Power Rankings: Worst Sports City in America

Below is a compilation of major US sports cities and the dates of their last three championship victories:

Atlanta: 1995 (Braves), 1958 (Hawks), 1957 (Braves)

Baltimore: 2013 (Ravens), 2000 (Ravens), 1983 (Orioles)

Boston: 2019 (Patriots), 2018 (Red Sox), 2017 (Patriots)

Buffalo: 1964* (Bills), 1965* (Bills)

(+) Chicago: 2016 (Cubs), 2015 (Blackhawks), 2005 (White Sox)

Charlotte: 2006 (Hurriances)

Cincinnati: 1990 (Reds), 1976 (Reds), 1975 (Reds)

Cleveland: 2016 (Cavaliers), 1964* (Browns), 1955* (Browns)

Dallas: 2011 (Mavericks), 1999 (Stars), 1995 (Cowboys)

Denver: 2015 (Broncos), 2001 (Avalanche), 1998 (Broncos)

Detroit: 2008 (Red Wings), 2004 (Pistons), 2002 (Red Wings)

Houston: 2017 (Astros), 1995 (Rockets), 1994 (Rockets)

Indianapolis: 2006 (Colts)

Kansas City: 2015 (Royals), 1985 (Royals), 1969* (Chiefs)

(+) Los Angeles: 2013 (Kings), 2012 (Kings), 2010 (Lakers)

Miami: 2013 (Heat), 2012 (Heat), 2006 (Heat)

Milwaukee: 2010 (Packers), 1997 (Packers), 1996 (Packers)

Nashville: N/A

New Orleans: 2009 (Saints)

(+) New York: 2012 (Giants), 2009 (Yankees), 2008 (Giants)

Oakland: 2018 (Warriors), 2017 (Warriors), 2015 (Warriors)

Philadelphia: 2017 (Eagles), 2008 (Phillies), 1983 (76ers)

Phoenix: 2001 (Diamondbacks)

Pittsburgh: 2017 (Penguins), 2016 (Penguins), 2008 (Steelers and Penguins)

San Diego: 1963* (Chargers)

San Francisco: 2014 (Giants), 2012 (Giants), 2010 (Giants)

Seattle: 2013 (Seahawks)

St. Louis: 2019 (Blues), 2011 (Cardinals), 2006 (Cardinals)

Tampa Bay: 2003 (Lightning), 2002 (Buccaneers)

Washington D.C.: 2019 (Nationals), 2017 (Capitals), 1992 (Redskins)

Notes:

The AFL-NFL merger did not take place until 1970, NFL championships before that time are denoted with an asterisk (*).

Cities with more than four teams are marked with a (+).

Worst Sports City:

It would be easy to pick Nashville, Buffalo, or San Diego as the king of terrible sports. The trio has a grand total of 0 championships in the last 54 years. However, failing to win a championship doesn’t fully encapsulate the degree of athletic futility a city might possess. For instance, Nashville, Buffalo, and San Diego only have (or in San Diego’s case had) two teams a piece and therefore, only two shots a year at winning a championship. In a 54 year period that’s only 108 shots, which may seem like a lot, but when compared to a city with more teams it is a comparatively small number of chances. A city with three teams gets the same number of chances in 36 years. Los Angeles has eight teams (if you count the Anaheim Ducks) and can exceed 108 chances at a championship in just 14 years. The system is in many ways rigged against the small market teams, therefore all cities with less than three major sports teams will be disqualified from consideration. That leaves us with Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay as contenders.

From that list, you can immediately scratch off Cleveland, as they have won a major title in the past five years. Tampa Bay can also be dropped because they have two titles in this millennium. That leaves us with Charlotte (three teams: Panthers, Hurricanes, Hornets), Phoenix (four teams: Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Coyotes, Suns), and Atlanta (three teams: Falcons, Hawks, Braves).

Charlotte has the next most recent championship (2006) and only three teams. The Panthers were an expansion team introduced to the NFL in 1993, giving them far fewer seasons to compete for a Super Bowl than most NFL teams. The Hornets were moved by ownership to New Orleans in 2002 and the Bobcats (now the Hornets) had to start from scratch when they were reintroduced in 2004. Two expansion teams and the next most recent championship? Charlotte is scratched off the list.

You would have to be sixty-years-old to remember an Atlanta championship before the 1995 Braves World Series victory. And it’s not even really a championship Atlanta can claim. The St. Louis Hawks defeated Bill Russell and the Celtics to the win the 1957 NBA title. They were the last NBA team to win a championship without a black player on their roster. Lots of things have changed since then, but Atlanta is still a god forsaken sports city. However, it is due to sheer quantity of ineptitude and not quality that puts them behind the worst sports city in America.

My god, four teams and only one championship to hang your hat on? That is Charles Barkley turrible, which Phoenix fans should be quite familiar with since they squandered his career. Barring some kind of miracle, all four of Phoenix’s teams will miss their respective playoffs this year, which means 2019 (and most of 2020) can be written off as another ‘lost year’ for the city. There have been some close calls over the years. If Steve Nash hadn’t been head butted by Tony Parker, they might have won the Finals in 2007. If Santonio Holmes hadn’t gone into orbit to catch that touchdown pass, the Cardinals might’ve won the Super Bowl. And that’s about it. Only two “ifs” to sum up a lifetime of Phoenix sports. Pathetic. The truth is, there really are no excuses for how terrible these teams were, are, and will continue to be. ESPN did a long article this year exposing the Suns, in great detail, as the most dysfunctional organization in professional basketball. But, I’m not so sure they are the most mismanaged sports franchise in their city. Phoenix is truly the most barren and cursed sports city in all of America. I wonder how many Indian burial grounds the city was built upon to deserve this.

Most Underrated City:

Detroit has not had much success in the past decade, but the city still ranks #5 on the list of cities with the most sports championships (one spot behind Los Angeles, which has twice as many teams). The Red Wings have brought home a whopping 11 titles throughout their 93-year existence. The anemic historical performance of the Lions continues to be an unsightly blemish on Motown’s otherwise impressive professional sports record. The city is enduring bit of a down stretch with none of their team’s being terribly competitive. However, it wasn’t that long ago that the Detroit Tigers were a powerhouse with a lineup that included Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Miguel Cabrera.

Undisputed King of Sports:

Boston and it’s not even close. Every single one of their teams has won a title since 2000. In fact, every team besides the Celtics have won MULTIPLE championships in this millennium. The city has won 39 championships to date and could easily add to that in the next couple of months. While New York has won more total championships (54), their numbers are grossly inflated by 35 MLB World Series victories, most of which are from antiquity. The Patriots are in the midst of dynasty, the Red Sox are reloading, the Celtics are a top three team in their conference, and the Bruins are off to a hot start. It is good to be a Boston sports fan.

Rising Power?

Three years ago, Washington D.C. would have easily been in the running for the worst sports city in America. Two titles since then have flipped the script. Are we witnessing a rising power in the East? Can the District keep its momentum as we plunge into a new decade? The last twenty years have been hard on D.C. sports fans, maybe the next twenty will be something special.