Most Relevant Team in Every Major Sports City Right Now
Do the Lakers still own L.A.?
Relevance is a matter of opinion—what is significant to one fan's interests might not be to another. This is about, in general, which team is the most relevant right now in each of these major sports cities.
A major sports city is defined as follows: At least three of the five major sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS) are represented in or near the city. This means no offense to great towns such as New Orleans and Oklahoma City, but a two-man race just isn't as fun, and a one-man race certainly isn't. Warning: It'll be tough for any MLS team to win its city's title, but the Seattle Sounders just might have a chance.
Relevant can mean "good," but it doesn't have to. These are teams people are talking about, interested in. So do the Lakers own L.A.? Does a recent World Series title make the San Francisco Giants more significant than the Golden State Warriors in the Bay Area? Using a very unscientific analysis, let's find out.
Honorable Mention: Indianapolis
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Teams: Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis only has two teams based on the criteria, but it gets an honorable mention because of a little race called the Indianapolis 500. The NCAA is also headquartered there, further fortifying Indy's sports identity.
The Colts and Pacers are surely beloved in Indianapolis, but no one ever called the Colts "the greatest spectacle in football."
Atlanta
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Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves
Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman told USA Today's Bob Nightengale they are not rebuilding, but it sure seems like they are. The Falcons were 6-10 last year, but NFL analyst Bucky Brooks did give the team an A draft grade. Still, the Hawks just had their best season ever, literally. Even though they got LeBronned in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks are still the biggest deal in A-Town right now.
Winner: Hawks
Cleveland
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Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians
No offense to any of the other Cleveland teams, but LeBron James taking the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his first year back—that trumps all.
Winner: Cavaliers
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Kansas City
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Teams: Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City
Yes, SKC is over the state line in Kansas, but bear with me. The MLS team of the area is toiling near the middle of the Western Conference and not super relevant outside of soccer fans.
The Chiefs finished at a respectable 9-7 last year, but unfortunately, they play in the same division as Peyton Manning. That said, it's shaping up to be an intriguing year, as Andy Reid, Alex Smith and Co. look to make the postseason for the second time in three years. ESPN's Sal Paolantonio even said he thinks the Chiefs are going to win the division, according to Pete Sweeney of KCChiefs.com.
Still, the Royals made the playoffs for the first time in three decades last season and came within one superhuman pitcher of winning the World Series. The Royals might be the team to beat in the American League Central for the first time in a very long time.
Winner: Royals
Phoenix
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Teams: Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes finished dead last in the NHL's Western Conference this season. The Suns were a dismal 39-43 on the year, but the team did do a very cool thing by having a 17-year-old cancer patient represent it at the NBA draft lottery. And the Diamondbacks are just having a very Diamondback-like year so far.
The offseason hype around the Cardinals is heating up, though. Despite playing in the generally tough NFC West, the Cardinals went 11-5 and made the NFL playoffs in 2014. Add that to the ongoing "will he/won't he" championship narrative of Larry Fitzgerald, and this is a team to watch.
Winner: Cardinals
Pittsburgh
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Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pirates are coming off two consecutive playoff appearances. The team has been climbing back into relevance after years of the opposite with the help of 2013 MVP Andrew McCutchen.
The Penguins have one of the NHL's best players in Sidney Crosby, but fans have become frustrated with consistently high expectations and just one title in the past two decades.
Pittsburgh has long been a football town. The Steelers have won two Super Bowls in the Ben Roethlisberger era, and they won 11 games last year en route to a playoff appearance. All eyes in Pittsburgh will be on the Steelers this season as they navigate the first three games without star running back Le'Veon Bell.
Winner: Steelers
Seattle
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Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Sounders
The Mariners have shown signs of life in recent years, thanks in part to roster additions like Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, along with old reliable Felix Hernandez. So no disrespect, but this is really a two-man race between the 2015 Super Bowl runner-up and the MLS attendance king.
The Sounders have been setting attendance records for years, obliterating every other team in the league, and they plan to open CenturyLink Field to full capacity for four games this season. U.S. national team star Clint Dempsey also plays for the team, and Seattle's rivalry with the Portland Timbers is one of the fiercest in American sports.
And if the Seahawks weren't less than two years removed from a Super Bowl championship—if they hadn't just played in another one a few short months ago, and if Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham didn't combine to make up one of the most intriguing rosters in the league—the Sounders would've had this one.
Winner: Seahawks
St. Louis
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Teams: St. Louis Rams, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues
The most intriguing thing the Rams have done lately is get Sam Bradford off their hands. The Blues won their division this season but failed to make it out of the first round of the NHL playoffs. Both the Rams and Blues were in the bottom half of their respective leagues in attendance by percentage in 2014.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals led MLB in the same attendance category and time frame in 2014. The Cards have made it to the National League Championship Series in each of the last four seasons. They advanced to the World Series twice, winning once. Anytime the word "dynasty" is mentioned in reference to a team, that's pretty relevant.
Winner: Cardinals
Tampa Bay
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Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning
The Rays have had some success in the not-super-distant past, but they lost their manager to the Chicago Cubs and regularly have dismal attendance figures. The Buccaneers just drafted Jameis Winston, and a lot of eyes are on that team to see what he does. However, picking first in the NFL draft also means you were horrendous the previous season, so…
Hockey is a tough sell in Florida, but the Lightning are actually having an epic year. They finished the regular season with 50 wins, the most in franchise history. At worst, they will have taken the New York Rangers to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final, and at best, they could advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2004.
Winner: Lightning
Detroit
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Teams: Detroit Pistons, Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings
The Pistons haven't really been good since Rasheed Wallace was still on the team—they last made the NBA playoffs in 2009. That said, the other three Detroit teams are all relevant. But since it can't be a three-way tie...
The Tigers are very much in the thick of things in the American League Central, but it could be argued Max Scherzer's departure and Justin Verlander's extended stint on the disabled list are making the team a little more ho-hum than recent years (so far anyway). The Lions are coming off a playoff berth in 2014, but their biggest offseason move was not re-signing Ndamukong Suh.
As is the case with many cities, Detroit fans are immensely passionate. So the departure of head coach Mike Babcock from Hockeytown might be the most relevant thing to happen there in a while. Babcock took the Red Wings to the postseason in each of his 10 years behind the bench, and the team itself has made the playoffs an astonishing 24 seasons in a row.
Winner: Red Wings
Houston
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Teams: Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Houston Dynamo
The Houston Texans finished 9-7 last season and failed to make the playoffs. However, one of the most dynamic players in the NFL (J.J. Watt) does play on their team, so that's something. Then again, the quarterback competition involves Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett.
Despite a defeat in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets just wrapped a great season. James Harden was an MVP candidate, and Dwight Howard battled injuries to become a key postseason contributor, averaging 16.4 points and 2.3 blocks per game.
However, the Astros are, incredibly, atop the American League West (by quite a bit) at the end of May. The Astros haven't made the MLB playoffs since 2005, so their hot start is kind of a big deal.
Winner: Astros (!)
Miami
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Teams: Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, Florida Panthers
LeBron James left town, and the Miami Heat immediately failed to make the postseason. As far as the Marlins are concerned, despite $325 million stud Giancarlo Stanton, the team is still well below .500 heading into June. The Panthers finished above .500 but failed to make the NHL playoffs.
Surprisingly, the most intriguing team in Miami right now might be the Dolphins. The team started 2014 strong with a win against eventual champion New England, but the Fish ended up 8-8, missing the playoffs. Heading into 2015, the roster looks strong on paper, and the competition in the AFC East might have some issues of its own (cough, Deflategate, cough, Geno Smith).
Winner: Dolphins
Minneapolis-St. Paul
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Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild
The biggest question with the Vikings is what's going to happen with Adrian Peterson, who is reportedly skipping OTAs. The Timberwolves had another abysmal season, but they made news by losing one Kevin (Love) and gaining another (Garnett). They also won the NBA draft lottery, so the "what will they do with the pick" question will remain until the draft.
After a rough start, the Twins are in the (very) early hunt for MLB's stacked American League Central, but the most relevant team right now has got to be the Wild. Minnesota is a hockey state, and its NHL team just finished up its best season in almost a decade. Plus, there was that time Jordan Leopold's adorable daughter may or may not have been instrumental in getting her dad traded to Minnesota.
Winner: Wild
Toronto
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Teams: Toronto Raptors, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC
Canada is all about hockey, but the Maple Leafs have struggled recently, making the playoffs only once in the past 10 years (in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season). Similarly, the Blue Jays haven't seen postseason play since 1993. The picture in the American League East, however, is tight heading into June, and anything could happen between now and September.
A few big names in American soccer play for Toronto FC—Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley. However, only one team in Toronto has made back-to-back postseason appearances. Sure, they got swept out of the playoffs, but they were there. Plus, the Raptors' famous fans, Drake and Justin Bieber, have helped increase the buzz around the team.
Winner: Raptors
Boston
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Teams: Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, New England Revolution
Boston is a great sports town, but just like nothing can top LeBron James in Cleveland, nothing can top the golden boy's suspension in New England. The Patriots are the most relevant team in Boston right now, whether they like it or not. The victory in Super Bowl XLIX has taken a backseat to Deflategate and the continuing saga of superstar Tom Brady. Plus, Gronk being Gronk.
Winner: Patriots
Dallas
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Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, FC Dallas
There is a lot going on in Dallas right now. Josh Hamilton is back with the Rangers, and Mark Cuban is always making headlines as the owner of the Mavericks. Unfortunately for the Stars and FC Dallas, it's a cramped market, and hockey and soccer would have to do something astoundingly interesting to get the title of "most relevant" in this town.
Texas is, after all, a football state. And the Cowboys have been referred to as "America's Team" for a long time. From Jerry Jones' ownership antics to questions about Tony Romo's postseason legacy and the ongoing rumors of a possible Adrian Peterson trade, this team continues to be uber-relevant in Dallas.
Winner: Cowboys
Denver
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Teams: Denver Nuggets, Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids
The Nuggets, Rockies, Avalanche and Rapids all missed the playoffs in their last complete seasons. The only consistently good team in recent years has been the Broncos. Certainly, performance isn't the only applicable factor here, but add all the Peyton Manning retirement talk into the mix, and the Broncos own Denver.
Side note: It will be interesting to see what happens with the Rockies and star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, but the Broncos still own Denver.
Winner: Broncos
Philadelphia
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Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Union
Phillies interim president Pat Gillick has said the team doesn't plan to contend until 2017 at the earliest, according to of MLB.com. The Flyers didn't make the playoffs, and the Union are just meh at the end of May. The 76ers just got the third pick in the NBA draft, so that's something.
By far, Chip Kelly and the Eagles are the most relevant team in Philadelphia right now. Their offseason moves included trading LeSean McCoy to Buffalo, swapping Nick Foles for the perennially injured Sam Bradford, winning the DeMarco Murray lottery and…drumroll…signing Tim Tebow!
Winner: Eagles
Washington, D.C.
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Teams: Washington Wizards, Washington Redskins, Washington Nationals, Washington Capitals, D.C. United
In our nation's capital, the Redskins are relevant for all the wrong reasons—the struggles of Robert Griffin III, Dan Snyder and the name controversy.
Other teams have had more success, however. D.C. United is posting a good start to the MLS season. Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are always fun to watch, and they had a good year, losing to the New York Rangers in the second round of the NHL playoffs. Same story with the Wizards, except replace "Alex Ovechkin" with "John Wall" and "New York Rangers" with "Atlanta Hawks."
Despite successful seasons for the MLS, NHL and NBA teams, the Nationals are where it's at right now. Bryce Harper is lighting up MLB, making a strong case early on for NL MVP. According to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Enquirer, Harper led the majors in runs, home runs, RBI, walks, OBP and and slugging percentage as of May 27. Whoa.
Winner: Nationals
Chicago
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Teams: Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Fire
Now is an exciting time in Chicago sports. The Bulls and Blackhawks made the postseason, and the Cubs are going to enter June above .500 for the first time since 2009.
The Fire face heavy competition from bigger leagues, and the White Sox have yet to fulfill their on-paper potential. The Bears will always be a big deal in Chicago, but the offseason drama involving Jay Cutler has gotten a little old.
The Blackhawks' recent multiple championships make them a finalist. However, right now there is actual, non-ironic talk of breaking a 100-plus-year curse in the next few seasons. Joe Maddon, Jon Lester and Kris Bryant were major additions to the Cubs, and any time the North Siders are actually decent, that is a BFD in Chicago.
Winner: Cubs
Bay Area
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Teams: Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes
The Bay Area is jammed up with sports relevance right now.
The teams to eliminate right away are the Raiders, Earthquakes and Sharks—only because some teams have to get eliminated, and these three didn't make the playoffs in their last complete seasons.
The 49ers are coming off a non-playoff year, and how the team will fare without Jim Harbaugh remains to be seen. General manager Billy Beane and the A's continue to seek that elusive playoff success. Meanwhile, the Giants have won three of the last five World Series, and last year's MadBum-mania was truly insane. A lot of folks are waiting to see what the champs do for yet another encore.
Then there are the Warriors. Steph Curry won the NBA MVP. Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, et al. have made the Warriors one of the best, most dynamic and fun teams in the league this year. And now, they're headed to the NBA Finals to face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Winner: Warriors
Los Angeles
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Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Galaxy
This is a hard one. No more David Beckam or Landon Donovan on the Galaxy, so it's out. The Angels aren't even the best baseball team in the area right now, and the same goes for the Kings in hockey.
Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers are off to a good start, and it should be a tough battle in the National League West. The Ducks are, as of May 28, headed to a Game 7 with the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Western Conference Final. The Clippers had a much better season than the Lakers, but they also collapsed in epic fashion to lose in the Western Conference semifinals.
Meanwhile, the possibility of the Lakers getting the No. 1 pick was the biggest deal at the NBA draft lottery. This is going to be controversial, but here it goes: Despite the Lakers' 21-61 record last season, the Kobe Bryant retirement narrative has kept the Lakers relevant in the offseason. Right or wrong, as long as Bryant is there, it will be tough to dethrone the Lakers as the most relevant team in L.A.
Winner: Lakers
New York
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Teams: New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, New York Giants, New York Jets, New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New York Red Bulls, New York City FC
Let's be honest—every team is relevant in New York. It's New York. Here are just a few of the hot storylines in the Big Apple right now: Alex Rodriguez reaching milestones for the Yankees, Matt Harvey's return from Tommy John surgery with the Mets, the Knicks' horrendous season of ick, the arrival of a second MLS team that plays in Yankee Stadium, the dismal quarterback situation with the Jets. On and on and on...
However, I'm really going to have to take this "right now" business seriously on this one. This could change as early as tomorrow (May 29), but at this moment, the Rangers are the biggest deal in New York, as they're headed into a Game 7 with the Tampa Bay Lightning for a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. After making the playoffs nine out of the last 10 seasons, Rangers fans want to see the first championship since 1994.
Winner: Rangers
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