States Without Sports Teams on a Professional Level

The four major professional sports leagues in Canada and the United States include the National Hockey League, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association. There’s also a fifth professional sports league in the countries which includes Major League Soccer which is gaining popularity with each passing day.

The Big 4 was created in Canada and the United States and continues to grow in popularity not only in the U.S and Canada but around the world. Each team in these sporting leagues represent a particular state or city and impress with massive regional and local fanbases. However, not all countries in America have a professional sports team. There’s a total of 24 states that don’t have a professional sports team in any of the four leagues.

Alabama

Alabama is considered one of the most populous states in America that don’t feature a sports team in any of the professional leagues within the country. However, you will notice that sporting events are viral in the state when it comes to college sports. For instance, the University of Alabama and Auburn University has one of the biggest rivalries when it comes to college football.

Hawaii and Alaska

As the only non-contiguous states in America, it should come as no surprise that Hawaii and Alaska are not represented in any of the professional sports leagues in the country. Both states are situated in the northwest region of the country and are far removed from other sports teams, which make travelling for sports teams rather impractical. The population in Alaska also makes it rather impossible to fund stadiums, and ticket sales would be highly unlikely in the state. However, both countries do support sports leagues. For instance, football fans in Alaska are predominantly Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers fans.

Virginia

Virginia does not feature any sports teams on a professional level even though the state is considered the 12th most populous state in America. With an estimated population of over 8.5 million, there are no professional sports teams that are situated in Virginia. You will notice that the Washington Redskins, the Washington Nationals, and the Washington Capitals are all headquartered in Virginia due to their training grounds. However, each of them plays their home games in Washington.

Kentucky

Kentucky is another state in America that does not feature any professional sports teams in any of the Big 4 leagues. However, you will find several competitive groups on a college-level to keep the fans entertained within the state. This includes the University of Louisville that impresses with one of the best college basketball teams in America.

The other States Without Professional Sports Teams

The list of states that also don’t feature any professional sports teams, apart from the countries mentioned above, include Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Mississippi, Wyoming, West Virginia, Vermont, South Dakota, North Dakota, and New Mexico.