What Sports Teams Does Florida Have?
Thanks to the warm weather and some of the most technologically advanced facilities, Florida has always been one of the biggest states for sports in the whole country. Sports teams in Florida have benefitted from incredible success over the years, with the Miami Heat, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all bringing home multiple championships. The state is home to eleven professional teams; let’s discover more about them below!
What Are the Biggest Sports Teams in Florida?
Below are the professional teams located in Florida:
- Florida Panthers
- Inter Miami CF
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Miami Dolphins
- Miami Heat
- Miami Marlins
- Orlando City SC
- Orlando Magic
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Tampa Bay Rays
Florida Panthers
- Sport: Ice Hockey
- League: National Hockey League (NHL)
- Founded: 1993
- Stadium: FLA Live Arena
- Location: Sunrise Florida
- Championships: 0
The Florida Panthers are one of the two NHL teams in the state. Based forty minutes out of Miami, the Panthers are three-time Atlantic Division champions and have won the Eastern Conference in the 1995-96 season. Right wing Scott Mellanby and center Olli Joniken are among the greatest players in franchise history.
Inter Miami CF
- Sport: Soccer
- League: Major League Soccer (MLS)
- Founded: 2018
- Stadium: DRV Pink Stadium
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Championships: 0
Founded in 2018, Inter Miami CF is the youngest professional franchise in Florida. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of the MLS and has made it to the playoffs once since its inaugural 2020 season. Forwards Gonzalo Higuain and Leonardo Campaña and Mexican midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro are the best players in franchise history.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Sport: Football
- League: National Football League (NFL)
- Founded: 1993
- Stadium: TIAA Bank Field
- Location: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Championships: 0
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the three NFL teams in Florida. The team has made it to the playoffs seven times in its history and reached the AFC Championship in 2018, pushed by the heroics of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and running back Leonard Fournette.
Miami Dolphins
- Sport: Football
- League: National Football League (NFL)
- Founded: 1965
- Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Championships: 2
Over their fifty-seven years of history, the Miami Dolphins have had some of the most legendary sides in NFL history. Led by Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, the Dolphins won the Super Bowl in consecutive years, 1972 and 1973. The Miami Dolphins are also the only team in NFL history to achieve a perfect season, which happened in 1972.
Miami Heat
- Sport: Basketball
- League: National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Founded: 1988
- Stadium: FTX Arena
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Championships: 3
Despite having been founded only in 1988, the Miami Heat are among the NBA franchises with the most Finals appearances. Led by franchise legend Dwyane Wade, the Heat won their first title in 2006. Following the creation of the “Big Three,” Chris Bosh, Lebron James, and Dwyane Wade, the Heat went to the Finals four consecutive times and won two more titles in 2012 and 2013.
Miami Marlins
- Sport: Baseball
- League: Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Founded: 1993
- Stadium: LoanDepot Park
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Championships: 2
Similarly to the Miami Heat, the Miami Marlins are a young franchise that was capable of becoming a world champion in a very short time. Established in 1993, by 1997 the Marlins had already won their first World Series title. Since then, they won another title in 2003 by defeating the New York Yankees.
Orlando City SC
- Sport: Soccer
- League: Major League Soccer (MLS)
- Founded: 2013
- Stadium: Exploria Stadium
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Championships: 0
On November 19, 2013, Orlando City SC became the only MLS franchise based in Florida. Now, they are one of two MLS teams in the state. Orlando City SC plays in the Eastern Conference and has made the playoffs twice, in 2020 and 2021.
Orlando Magic
- Sport: Basketball
- League: National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Founded: 1989
- Stadium: Amway Center
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Championships: 0
Founded just a year after Southeast Division rivals Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic have made it to the NBA finals twice. The Magic have a great history at the center position as both all-time greats Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard led the team to Eastern Conference titles in 1995 and 2009, respectively.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Sport: Football
- League: National Football League (NFL)
- Founded: 1976
- Stadium: Raymond James Stadium
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Championships: 2
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two Super Bowl wins and are one of only two teams with a perfect record in the Super Bowl. The first Super Bowl triumph came in 2002 against the Oakland Raiders. Almost twenty years later, in 2021, the Bucs won their second title led by legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Tampa Bay Lightning
- Sport: Ice Hockey
- League: National Hockey League (NHL)
- Founded: 1992
- Stadium: Amalie Arena
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Championships: 3
Tampa, Florida, is home to the three-time Stanley Cup champion, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Since 2004, “The Bolts” have reached the Stanley Cup Finals four times and were crowned champions three times, in 2004, 2020, and 2021.
Tampa Bay Rays
- Sport: Baseball
- League: Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Founded: 1998
- Stadium: Tropicana Field
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Championships: 0
Established in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays have quickly become a consistent postseason team. The Rays have won the American League East Division four times since 2008 and have made it to the World Series twice, in 2008 and 2020, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers.