The following is a list of sports teams that either are currently or were previously based in Cleveland, Ohio. Teams still active in Cleveland are listed in bold.
Baseball
Active
- Cleveland Guardians, Major League Baseball (1901–present)
Defunct
- Cleveland Forest Citys, National Association (1871–1872)
- Cleveland Spiders, National League (1879–1884, 1889–1899)
- Cleveland Blues, American Association (1887–1888)
- Cleveland Infants, Players' League (1890)
- Cleveland Green Sox Federal League (1913)
- Cleveland Bearcats, American Association (1914)
- Cleveland Spiders, American Association (1915)
- Cleveland Tate Stars, Negro National League (1922)
- Cleveland Browns, Negro National League (1924)
- Cleveland Elites, Negro National League (1926)
- Cleveland Hornets, Negro National League (1927)
- Cleveland Tigers, Negro National League (1928)
- Cleveland Cubs, Negro National League (1931)
- Cleveland Stars, East-West League (1932)
- Cleveland Giants, Negro National League (1933)
- Cleveland Red Sox, Negro National League (1934)
- Cleveland Bears, Negro American League (1939–1940)
- Cleveland Buckeyes, Negro American League (1943–1948, 1950)
Basketball
Men's basketball
Active
- Cleveland Cavaliers, National Basketball Association (1970–present)
- Cleveland Charge, NBA G League (established 2001, moved to Cleveland 2021)
Defunct
- Cleveland Rosenblums, American Basketball League (1925–31)
- Cleveland Chase Brassmen, National Basketball League (1943–44)
- Cleveland Allmen Transfers, National Basketball League (1944–46)
- Cleveland Rebels, Basketball Association of America (1946–47)
- Cleveland Pipers, American Basketball League (1961–1962)
Women's basketball
Defunct
- Cleveland Rockers, Women's National Basketball Association (1997–2003)
College
Active
- Cleveland State Vikings -- 17 Varsity (7 men's, 9 women's, 1 coed)
- Case Western Reserve Spartans -- 19 Varsity (10 men's, 9 women's)
Defunct
- Ohio Chiropody (1929–41)
Football
Active
- Cleveland Browns, All-America Football Conference (1946–1949) National Football League (1950–1995, 1999–present)
- Cleveland Fusion, Women's Football Alliance (2002–present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Tigers (NFL) APFA (1920), originally named as the Tigers in 1916 in the Ohio League; renamed Indians in 1921
- Cleveland Indians (NFL 1931), league-sponsored team that only played on the road
- Cleveland Bulldogs NFL (1924–1925) (1927), named as the Cleveland Indians in 1923
- Cleveland Panthers AFL (1926)
- Cleveland Rams AFL (1936) NFL (1937–1942) (1944–1945) (now known as the Los Angeles Rams)
- Cleveland Thunderbolts AFL (Arena) (1992–1994), relocated from Columbus, Ohio
- Cleveland Crush, Legends Football League (2011–13)
- Cleveland Gladiators, Arena Football League (2008, 2010–2020)
Ice hockey
Active
- Cleveland Monsters, American Hockey League (2007–present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Indians, International Hockey League (1929–34)
- Cleveland Falcons, IHL & AHL (1934–37)
- Cleveland Barons, American Hockey League relocated to Jacksonville, Florida (1937–73)
- Cleveland Crusaders, World Hockey Association (1972–76)
- Cleveland Barons, NHL (1976–78)
- Cleveland Lumberjacks, IHL (1992–2001)
- Cleveland Barons, American Hockey League relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts(2001–06)
- Cleveland Jr. Barons, NAHL (2005–06)
Roller Derby
Active
- Burning River Roller Derby, Women's Flat Track Derby Association (2006-Present)
- Cleveland Men's Roller Derby Guardians, Men's Roller Derby Association (2013-Present)
Rugby league
- Cleveland Rugby League, North American Rugby League (2021-Present)
Rugby union
Active
- Cleveland Rovers RFC, USA Rugby (1978–present)
- Cleveland Women's RFC, Iron Maidens (2003 - present)
- Cleveland Crusaders RFC, (2015-present)
Soccer
Active
- Cleveland Crunch, Major League Indoor Soccer (1989-present)
- Cleveland SC, National Premier Soccer League (2018–present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Stokers, North American Soccer League (1967–68)
- Cleveland Stars, American Soccer League (1972–73) (name change from Cleveland Stars to Cleveland Cobras before 1974 season commenced)
- Cleveland Cobras, American Soccer League (1974–81)
- Cleveland Force, MISL (1978–88)
- Cleveland Force, MISL (2002–2005) (name change from Cleveland Crunch back to Cleveland Force in 2002, when NPSL became the MISL)
- Cleveland City Stars, USL First Division (2006–09)
- Cleveland Internationals, USL PDL (2004–10)
- Cleveland Freeze, Professional Arena Soccer League (2013–2014)
- AFC Cleveland, National Premier Soccer League (2012–2017)
Softball
Defunct
- Cleveland Jaybirds, American Professional Slow Pitch League (1977–78)
- Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, American Professional Slow Pitch League (1979)
- Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, North American Softball League (1980)
- Cleveland Competitors, United Professional Softball League (1982)
Indoor professional team tennis
Defunct
- Cleveland Nets (featured Björn Borg & Martina Navratilova), World Team Tennis (1974–77)
See also
References
- Roberts, Milt (1979). "Peggy Parratt MVP" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 1 (6): 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-22.
| Sports teams based in and around Cleveland | |
|---|---|
| Baseball | |
| Basketball | |
| Football | |
| Hockey | |
| Roller derby | |
| Soccer |
|
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) | |
| College athletics (NCAA Division II) | |
| College athletics (NCAA Division III) | |
| Related | |