Arizona is one of the most untraditional sports markets in the United States. Many sports fans root for these teams because Arizona is where they were born or where they grew up. However, there’s a large percentage of the population that wasn’t born in or anywhere near Arizona. Most of the residents of Arizona are transplants who decided to retire in the Grand Canyon State. Click here to read more about 21 of the greatest pro sports teams that disappeared.
Attracting organic fans has been a challenge over the years, but recently, Arizona teams have been successful with the process. This has helped people who weren’t already familiar turn into supporters. Arizona’s population appears to be growing as the Boomer generation retires and seeks out warmer weather to spend their days. This could be another turning point, as fan bases continue to grow.
These Arizona teams are the ones you should keep an eye out for in the future. To determine the list of most popular teams in Washington, 24/7 Tempo consulted several different sports-centered sites for insight and stats. These include NBA.com, NFL.com, and MLB.com.
Arizona Diamondbacks
A disappointing 2022 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks was followed up by one of the best postseason runs in modern baseball. The 2023 team made it all the way to the World Series, after beating the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. What makes this even more spectacular is the fact they were one of the last team to secure a playoff spot in the National League.
In the end, they couldn’t quite complete the job, as they lost to the Texas Rangers four games to one. The future is undoubtedly bright for this team. You can check them out at Chase Field, located in downtown Phoenix. Having a good baseball team to watch during the summer months can be one of the best activities to do.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns were a struggling franchise up until the 2020 NBA Bubble. They hadn’t made the playoffs in years, which was uncommon after their success in the 1990s and early 2000s. However, thanks to Devin Booker, the team is now considered to be one of the elite in the NBA.
He has helped recruit fellow stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to Phoenix to complete the job he couldn’t in the 2021 Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns play their home games at the Footprint Center, right next door to Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.
What makes the Phoenix Suns such a fun team to follow is they’ve truly gone all-in on winning a championship with these players. They’ve traded almost all of their draft picks away to do so. It’s yet to be determined if they’ll do it, but keep an eye on them.
Arizona Cardinals
If someone were to come up to you and ask who the first team in NFL history is, you likely wouldn’t say the Arizona Cardinals. You’d be wrong, though. The team can be traced back all the way to 1898 at the Morgan Athletic Club. They first gained major notoriety as the Chicago Cardinals.
In 1960, they moved to St. Louis and finally came to Arizona in 1988. Even though they’ve been a professional franchise for more than 100 years, they only have two NFL championships. These came in 1925 and 1947. The only Super Bowl they’ve played in was in 2008, in one of the most memorable games ever played.
The Cardinals play their home games at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which is one of Phoenix’s suburbs. The stadium has played host to many Super Bowls, College Football Championships, concerts, and many more things. Cardinals fans hope their team can turn around soon and become a player in the NFL again.
Arizona Coyotes
There are a lot of sports you think make sense to have in the Arizona desert. Hockey is one that probably doesn’t fly to the top of your head, though. The Coyotes have made their home in Arizona ever since they moved from Winnipeg in 1996. They have a lot of work to do, but have one of the most promising young cores in all of hockey.
One problem facing the club currently is the lack of a home arena. The city of Phoenix and it’s surrounding areas don’t want to have to put up the amount of money that’s necessary for a new stadium. This has led to theories that the Coyotes might relocate to Houston, Quebec, Salt Lake City, and many others.
As of now, they play their home games on the campus of Arizona State University at Mullett Arena. Hopefully the Coyotes ownership group and city can come up with a plan to get a stadium built soon.
Phoenix Mercury
The WNBA has shot up in popularity over the last decade, thanks to teams like the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury won three WNBA championships from 2007 to 2014. This stretch of time was led by Diana Taurasi, arguably the greatest women’s basketball player in history.
She’s still on the team even though she’s 41. The Mercury are also the home to Brittney Griner, one of the most polarizing athletes in the world. She became infamous when she was imprisoned in Russia for THC, sparking debate on why women’s players have to play overseas in order to make ends meet during the offseason.
The Mercury play their home games at the Footprint Center, along with the Phoenix Suns. They’re one of the most influential teams in the WNBA and will continue to be around for a long time.
Phoenix Rising FC
The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC has a great reputation.
Soccer in the United States has exploded in popularity over the last decade. The expansion of the United Soccer League saw Phoenix Rising FC join and they’ve started to dominate. They actually won the last USL Championship, beating the Charleston Battery in a classic shootout after regulation and extra time weren’t enough.
One thing that’s going to be interesting to follow is if the United States starts to follow how European leagues do it. The top two or three teams can move up one division, while the last two or three teams are relegated. This helps put a strong emphasis on the regular season, something American sports can lack.
Phoenix Rising play their home games at Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium in Phoenix. One of their owners, Brandon McCarthy, was a former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher. He’s kept close ties with Arizona, as many former athletes have been known to do over the years.
Tucson Roadrunners
Believe it or not, Tucson, Arizona is home to a minor league hockey team. That’s right, you can find the Tucson Roadrunners from the American Hockey League in Arizona. Not surprisingly, they help develop younger talent in the Arizona Coyotes farm system.
The fact that they’re so close is quite a luxury that not a lot of teams have. There are a ton of cases where a team needs a player at the last minute and isn’t able to get them to the game in time, purely because of how far away they are. Before relocating to Tucson, the team was based out of Springfield, Massachusetts. The team plays their home games at the Tucson Convention Center.
Tucson has a lot to offer, including the University of Arizona. Students are able to easily get internships and jobs with the team as a way of setting themselves up after college. Arizona is thought of as an incredible American state. Their sports teams are a reflection of how great it is there. Click here to read more about the teams who have won a championship while on a budget.