Ohio is known far and wide for its presidential history, aviation origins, being home to more astronauts than any other state and putting chili on spaghetti. However, what often gets overlook is Ohio’s numerous major league sport franchises.
Ohio is home to nine major professional teams across the state in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and volleyball. When looking at the four major sports leagues in the nation: NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, the state ranks sixth the U.S. with the most professional sports franchises. A surprising feat when nearly half of the nation has no professional sports teams at all.
It might be surprising to learn that the NFL was founded in Canton, Ohio. The very first NFL game was played right here in the Gem City, where the Dayton Triangle took on the Columbus Panhandles in Triangle Park.
Currently, the state is home to two NFL franchises: The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns, founded in 1946, were named after their legendary coach Paul Brown. While the Bengals were established in 1968, and surprisingly the team was also coached by Brown.
The Browns have a loyal fanbase in spite of a rocky reputation, in recent years the team has been regarded as one of the worst in the league. In 2017 they became the second team ever to not win a single game for the entire season, achieving an embarrassing record of 0-16.
However, the Bengals have been given new life and renewed hope of a Super Bowl win. With a recent appearance at the Super Bowl in 2022, the Bengals have displayed a new reputation with young talent and electrifying gameplay from players like Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase.
On the baseball diamond, Ohio represents two historic MLB teams. The Cincinnati Reds and The Cleveland Guardians.
The Reds were established in 1881 and are often credited as the oldest professional baseball franchise in the nation.
The Guardians, formerly known as the Indians until their decision to rebrand in 2021, have been playing since 1901. Although, Cleveland is more revered for their basketball team.
In basketball, fans know Ohio for the Cleveland Cavaliers, this franchise was founded in 1970. The Cavs reached the mountaintop in 2016, when the Akron native Lebron James led the team to its first NBA championship.
James delivered an outstanding historic win for the Cavs, which resulted in ending Cleveland’s 52-year major sports title drought.
More recently, the Cavs made another playoff run this year. After finishing first in the east during the regular season, they were eliminated from the second round of the playoffs after losing to the Indiana Pacers.
Ohio professional teams do not just stop there. The Columbus Blue Jackets are an NHL team, established in 2000, bringing pro hockey action to Ohio’s state capital.
While the Blue Jackets have made the playoffs six times, they have still yet to win it all and take home a Stanley Cup.
As soccer fans become more engaged across the Buckeye State, teams from the Major League Soccer franchise like the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati have helped gain Ohio’s place in growing the professional world of soccer.
The Columbus Crew, one of the league’s founding teams in 1996 and two-time MLS Cup winners, FC Cincinnati joined MLS in 2019 and rapidly built a passionate fan base.
Most recently, the Columbus Fury have become the ninth addition to Ohio’s major league sports teams. The Professional Volleyball Federation was founded in 2022 with its inaugural season taking place in 2024. The Columbus Fury are one of the founding members of the PVF.
Ohio’s status as a professional sports hotbed stems from its rich history, with a tradition of supporting teams across multiple sports, and its passionate fan base. From the NFL’s origin in Dayton to now modern- day successes across all league franchises, Ohio continues to be a massive cornerstone of American professional sports.
Casey Brewer, staff writer