Highest-Ranking Sports Team In Each State

Note: This only includes professional teams, so don't expect to see, for example, the Cornhuskers leading Nebraska, or the Lady Volunteers leading Tennessee. And it only included current teams, so don't expect to see the Hartford Whalers leading Connecticut. Ties are broken by most recent title.

Major League, have won at least 1 World Championship

1. New York: New York Yankees, 27 World Series wins.

2. Massachusetts: Boston Celtics, 17 NBA Championships.

3. Wisconsin: Green Bay Packers, 13 NFL Championships, including 4 Super Bowl wins.

4. Missouri: St. Louis Cardinals, 11 World Series wins.

5. California: Los Angeles Lakers, 11 NBA Championships. This does not count the 5 the team won as the Minneapolis Lakers.

6. Michigan: Detroit Red Wings, 11 Stanley Cups.

7. Illinois: Chicago Bears, 9 NFL Championships, including a Super Bowl win.

8. Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Steelers, 6 Super Bowl wins.

9. Texas: Dallas Cowboys, 5 Super Bowl wins.

10. Ohio: Cincinnati Reds, 5 World Series wins.

11. New Jersey: New York Giants, 4 Super Bowl wins. They may call themselves "New York," but they play in New Jersey, and are thus ahead of the New Jersey Devils and their 3 Stanley Cups. But their previous 4 NFL Championships were all won in New York.

(Not a State) District of Columbia: D.C. United, 4 MLS Cups. Yes, that counts. The Washington Redskins have won 5 NFL Championships, including 3 Super Bowls, but they moved to the Maryland suburbs and have won just Division titles since.

12. Maryland: Baltimore Orioles, 3 World Series wins. The Baltimore Colts and their 4 NFL Championships, including a Super Bowl, are gone, and the Redskins haven't even been to an NFC Championship Game since they moved from the District to the suburbs.

13. Florida: Miami Heat, 3 NBA Championships.

14. Colorado: Colorado Avalanche, 2 Stanley Cups. Most recent was more recent than the Denver Broncos' 2nd Super Bowl win.

15. Minnesota: Minnesota Twins, 2 World Series wins.

16. Washington: Seattle Seahawks, 1 Super Bowl win.

17. Kansas: Sporting Kansas City, 1 MLS Cup. They previously won an MLS Cup while playing in Kansas City, Missouri, and now have won one in Kansas City, Kansas.

18. Louisiana: New Orleans Saints, 1 Super Bowl win.

19. Indiana: Indianapolis Colts, 1 Super Bowl win.

20. Arizona: Arizona Diamondbacks, 1 World Series win.

21. Georgia: Atlanta Braves, 1 World Series win.

22. Oregon: Portland Trail Blazers, 1 NBA Championship.

Major League, have not yet won a World Championship

23. Utah: Utah Jazz, 2 NBA Western Conference Championships.

24. Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Thunder, 1 NBA Western Conference Championship.

25. North Carolina: Carolina Panthers, 1 NFC Championship.

26. Tennessee: Tennessee Titans, 1 AFC Championship.

Minor League, Class AAA baseball or equivalent

27. Nebraska: Omaha Storm Chasers, 3 championships of Class AAA baseball. Highest-ranking major league team that includes the State in its "market": Kansas City Royals, 1 World Series won.

28. Nevada: Reno Aces, 2 championships of Class AAA baseball. This puts them ahead of the Las Vegas 51s, formerly the Las Vegas Stars, who've won 2 Pennants, but no overall titles. Highest-ranking major: Los Angeles Lakers.

29. Virginia: Norfolk Tides, 1 championship of Class AAA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Washington Redskins, 5 NFL Championships including 3 Super Bowl wins.

30. Iowa: Iowa Cubs, 1 championship of Class AAA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Chicago Bears.

31. Connecticut: Hartford Wolf Pack, 1 Calder Cup. Highest-ranking major: On the Boston side of the State, the Celtics; on the New York side, the Yankees.

32. Rhode Island: Providence Bruins, 1 Calder Cup. Highest-ranking major: Celtics, although the New England Patriots and their 4 Super Bowl wins are, while in Massachusetts, actually closer to downtown Providence than to downtown Boston.

33. Maine: Portland Pirates, 1 Calder Cup. Highest-ranking major: Celtics.

34. Kentucky: Louisville Bats, 4 Pennants in Class AAA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Cincinnati Reds.

35. New Mexico: Albuquerque Isotopes, 3 Division titles in Class AAA baseball. The Albuquerque Dukes won 11 AAA Pennants, but moved after the 2000 season. Highest-ranking major: Colorado Avalanche.

Minor League, Class AA baseball or equivalent

36. Alabama: Birmingham Barons, 17 Pennants in Class AA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Atlanta Braves.

37. Arkansas: Arkansas Travelers, 7 Pennants in Class AA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Dallas Cowboys.

38. South Carolina: Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 3 Pennants in Class AA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Braves.

39. New Hampshire: New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 3 Pennants in Class AA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Celtics.

40. Alaska: Alaska Aces, 3 Kelly Cups. Highest-ranking major: Seattle Seahawks.

41. Idaho: Idaho Steelheads, 2 Kelly Cups. Highest-ranking major: Seahawks.

42. Mississippi: Mississippi Braves, 1 Pennant in Class AA baseball. Highest-ranking major: Braves.

43. South Dakota: Rapid City Rush, 1 Miron Cup. Highest-ranking major: Minnesota Twins.

44. West Virginia: Wheeling Nailers, 1 Kelly Cup Final. Highest-ranking major: Pittsburgh Steelers.

Minor League, Class A baseball or equivalent, or lower

45. Delaware: Wilmington Blue Rocks, 4 Pennants in Class A baseball. Highest-ranking major: Philadelphia Eagles, 3 NFL Championships, all in the pre-Super Bowl era. Each of the other 3 current Philadelphia teams has only 2, all of them since the last Eagles titles.

46. Vermont: Vermont Lake Monsters, 3 Pennants in Class A baseball. Highest-ranking major: Celtics.

47. North Dakota: Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, 5 league titles in independent minor-league baseball. Highest-ranking major: Twins.

48. Montana: Billings Mustangs, 15 Pennants in Rookie League baseball. Highest-ranking major: Avalanche.

No current professional sports teams at all

49. Hawaii: So much for the State being "paradise." Highest-ranking major: Hard to say, but I'd bet that the most popular team in the State, regardless of distance, is either the Yankees or the Lakers.

50. Wyoming: Highest-ranking major: Avalanche.