ; translated into English as Northmen or Northerners) were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Hartford Whalers (known as the New England Whalers as a World Hockey Association (WHA) franchise from 1972-79), was a National Hockey League (NHL) team that played from 1979-97. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. ... The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. ... Not to be confused with Marc Messier, an actor from Quebec. ... Wayne Douglas Gretzky, OC (born 26 January 1961 in Brantford, Ontario) is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey player who is currently part-owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. ... Mark Howe (born May 28, 1955, in Detroit, Michigan) is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League and 6 seasons in the World Hockey Association. ... Michael Dennis Liut (born January 7, 1956 in Weston, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. ...

Player development

Generally, all of the top major leagues possess highly evolved and sophisticated player development systems that they utilize to develop and train personnel.

• The vast majority of MLB players are developed through the minor league baseball system. Prospective players traditionally were drafted or (before the first MLB draft in 1965) signed to a contract with an MLB team directly after high school and then assigned to the appropriate minor league level for development. With the growth of college baseball in the past few decades, more and more players opt to play at the collegiate level and delay entry into the MLB draft. Individual teams' large scouting staffs have given way to smaller staffs and subscriptions to commercial player scouting services. Entering the majors directly from high school or college is almost unknown; most of the few that have were quickly reassigned to the minors. MLB clubs have also recruited many players from the Japanese leagues.
• College and high school basketball produce most of the NBA's talent, though minimum age rules have ended the NBA's practice of drafting players directly from high school beginning in 2006. The NBA D-League supplies the NBA to an extent, though NBA teams more frequently recruit talent from European and Latin American professional leagues. The D-League was recently implemented in 2001 by the NBA to help with control of player development and market reach, which a minor league system provides.
• Semi-pro football and minor leagues such as the Continental Football League once flourished up to the 1950s, but today the source for almost all NFL players is college football. From 1995 to 2007, the NFL maintained its own six-team minor league, NFL Europa, which also served the dual purpose of introducing the game of American football in European markets. NFL teams also recruit a number of players from indoor leagues, and occasionally signs players from the Canadian Football League.
• Each NHL team has an affiliate in North America's top-tier minor hockey league, the American Hockey League, and in lower leagues such as the Central Hockey League or ECHL. For decades, the traditional route to the NHL has been through junior hockey and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), generally regarded as the world's premier competition for 15- through 20-year-olds. In recent decades, NHL teams have drafted and/or signed prospects from top European amateur and professional organizations, and a growing number of NHL hopefuls are forgoing the quasi-professional CHL in favor of NCAA Division I college hockey. Additionally, the US now has two Junior A hockey leagues that provide many NHL players (some via NCAA hockey) in the USHL and NAHL. Regardless of which route hockey players take to sign an NHL contract, almost all are initially assigned to an affiliate in their NHL team's minor league system for development.

For the organization which many minor leagues belong to, see Minor League Baseball Part of the History of baseball series. ... A contract is a legally binding exchange of promises or agreement between parties that the law will enforce. ... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... College baseball is baseball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. ... A number of baseball players are distinguished by the fact that they made their professional debut in the majors without having played a single game at the minor league level or at the professional level. ... Part of the History of baseball series. ... Game between Illinois State Redbirds & Ball State Cardinals, February 17, 2007 in an ESPN Bracketbuster contest. ... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ... The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Associations officially sponsored and operated developmental basketball organization. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Associations officially sponsored and operated developmental basketball organization. ... The Continental Football League was an American football league played in North America from 1965 through 1969. ... This article covers college football played in the United States. ... NFL Europa is an American football league which operates in Europe. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Indoor football is a variation of American football with rules modified to make it suitable for play within ice hockey arenas. ... CFL redirects here. ... The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). ... This article is about the current CHL. For earlier leagues also called the Central Hockey League, see Central Hockey League (disambiguation). ... The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League. ... The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization for three Canadian based Major Junior hockey leagues for players 15 to 20 years of age. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ... United States Hockey League (abbreviated USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league in United States. ... The North American Hockey League (NAHL) and the defunct American West Hockey League merged in 2003 to form a 21-team Junior A league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. ...

Television exposure

See also: List of TV markets and major sports teams

All of the top four major leagues have had television contracts with at least one of the original "big three" U.S. broadcast television networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) since those networks' early years, indicative of the sports' widespread appeal since their inception, continuing today additionally with FOX. Regular season games, as well as important contests such as championship and all-star games are often televised in prime time. In the last generation, fast-growing cable and satellite networks have taken a larger chunk of the major sports' pie. Three of the four major sports now have entire sports networks dedicated just to each of them. NBA TV launched in 1999, with NFL Network and NHL Network following. This list is ranked by Nielsen media markets in the United States. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... This article is about the television network. ... This article is about the American broadcast network. ... FOX redirects here. ... The regular season is a term used, primarily, in North American sports. ... An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their respective sports league. ... Prime time is the block of programming on television during the middle of the evening. ... NBA TV is a television network that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. ... NFL Network is an American specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League (NFL) and is also shown in Canada and Mexico. ... NHL Network is a Canadian category 2 digital cable television channel devoted to hockey from the past and the present. ...

Major League Baseball had announced plans for their own network, but then dropped them to attempt to start a national sports network with FOX. Those plans were dropped as well, after MLB and FOX failed to acquire a late season package of NFL games that went to NFL Network.

Comparing the sizes of television contracts, the NFL is by far the largest (reportedly $2.2 billion US for the 2012 season), with the NBA and MLB second and third ($500 million and $479 million respectively).^{[citation needed]} The NHL is in a distant fourth place ($120 million), a disparity those who wish to exclude the NHL from the top four major leagues often point to. Since 1952 it has been broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Hockey Night in Canada. The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals attracted 2.63 million viewer on the CBC. Radio-Canada redirects here. ... Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) is a popular television broadcast of National Hockey League games in Canada, produced by the CBC. Hockey Night consistently remains one of the highest-rated Canadian programs on television. ... The NHL unveiled a new logo for the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. ... Radio-Canada redirects here. ...

The NHL began airing games on NBC starting in January 2006 and the NHL Network, launched in Canada in 2001, is available to U.S. cable and satellite subscribers since 2007. In addition, the NHL broadcasts games nationally on Versus, generally on Monday and Tuesday nights. Many regular season games are also broadcast on regional sports networks (such as FSN), which can vary on contract worth by region or team. NHL Network is a Canadian category 2 digital cable television channel devoted to hockey from the past and the present. ... Versus (previously known as OLN until a name change on September 25, 2006) is a cable television sports channel owned by Comcast and shown in the United States. ... Fox Sports Net headquarters in Los Angeles. ...

High player salaries

The average annual salary for players in the four major leagues is about $2.9 million in 2004, although player salaries can range from $300,000 for backup players to $20 million for superstars. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... USD redirects here. ...

• NBA players have the highest average player salaries of the four leagues at $4.9 million; however, their teams also have the smallest rosters.
• The NFL has the highest average team payroll and a salary cap that will exceed $100 million for the first time under the new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL's players union. However, NFL payrolls distributed among rosters that are far larger than the other three leagues, making their players among the lowest paid on the average at $1.3 million (although this average is likely to increase under the new CBA).
• Following the settlement of the NHL lockout, NHL players were also due to be paid about $1.3 million on average, although this quickly increased because the lockout did not have the adverse effect on league revenues that was expected. For the NHL season, the average player salary is expected to be comparable to the pre-lockout level of $1.8 million.
• MLB is in the middle at about $2.5 million per player. MLB is now alone among the major leagues in that it lacks any form of a salary cap and has enacted only modest forms of revenue sharing and luxury taxes, and compared to the other leagues there is a far greater disparity between MLB payrolls. The New York Yankees had the highest payroll of any American sports team in 2006 when they paid $194 million in players' salaries - nearly twice the NFL salary cap and nearly thirteen times the payroll of the Florida Marlins who spent about $15 million (significantly less than the mandatory minimum team payrolls in the NFL and NHL).

In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries, wages, bonuses, and deductions. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is the contract between the NHL and the NHLPA that defines the structure of procedural, financial, and disciplinary relationships between the NHL, its teams, and its players. ... The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor union of players in footballs National Football League. ... A National Hockey League labor dispute in the USA and Canada began in 2004 and, as of June 2005, remains unresolved. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Revenue sharing is the splitting of operating profits and losses between the general partner and limited partners in a limited partnership. ... A luxury tax in the sports sense is a surcharge put on the aggregate payroll of a team to the extent to which it exceeds a predetermined guideline level set by the league. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations National League (1993–present) East Division (1993–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 42 Name Florida Marlins (1993–present) Other nicknames The Fish Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993–present) a. ...

Dominance of the respective sport

One other trait that each of the top four major leagues share is that they are the premier competitions of their respective sport on the world stage.

There are thriving professional ice hockey, baseball, and basketball leagues around the world which are in a position to challenge their North American counterparts for dominance on and off the playing surface. Major League Baseball is increasingly luring away the stars from the Japanese leagues, the European hockey leagues have become a major source of star talent for National Hockey League clubs and the National Basketball Association frequently recruits talent from professional leagues in Europe and Latin America. Part of the History of baseball series. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

Baseball, basketball, and hockey

The perceived lack of competition from the rest of the world has contributed to the long-standing but controversial practice of the American media dubbing the champions of MLB, the NBA and the NFL the world champions (although only the MLB title is officially billed as a world title). The early Stanley Cup champions from both the NHL and the early leagues the NHL eventually displaced were also called world champions in the early decades of professional hockey by Americans and Canadians alike. However, that practice fell out of favor in the latter half of the 20th century. The International Ice Hockey Federation has proposed a world championship playoff between the Stanley Cup winners and the champions of the European Hockey League (see below). For other uses, see Champion (disambiguation). ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was founded in 1908 as the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace and is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. ... Category: ...

If the popularity of baseball and basketball keeps growing in various countries outside of the United States, some think that the NBA and MLB may begin to place franchises in foreign markets (other than Canada, where each league already has a franchise in Toronto). The popularity of baseball in Southeast Asia and Central America is growing, along with the talent of prospective players from the regions. Meanwhile, the popularity of basketball has grown to be the second highest in the world (following football (soccer)).^{[citation needed]} Soccer redirects here. ...

However, one major detractor against foreign expansion by MLB or the NBA is that the sports in question enjoy much of their popularity in relatively poor countries that would probably be unable to financially support a sports franchise using the American model. The only clear exception to this would be the popularity of baseball in Japan, where well-established baseball leagues already exist. Part of the History of baseball series. ...

Due to the popularity of hockey in some of the most prosperous parts of Europe, many believe that the major league with the best chance of success outside North America would be the NHL. This has led to the possibility of European NHL franchises being discussed in the past, although NHL officials have repeatedly said they have no current plans to create a European division. The most that has come out of this has been the "Super Series" tour in the 1970s and 80s where the Soviet club teams played NHL teams in exhibition games[1]. During the first and most famous of these tours Red Army Moscow played the Montreal Canadiens in what the media called an unofficial world championship. However, this was during the height of the Cold War when the Soviet League had comparable talent to the NHL - since the decline of Communism in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, better financed NHL teams have enticed away most the elite players from the former Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Professional leagues in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland also have a high level of talent, but the higher salaries and elite level of play offered in the NHL has also lured away many of their best players. Significantly, ice hockey is either popular in countries with a relatively low average income (e.g. Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus, Kazakhstan), a very small population (e.g. Switzerland, Finland), or both (e.g. Latvia). In the largest and most populous nations of Europe, such as France, Italy and the UK, hockey is not a major sport. Germany is a partial exception; although hockey is clearly not the most popular sport in Germany. This article is about exhibition ice hockey games from 1976 to 1991. ... The Russian Superleague is the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia, and is commonly considered second-best in the world after the NHL. It is part of the Russian Pro Hockey League which is composed of two divisions, the Superleague and the Vysshaya Liga (Premier... HC CSKA Moscow (Central Sports Army Hockey Club Moscow, Russian: ХК ЦСКА Москва) is a Russian ice hockey club. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... Statistical regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (UN definition of Eastern Europe marked red):  Northern Europe  Western Europe  Eastern Europe  Southern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current borders: Russia (dark orange), other countries formerly part of the USSR... The Eastern Bloc prior to the political upheavals of 1989. ...

As mentioned above, the IIHF has proposed that instead of a direct NHL presence in Europe a world championship playoff between the Stanley Cup winners and the champions of the European Hockey League should be held each year. [2] The NHL's position on this proposal is not entirely clear, but many believe that the players union would be unlikely to support it. Category: ... The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League of North America. ...

Recently talks about NBA franchises being located in Europe have intensified. For logistical reasons it would be necessary to have a minimum of two and probably four or more teams in Europe, so that visiting North American teams could play multiple opponents during a single trip. Possible cities for such expansion include London, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Cologne, Berlin, Rome, and Moscow. Although current NBA commissioner David Stern and former NBA star Michael Jordan are among those who have endorsed the concept of NBA teams in Europe, increasing cooperation between the NBA and ULEB, the body that organizes the Euroleague, may make a permanent NBA presence in Europe less likely, at least for the foreseeable future. In 2005, the two bodies agreed to organize a summer competition known as the NBA Europe Live Tour featuring four NBA teams and four Euroleague clubs, with the first competition taking place in 2006. [3] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... This article is about the Spanish capital. ... For other uses, see Cologne (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... For other persons named David Stern, see David Stern (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Michael Jordan, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). ... The ULEBwas founded in 1991, with the aim to help the cooperation and development of European professional basketball leagues. ... The NBA Europe Live Tour was an international basketball exhibition and competition produced jointly by the National Basketball Association and the Euroleague. ...

A major obstacle for anyone trying to establish either an NBA or NHL presence in Europe is that with soccer being in the dominant position that it enjoys on that continent, building state of the art indoor arenas suitable for ice hockey and/or basketball has not become a priority in European cities until very recently. No arena likely to meet the standards of either league existed anywhere in Europe until the Manchester Evening News Arena opened in 1995, followed by Cologne's Kölnarena in 1998. The next NBA/NHL-caliber arena in Europe opened in 2003, when Sinan Erdem Dome opened in Istanbul.^[4] The following year saw two more such arenas open—the Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens and Sazka Arena in Prague. Belgrade Arena and the Madrid Sports Palace followed in 2005, although the capacity of the latter is marginal by NBA standards. The O₂ opened in London in 2007, and plans are in the works for NBA/NHL-caliber venues in Berlin and Moscow. The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. ... The following is a list of indoor arenas. ... The Manchester Evening News Arena or M.E.N. Arena (commonly referred to as just The M.E.N. or simply Manchester Arena) is a large indoor arena in Manchester, England. ... Kölnarena is an arena in Koln, Germany. ... Sinan Erdem Dome is an indoor arena located in Istanbul, Turkey. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... The Athens Olympic Sports Complex is the central group of facilities for the 2004 Summer Olympics. ... Sazka Arena in Prague is one of the most modern multifunctional arenas in Europe built for the 2004 Mens World Ice Hockey Championships. ... Belgrade Arena (Serbian Cyrillic: Београдска арена, Serbian Latin: Beogradska arena) is a large multifunctional indoor arena located in Belgrade, Serbia. ... Palacio de Deportes Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid is an indoor sporting arena located in Madrid, Spain. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Millennium Dome. ...

Football

The NFL has the least international exposure of the top four major leagues. Although the least international of the top four major league sports, American football is the most popular professional league in the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, selected NFL teams would travel north to Canada to play a CFL team in pre-season "American Bowl" games. The NFL has also attempted to promote its game worldwide by scheduling selected pre-season games since 1976 in Mexico, Europe, Australia, and Japan [4] and through NFL Europa, although the latter venture was never profitable and ultimately ceased operations in 2007. Starting in 2005, the NFL has begun holding one regular season game outside the United States. The 2005 matchup in Mexico City between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals drew a crowd of over 103,000 to Azteca Stadium, making it the largest attendance at an NFL regular season game [5]. (A 1994 crowd of over 112,000 at Azteca Stadium is the largest to attend a pre-season game.) This was followed by a regular-season game at the New Wembley Stadium in London [6] in 2007, becoming the NFL's first venture in the UK since the collapse of two NFL Europa teams based there. Another regular season match at Wembley was added for 2008, [7] and preliminary talks are underway to expand the NFL season to 17 regular season games, with each team playing one game overseas. [8] An exhibition game is the North American term for a sporting event in which there is no gain or loss from whether the competitors are victorious or not in the competition. ... NFL Europa is an American football league which operates in Europe. ... Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México, D.F. or simply México) is the capital city of Mexico. ... Outside the stadium. ... For the old stadium, see Wembley Stadium (1923). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The 2007 season of the National Football League (NFL) is the 88th season played by the major professional American football league in the United States. ... This is a list of seasons of the National Football League. ...

The NFL has a working agreement with the Canadian Football League (CFL) which is second in popularity only to the NHL in that country. There has also been speculation that a franchise would be located in Toronto, to balance out a new team in Los Angeles (the only metro area in the U.S. larger than Toronto, or even larger than half Toronto's size that lacks an NFL team). Despite this, the prospect of foreign NFL franchises in the relative near future is unlikely due to gridiron football's lack of popularity outside of Canada and the US, and Canada's likely preference of their own gridiron football over the foreign US product. Also, there is concern that any NFL team in Toronto will likely endanger the current CFL team there, the Toronto Argonauts. CFL redirects here. ... The lack of a National Football League (NFL) team in Los Angeles, the second-largest media market in the United States, is a large issue the league has been working on to resolve since both the Raiders and the Rams left the area after the 1994 season. ... The Toronto Argonauts are a Canadian Football League team based in Toronto, Ontario. ...

In October 2007, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson made a formal proposal to his fellow owners to allow the team to play one preseason game and one regular season game each year in Toronto, which is about 90 miles (145 km) from Buffalo and is considered by both the Bills and the NFL as a part of the team's market. The Bills currently draw about 15,000 Canadian fans per game, and Wilson sees Toronto's corporate market as key to securing the franchise's future, as the Bills have effectively maxed out their revenue potential in the economically struggling Buffalo area.^[5] The league approved the plan, and announced on February 1, 2008 that the Bills would play one regular-season game in Toronto each season from 2008 through 2012.^[6] For other uses, see Buffalo Bills (disambiguation). ... Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... The United States Bureau of the Census defines 280 metropolitan statistical areas. ... Not to be confused with Buffalo Niagara Region. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Soccer

Although it remains the smallest "major" sport in North America, association football does have the benefit of having the biggest following in the world. MLS teams have turned a profit for the first time in US soccer history and attendances are better than the league predicted a decade ago. The introduction of soccer specific stadiums and greater revenue control is believed to be crucial to growth along with a new SuperLiga competition against Mexican teams and an invite to play in South America's second biggest club competition. The newly expanded CONCACAF Champions League may become a vital lifeblood for US and Canadian teams in years to come as it will offer a chance to play competitively against elite teams form Europe and South America in the FIFA Club World Cup. “Soccer” redirects here. ... Columbus Crew Stadium opened in 1999 as the first of a growing number of North American stadiums built for soccer Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. ... The SuperLiga is a North American football (soccer) competition between teams from Mexicos Primera División and the United States and Canadas Major League Soccer, the top football divisions of each respective country. ... The Copa Sudamericana (English: South American Cup, Portuguese: Copa Sulamericana) is an international football cup competition played annually by clubs of South America. ... A May 2006 press release from Spanish-language television network Telefutura suggests that a Champions League for clubs in the CONCACAF region will begin in July 2007. ... The FIFA Club World Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is a football competition contested between the champion clubs from all 6 continental confederations, although since 2007 the champions of Oceania must play a qualifying play-off against the champion club of the host country. ...

See also

• List of U.S. and Canadian cities by professional sports teams
• Sports in the United States
• Sports in Canada
• List of professional sports leagues
• List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues - a summary of total and average attendances for the major North American sports and many other sports leagues from around the world.

This is a list of cities or metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada categorized by the number of major league professional sports franchises in their metropolitan areas. ... Sports in the United States, as in other countries, are an important part of the national culture. ... A wide variety of sports are practiced in Canada. ... A list of professional sports leagues: // A1 Grand Prix (Official Page) British Touring Car Championship (Official Site) CASCAR (Canada) (Official Page) Champ Car World Series, formerly CART (Official Page) DTM - German Touring Car Masters (Official Page) Formula One, Grand Prix racing (Official Site) FIA GT Championship (Official Site) IRL (Indy... The table below lists domestic professional sports leagues from around the world by total attendances for the last completed season for which data is available. ...

References