Sport in Arizona
Sport in Arizona includes professional sports teams, college sports, and individual sports.
Professional sports teams
Professional sports teams in Arizona include four major league sports teams, plus minor league and semi-pro teams:
| Club | Sport | League | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | American football | National Football League | 2 (1925, 1947) |
| Phoenix Suns | Basketball | National Basketball Association | 0 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | Baseball | Major League Baseball | 1 (2001) |
| Arizona Coyotes | Ice hockey | National Hockey League | 0 |
| Arizona Rattlers | Arena football | Arena Football League | 5 (1994, 1997, 2012, 2013, 2014) |
| Arizona United SC | Soccer | United Soccer League | 0 |
| Phoenix Mercury | Basketball | Women's National Basketball Association | 3 (2007, 2009, 2014) |
College sports
With three state universities and several community colleges, college sports are also prevalent in Arizona. The intense rivalry between Arizona State University and the University of Arizona predates Arizona's statehood, and is the oldest rivalry in the NCAA.[1] The thus aptly named Territorial Cup, first awarded in 1889 and certified as the oldest trophy in college football,[2] is awarded to the winner of the "Duel in the Desert", the annual football game between the two schools.
Arizona also hosts several college football bowl games. The Fiesta Bowl, originally held at Sun Devil Stadium, is now held at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The Fiesta Bowl is part of the new College Football Playoff (CFP) and will host a CFP semifinal on December 31, 2016. University of Phoenix Stadium was also home to the 2007 and 2011 BCS National Championship Games and hosted Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008. It will host the state's first Pro Bowl on January 25, 2015, and Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015. The stadium is also scheduled to host the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 2017. The Cactus Bowl is held at Sun Devil Stadium.
Individual sports
Due to its numerous golf courses, Arizona is home to several stops on the PGA Tour, most notably the Phoenix Open, held at the TPC of Scottsdale, and the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana.
Auto racing is another sport known in the state. Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale is home to NASCAR race weekends twice a year. Firebird International Raceway near Chandler is home to drag racing and other motorsport events.
Baseball
Arizona is a popular location for Major League Baseball spring training, as it is the site of the Cactus League. The only other location for spring training is in Florida with the Grapefruit League. The Los Angeles Dodgers have a new spring training facility in Phoenix owned by Glendale which opened in 2009, making them the 14th team in Arizona. Spring training has been somewhat of a tradition in Arizona since 1947 (i.e. the Cleveland Indians in Tucson until 1991, and the San Diego Padres in Yuma until 1992) despite the fact that the state did not have its own major league team until the state was awarded the Diamondbacks in Phoenix as an expansion team. The state hosts the following teams:
- Arizona Diamondbacks in Salt River Fields.
- Chicago Cubs in Sloan Park of Mesa.
- Chicago White Sox in Camelback Ranch-Glendale of Phoenix.
- Cincinnati Reds in Goodyear Ballpark.
- Cleveland Indians in Goodyear Ballpark.
- Colorado Rockies in Salt River Fields.
- Kansas City Royals in Surprise Stadium.
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Tempe Diablo Stadium.
- Los Angeles Dodgers in Camelback Ranch-Glendale of Phoenix.
- Milwaukee Brewers in Maryvale Baseball Park of Phoenix.
- Oakland Athletics in Hohokam Stadium of Mesa.
- San Diego Padres in Peoria Sports Complex.
- San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale Stadium, but also in Papago Park of Phoenix.
- Seattle Mariners in Peoria Sports Complex, but also in Chandler.
- Texas Rangers in Surprise Stadium.
Besides being home to spring training, Arizona is also home to the Arizona Fall League. The Fall League was founded in 1992 and is a minor league baseball league designed for players to refine their skills and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who are in attendance at almost every game. The league got exposure when Michael Jordan started his time in baseball with the Scottsdale Scorpions.
References
- ↑ Knauer, Tom (November 22, 2006). "What is the Territorial Cup?". The Wildcat Online. Archived from the original on October 8, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2007.
- ↑ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008.