The U.S. state of Florida has three National Football League teams, two Major League Baseball teams, two National Basketball Association teams, two National Hockey League teams, two Major League Soccer teams and 13 NCAA Division I college teams.
Florida gained its first permanent major-league professional sports team in 1966 when the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins. The state of Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.
The sports industry of Florida has a strong economic impact, The Florida Sports Foundation (2022) states that in the fiscal years of 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 professional sports had accounted for $10.2 billion and college athletics contributed $5.5 billion in Florida’s economy. The sports industry provided about $146.5 billion overall. Florida's sports industry represents about 14% of all the tourism towards Florida and there has been a generated $24.9 billion in total economic impact from the 36 sports commissions. This also applies towards the job market, as new jobs become available with almost a million-part time and full-time jobs generating about $13.9 billion in state and local taxes. These statistics visualize the importance of sports in Florida’s economy, and the associated impact must be valued to understand the influence on Florida’s markets and other related factors involved.Florida Sports Foundation. (2022, December 20). Florida’s sports industry provides $146.5 billion in economic impact. https://playinflorida.com/2022/12/20/floridas-sports-industry-provides-146-5-billion-in-economic-impact/
By sport
American football
Miami's first entry into the American Football League was the Miami Dolphins, which competed in the fourth AFL league from 1966 to 1969. In 1970 the Dolphins joined the National Football League when the AFL–NFL merger, agreed to in 1966, was finalized. The team made its first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VI, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys. The following year, the Dolphins completed the NFL's only perfect season culminating in a Super Bowl win. The 1972 Dolphins were the third NFL team to accomplish a perfect regular season, and won Super Bowl VIII, Miami also appeared in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, losing both games. The Dolphins are the oldest major league professional sports team in Florida.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began in 1976 as an expansion team of the NFL. They struggled at first, losing their first 26 games in a row to set a league record for futility. After a brief taste of success in the late 1970s, the Bucs again returned to their losing ways, and at one point lost 10+ games for 12 seasons in a row. The hiring of Tony Dungy in 1996 started an improving trend that eventually led to the team's victory in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 under coach Jon Gruden. In Super Bowl LV, the Bucs became the first NFL team to host and play in the Super Bowl, where they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9.
Tom Brady came out of his 40-day retirement from football and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. Rob Gronkowski, who played alongside Brady for much of his career, also came out of retirement to join him. His first season with the team as quarterback, he brought home the Super Bowl LV win. It was regarded as one of the best quarterback seasons for the Buccaneers.
The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the NFL as an expansion team in the 1995 season; they play their home games at EverBank Stadium.
The Tampa Bay Vipers began play in the XFL in February 2020; they play their home games at Raymond James Stadium.
The World Football League featured the Florida Blazers, Jacksonville Sharks and Jacksonville Express, whereas the United States Football League included the Tampa Bay Bandits, Jacksonville Bulls and Orlando Renegades. The Orlando Rage played in the original XFL in 2001, and the Orlando Apollos played in the Alliance of American Football in 2019.
The Miami metro area has hosted the Super Bowl a total of eleven times (six Super Bowls at Hard Rock Stadium, including Super Bowl LIV and five at the Miami Orange Bowl), tying New Orleans for the most games. Tampa has hosted five Super Bowls: Super Bowl XVIII (1984), Super Bowl XXV (1991), Super Bowl XXXV (2001), Super Bowl XLIII (2009), and Super Bowl LV (2020). The first two events were held at Tampa Stadium, and the other three at Raymond James Stadium. In 2005, Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX.
The Orange Bowl is a major college football bowl, held at the Miami metropolitan area since 1935, and is currently a member of the College Football Playoff's New Year's Six.
Other college bowl games in Florida include the Boca Raton Bowl in Boca Raton, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Citrus Bowl, and Cure Bowl in Orlando, the Gasparilla Bowl and Outback Bowl in Tampa, and the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville traditionally hosts the Florida–Georgia game, an annual college football game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia since 1933.
Baseball
Florida has a rich baseball history and has long been home to minor league teams and spring training.
In 1993, the Miami Marlins became the first Major League Baseball team to call Florida home. They won the World Series in 1997 and 2003.
The Tampa Bay Rays began playing in 1998 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. After a decade of futility, the Rays won the 2008 American League Pennant and made it to the World Series but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. The team won the 2020 American League Pennant and made it back to the World Series but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Recently, the Tropicana Stadium, where the Tampa Bay Rays play, was destroyed by Hurricane Milton. The city has been working hard to make sure it is back to its original form and is set to be done in December.
15 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state, with teams informally organized into the Grapefruit League. Throughout MLB history, other teams have held spring training in Florida but now hold spring training in Arizona's Cactus League.
Every Grapefruit League team also operates a minor league team in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and holds their spring training at that facility. Many of these teams also have an affiliate in the low-A Florida State League (as do the Cincinnati Reds, who are the only non-Grapefruit League team with a minor league affiliate in Florida). Two teams have Double A affiliates based in Florida.
Within Florida’s economy spring training is something that has persisted even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the difficulties associated with the period, spring training activities had still generated about $680 million for the economic impact for the state of Florida during 2020 and 2021. This displays how the local economy is heavily impacted by sports as even before the pandemic occurred, such as in 2019, resulted in similar levels of revenue during the spring sessions, emphasizing its importance.Florida Trend. (2023, March 15). Grapefruit Dreams. https://www.floridatrend.com/article/36320/grapefruit-dreams/
Sports tourism is a significant part of Florida’s economic contributions, specifically during baseball’s spring training season, the Florida Grapefruit League (2024) states, a total of 1,428,096 fans attended 226 Florida Spring Training Games in the 2024 season, for an average of 6,319 fans per game. Sports are heavily linked to Florida’s cultural identity and it's correlation with economic development are visualized through the fan turnout that contributes towards local events and attractions associated with commerce.Florida Grapefruit League. (2024). 2024 Florida Grapefruit League Attendance & Economic Impact Report https://floridagrapefruitleague.com/2024-attendance/
Minor league baseball teams in Florida include:
Florida Complex League TeamLocationMLB AffiliationFCL AstrosWest Palm BeachHouston AstrosFCL Blue JaysDunedinToronto Blue JaysFCL BravesNorth PortAtlanta BravesFCL CardinalsJupiterSt. Louis CardinalsFCL MarlinsJupiterMiami MarlinsFCL MetsPort St. LucieNew York MetsFCL NationalsWest Palm BeachWashington NationalsFCL Orioles BlackSarasotaBaltimore OriolesFCL Orioles OrangeFCL PhilliesClearwaterPhiladelphia PhilliesFCL Pirates BlackBradentonPittsburgh PiratesFCL Pirates GoldFCL RaysPort CharlotteTampa Bay RaysFCL Red SoxFort MyersBoston Red SoxFCL Tigers EastLakelandDetroit TigersFCL Tigers WestFCL TwinsFort MyersMinnesota TwinsFCL YankeesTampaNew York Yankees
Florida State League (Single-A) TeamMLB affiliationBradenton MaraudersPittsburgh PiratesClearwater ThreshersPhiladelphia PhilliesDaytona TortugasCincinnati RedsDunedin Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysFort Myers Mighty MusselsMinnesota TwinsJupiter HammerheadsMiami MarlinsLakeland Flying TigersDetroit TigersPalm Beach CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Lucie MetsNew York MetsTampa TarponsNew York Yankees
Double-A TeamMLB AffiliationPensacola Blue WahoosMiami Marlins
Triple-A TeamMLB AffiliationJacksonville Jumbo ShrimpMiami Marlins
Basketball Before Florida had its first NBA franchise, the Miami Floridians, later in their history known as The Floridians, played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968 through 1972.
The Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association was formed in 1988 as an expansion team. They have won three league championships (in 2006, 2012 and 2013), plus seven conference titles.
The Orlando Magic began playing in NBA in 1989 as an expansion franchise. They have won the Eastern Conference championships in 1995 and 2009.
In 2020, the NBA decided to finish the delayed NBA season in a bubble in the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. All of the teams relocated to Walt Disney World and played their games there.
Due to the travel restrictions derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Toronto Raptors temporarily relocated to Tampa, playing their home games at Amalie Arena.
It was also the site for the entire WNBA season. All women's teams played their home games out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.Griffen, N. (2020). New-look Sun finally get WNBA started on Sunday in Florida. TCA Regional News. ProQuest. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2426834740 Florida also had two WNBA teams: the Orlando Miracle (1999-2002) and Miami Sol (2000-2002).
Ice hockey
Established in 1938, the Tropical Hockey League was the first experiment with professional hockey in the American South. It lasted for one season as a professional league, consisting of four teams all based in Miami, then was resurrected as an amateur league before folding in 1941.
The Miami Screaming Eagles co-founded the World Hockey Association in 1971, but never played due to a lack of a suitable arena.
Florida is home to two National Hockey League teams. The Tampa Bay Lightning was established in 1992, and currently play their home games in the Benchmark International Arena, located in downtown Tampa. The Lightning have won the Stanley Cup three times, in 2004, 2020, and 2021. The Lightning also made the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and 2022, and made the Eastern Conference Final in 2011, 2017, and 2018.
The Florida Panthers was founded in 1993. The club originally played at the Miami Arena, before moving to what is now the Amerant Bank Arena in 1998. They have made four appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, losing in 1996 and 2023, and winning back to back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, both times defeating the Edmonton Oilers.
Florida has three ECHL minor hockey league teams – the Florida Everblades, Jacksonville Icemen, and the Orlando Solar Bears.
Soccer
Florida is home to two professional soccer franchises who compete in Major League Soccer (MLS): Orlando City SC (since 2015) and Inter Miami CF (since 2020). Former MLS franchises in Florida include the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996 to 2001) and the Miami Fusion (1998 to 2001).