Sports
See also: Florida Sports Hall of Fame and List of sports teams in FloridaFourteen, about half, of all Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state. Throughout MLB history other teams, at one time or another, held spring training in Florida.
Yet Florida did not have a permanent major-league-level professional sports team until the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins in 1966. The state now has three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, and two NHL teams.
The state of Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.
Three of the Arena Football League's teams are in Florida.
Golf, tennis, and auto racing are popular. NASCAR (headquartered in Daytona Beach) begins all three of its major Series in Florida at Daytona International Speedway, and ends all three Series in November at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The PGA of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens while the LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach.
Minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and indoor football teams are based in Florida. Florida's universities have a number of collegiate sport teams. Florida is the traditional home for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League".
| Club | League | Venue | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | National Football League | Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens) | 2 (1972, 1973) |
| Miami Heat | National Basketball Association | American Airlines Arena (Miami) | 2 (2006, 2012) |
| Miami Marlins | Major League Baseball | Marlins Park (Miami) | 2 (1997, 2003) |
| Florida Panthers | National Hockey League | BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise) | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | National Football League | Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) | 1 (2003) |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Major League Baseball | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg) | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | National Hockey League | Tampa Bay Times Forum (Tampa) | 1 (2004) |
| Orlando Magic | National Basketball Association | Amway Center (Orlando) | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | National Football League | EverBank Field (Jacksonville) | 0 |
Read more about this topic: Economy Of Florida
Famous quotes containing the word sports:
“Guys do not have a genetic blueprint that allows them to understand or love sports.”
—Lesley Visser, U.S. sports reporter and announcer. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 82 (June 17, 1991)
“The whole idea of image is so confused. On the one hand, Madison Avenue is worried about the image of the players in a tennis tour. On the other hand, sports events are often sponsored by the makers of junk food, beer, and cigarettes. What’s the message when an athlete who works at keeping her body fit is sponsored by a sugar-filled snack that does more harm than good?”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
“In the end, I think you really only get as far as you’re allowed to get.”
—Gayle Gardner, U.S. sports reporter. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 87 (June 17, 1991)