Is Phoenix the worst four-sport pro market in the country?
Dec 12, 2016, 7:32 AM | Updated: 3:54 pm
TEMPE, Ariz. — Monday mornings are depressing enough so we apologize for piling on, but after watching the Cardinals bungle their way to a loss in south Florida on Sunday we wondered: Is the Phoenix area the worst four-sport pro market in the United States?
It’s a plausible short-term conclusion considering this season’s performances by the Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Suns and Coyotes. The Diamondbacks went 69-93, the Cardinals are 5-7-1, the Coyotes are 9-13-5 and the Suns are 7-17. This could be the first season in Valley sports history that all four pro teams post losing records.
Those numbers are depressing enough, but where does the Valley rank among the nation’s four-sport markets over the past generation? Let’s take a look.
Again, for purposes of this story, we’re only looking at the 13 markets that have NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL franchises. If you have four chances at a title every year, your excuses diminish. We have combined some markets like Los Angeles/Anaheim, New York/New Jersey, Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Bay Area because those areas’ teams all fall within the confines of one media market. Smaller suburbs (Foxboro, Arlington, Auburn Hills, Sunrise, Glendale, etc.) where some teams play have just been rolled into their greater markets.
We’re also confining our research to the past 20 years because the Valley has only had four teams since the Coyotes arrived for the 1996-97 NHL season. However, we are only looking at the last 19 NHL seasons since the 2004-05 season was cancelled due to the lockout.
To keep this simple, we’re focused solely on championships, championship appearances and a championship average per market (since some markets have more than one team in each sport). We won’t worry about conference finals appearances or division titles because they muddle the picture and mean little in a big-picture view.
After each team we have listed the number of championships they have won in the past 20 years in parentheses, with 1997 being the first eligible year for MLB, NBA, NHL and 1996 for the NFL, which won’t crown its 2016 champion until the new year.
BOSTON
MLB: Red Sox (3)
NFL: Patriots (4)
NBA: Celtics (1)
NHL: Bruins (1)
Championships in last 20 years: 9
Championship average (number of city’s pro teams multiplied by 20 then divided by city’s number of titles, minus one season lost for the NHL lockout): 1 per 8.78 pro seasons by all of the market’s teams.
Championship appearances: 14 (7 NFL, 3 MLB, 2 NBA, 2 NHL).
CHICAGO
MLB: Cubs (1), White Sox (1)
NFL: Bears (0)
NBA: Bulls (2)
NHL: Blackhawks (3)
Championships in last 20 years: 7
Annual championship average: 1 per 14.14 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 8 (3 NHL, 2 NBA, 2 MLB, 1 NFL)
DALLAS
MLB: Rangers (0)
NFL: Cowboys (1)
NBA: Mavericks (1)
NHL: Stars (1)
Championships in last 20 years: 3
Annual championship average: 1 per 26.3 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 7 (2 NBA, 2 MLB, 1 NFL, 2 NHL)
DENVER
MLB: Rockies (0)
NFL: Broncos (3)
NBA: Nuggets (0)
NHL: Avalanche (1)
Championships in last 20 years: 4
Annual championship average: 1 per 19.75 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 6 (4 NFL, 1 MLB, 1 NHL)
DETROIT
MLB: Tigers (0)
NFL: Lions (0)
NBA: Pistons (1)
NHL: Red Wings (4)
Championships in last 20 years: 5
Annual championship average: 1 per 15.8 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 8 (5 NHL, 2 NBA, 1 MLB)
LOS ANGELES/ANAHEIM
MLB: Dodgers (0), Angels (1)
NFL: *Rams (0)
NBA: Lakers (5), Clippers (0)
NHL: Kings (2), Ducks (1)
Championships in last 20 years: 9
Annual championship average: 1 per 13.22 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 10 (7 NBA, 2 NHL, 1 MLB)
* — This is the Rams’ first season in Los Angeles since 1994 so they do not figure in calculations
MIAMI
MLB: Marlins (2)
NFL: Dolphins (0)
NBA: Heat (3)
NHL: Panthers (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 5
Annual championship average: 1 per 15.8 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 7 (5 NBA, 2 MLB)
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL
MLB: Twins (0)
NFL: Vikings (0)
NBA: Timberwolves (0)
*NHL: Wild (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 0
Annual championship average: 0
Championship appearances: 0
* — The Wild’s first season was 2000-01
NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
MLB: Yankees (4), Mets (0)
NFL: Giants (2), Jets (0)
NBA: Knicks (0), Nets (0)
NHL: Rangers (0), Islanders (0), Devils (2)
Championships in last 20 years: 8
Annual championship average: 1 per 19.89 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 21 (11 MLB, 5 NHL, 3 NBA, 3 NFL)
PHOENIX
MLB: Diamondbacks (1)
NFL: Cardinals (0)
NBA: Suns (0)
NHL: Coyotes (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 1
Annual championship average: 1 per 79 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 2 (1 MLB, 1 NFL)
PHILADELPHIA
MLB: Phillies (1)
NFL: Eagles (0)
NBA: 76ers (0)
NHL: Flyers (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 1
Annual championship average: 1 per 79 pro seasons
Championship appearances: 6 (2 NHL, 2 MLB, 1 NFL, 1 NBA)
SAN FRANCISCO/SAN JOSE/OAKLAND
MLB: Giants (3), A’s (0)
NFL: 49ers (0), Raiders (0)
NBA: Warriors (1)
NHL: Sharks (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 4
Annual championship average: 1 per 29.75 combined seasons
Championship appearances: 9 (4 NBA, 2 NBA, 2 NFL, 1 NHL)
WASHINGTON DC
*MLB: Nationals (0)
NFL: Redskins (0)
NBA: Wizards (0)
NHL: Capitals (0)
Championships in last 20 years: 0
Annual championship average: 0
Championship appearances: 1 (1 NHL)
* — The Nationals’ first season was 2005
If it’s any consolation, the Valley doesn’t come in last thanks to the 2001 Diamondbacks. Tiny Minneapolis/St. Paul and the nation’s capital have no titles over the past 20 years. Like the Valley, Philadelphia has just one title to tie for the third worst championship total and third worst championship average, although Philadelphia has six championship appearances to the Valley’s two.
Boston, Los Angeles/Anaheim and New York/New Jersey are tied for the most titles over the past 20 years, but Boston has the best average, with Los Angeles/Anaheim second and Chicago third.
New York/New Jersey has the most championship appearances with 19, Boston has 14 and Minneapolis/St. Paul has the fewest championship appearances with zero. Washington D.C. has one.
