List of professional sports teams in Michigan

Last updated

Michigan has a number of professional and semi-professional sports teams in various sports and leagues.

Contents

Major league teams

TeamSportLeagueVenue
Detroit Tigers Baseball Major League Baseball Comerica Park
Detroit Lions Football National Football League Ford Field
Detroit Red Wings Ice hockey National Hockey League Little Caesars Arena
Detroit Pistons Basketball National Basketball Association Little Caesars Arena

Michigan is home to four major-league professional sports teams, all of which play in the Detroit metropolitan area. The Pistons played at Detroit's Cobo Arena until 1978 and at the Pontiac Silverdome until 1988, when they moved into the Palace of Auburn Hills where they played for 28 years between 1988 and 2017, before moving back inside city limits to Little Caesars Arena in Detroit in 2017. The Detroit Lions played at Tiger Stadium in Detroit until 1974, then moved to the Pontiac Silverdome where they played for 27 years between 1975 and 2002, before moving to Ford Field in Detroit in 2002. The Detroit Tigers played at Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) from 1912 to 1999. In 2000 they moved to Comerica Park. The Red Wings played at Olympia Stadium until 1979, Joe Louis Arena from 1979 to 2017, and then to Little Caesars Arena beginning in 2017.

Other notable sports teams

ClubSportLeagueMetro Area (City)
Battle Creek Battle Jacks Baseball Summer Collegiate Baseball, Northwoods League Battle Creek
Kalamazoo Growlers BaseballSummer Collegiate Baseball, Northwoods League Kalamazoo
Saginaw Sugar Beets BaseballSummer Collegiate Baseball, Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League Saginaw
Utica Unicorns Baseball United Shore Professional Baseball League Utica
Eastside Diamond Hoppers BaseballUnited Shore Professional Baseball LeagueDetroit
Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers BaseballUnited Shore Professional Baseball LeagueDetroit
Westside Woolly Mammoths BaseballUnited Shore Professional Baseball LeagueDetroit
Lansing Lugnuts Baseball Minor League Baseball, Midwest League Lansing
Great Lakes Loons BaseballMinor League Baseball, Midwest League Midland
Traverse City Pit Spitters Baseball Northwoods League Traverse City
West Michigan Whitecaps BaseballMinor League Baseball, Midwest League Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Gold Basketball NBA G League Grand Rapids
Motor City Cruise Basketball NBA G League Detroit
Detroit Coast II Coast All-Stars Basketball American Basketball Association Detroit
Flint-Vehicle City Chargers BasketballAmerican Basketball Association Flint
Grand Rapids Danger BasketballAmerican Basketball AssociationGrand Rapids
Lansing Sting BasketballAmerican Basketball AssociationLansing
Motor City Firebirds BasketballAmerican Basketball AssociationDetroit
Oakland County Cowboys BasketballAmerican Basketball AssociationDetroit
Team NetWork BasketballAmerican Basketball AssociationDetroit
West Michigan Lake Hawks BasketballAmerican Basketball Association Muskegon
Grand Rapids Fusion Basketball Independent Basketball Association Grand Rapids
Lansing Capitals BasketballIndependent Basketball AssociationLansing
Grand Rapids Cyclones Basketball Premier Basketball League Grand Rapids
Lake Michigan Admirals BasketballPremier Basketball League Benton Harbor
Michigan Panthers Football United States Football League (2022) TBD
Grand Rapids Griffins Ice hockey American Hockey League Grand Rapids
Kalamazoo Wings Ice hockey ECHL Kalamazoo
Motor City Rockers Ice hockey Federal Prospects Hockey League Fraser
Port Huron Prowlers Ice hockey Federal Prospects Hockey League Port Huron
West Michigan Ironmen Indoor football American Arena League Muskegon
Waza Flo Indoor soccer Major Arena Soccer League Flint
Waza Premier Indoor soccer Premier Arena Soccer League Flint
AFC Ann Arbor Soccer National Premier Soccer League Ann Arbor
Detroit City FC Soccer USL Championship Detroit (stadium in Hamtramck)
Grand Rapids FC SoccerNational Premier Soccer League, United Women's Soccer Grand Rapids
Kalamazoo FC SoccerNational Premier Soccer LeagueKalamazoo
Lansing United Soccer United Women's Soccer Lansing
Michigan Stars FC SoccerNational Premier Soccer LeagueDetroit
Flint City Bucks SoccerUSL League TwoFlint
Ole SCSoccer Premier League of America Grand Rapids
Carpathia FC Soccer United Premier Soccer League Detroit
Muskegon Risers SC SoccerUnited Premier Soccer LeagueMuskegon
Oakland County FC SoccerUnited Premier Soccer LeagueDetroit
PASS FCSoccer United Premier Soccer League Grand Rapids
Detroit Mechanix Ultimate American Ultimate Disc League Grand Rapids (formerly in Detroit, currently keeping Detroit name)
Ann Arbor Derby Dimes Roller derby Women's Flat Track Derby Association (Ann Arbor)
Detroit Roller Derby Roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationDetroit
Flint City Derby Girls Roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationFlint
Grand Raggidy Roller Derby Roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationGrand Rapids
Killamazoo Derby Darlins Roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationKalamazoo
Lansing Derby Vixens Roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationLansing
Detroit Bordercats Roller hockey National Roller Hockey League Detroit
Detroit StarsRoller hockeyNational Roller Hockey LeagueDearborn Heights
Motor City ReviveRoller hockeyNational Roller Hockey LeagueWest Bloomfield
Shelby SurgeRoller hockeyNational Roller Hockey LeagueShelby Charter Township
Detroit Dark Angels Women's football Women's Football Alliance Detroit
West Michigan Mayhem Women's footballWomen's Football AllianceKalamazoo
Grand Rapids Rise Women's volleyball Pro Volleyball Federation Grand Rapids

Former professional teams

ClubSportLeague(s)Status
Detroit Drive Arena football Arena Football League Became the Massachusetts Marauders for the 1994 season, then was suspended for three years.
Detroit Fury Arena football Arena Football League Franchise terminated September 20, 2004
Grand Rapids Rampage Arena football Arena Football League Franchise terminated March 5, 2010.
Detroit Stars Baseball Negro National League, 2nd Negro National League, Negro American League The team ceased operations in 1960
Detroit Wolverines Baseball National League Played 1881–1888. Disbanded following the 1888 season; NL champions and "World Series" champions, 1887
Kalamazoo Kings BaseballMinor League Baseball, Frontier League Ceased operations in the 2011 season
Oakland County Cruisers Baseball Minor League Baseball, Frontier League Moved to London, Ontario in 2012 and became the London Rippers (now defunct)
Detroit Shock Basketball Women's National Basketball Association Moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and became the Tulsa Shock; would move again to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and are now the Dallas Wings.
Detroit Gems Basketball National Basketball League Moved to Minneapolis and became the Minneapolis Lakers; would move again to Los Angeles and are now the Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Falcons Basketball Basketball Association of America Defunct
Michigan Mayhem Basketball Continental Basketball Association Disbanded after 2005-2006 season
Holland Dream Basketball Independent Basketball Association
Battle Creek Flight Basketball Independent Basketball Association
Battle Creek Knights Basketball Premier Basketball League
Detroit Panthers Basketball Premier Basketball League
Mid-Michigan Destroyers Basketball Premier Basketball League
Detroit Heralds/Tigers/Panthers/Wolverines Football National Football League Defunct
Detroit Demolition Football Independent Women's Football League
Detroit Wheels Football World Football League Moved to Charlotte, North Carolina for one game, then disbanded in the middle of the 1974 season
Michigan Panthers Football United States Football League Defunct
Flint Generals Ice hockey International Hockey League Disbanded in 2010 when IHL merged into the AHL.
Michigan Stags Ice hockey World Hockey Association Moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Blades for the rest of the team's existence
Detroit Vipers Ice hockey International Hockey League Disbanded when IHL folded
Port Huron IceHawks Ice hockey International Hockey League
St. Clair Shores Fighting Saints Ice hockey Federal Hockey League Relocated to Kingsville, Ontario
Saginaw Sting Indoor football American Indoor Football
Battle Creek Crunch Indoor football Continental Indoor Football League
Detroit Thunder Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Flint Phantoms Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Kalamazoo Xplosion Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Motor City Reapers Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Muskegon Thunder Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Port Huron Patriots Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Port Huron Pirates Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Port Huron Predators Indoor footballContinental Indoor Football League
Flint Flames Indoor football Indoor Football League
West Michigan ThunderHawks Indoor football Indoor Football League
Detroit Caesars Softball American Professional Slo-Pitch League Disbanded in 1979.
Detroit Auto Kings Softball North American Softball League Disbanded in 1980.
Detroit Ignition Indoor soccer Xtreme Soccer League League folded in 2009
Detroit Safari Indoor soccer Continental Indoor Soccer League League folded in 1997.
Detroit Lightning Indoor soccer Professional Relocated in 1980 to become the San Francisco Fog (MISL)
Detroit Express Soccer North American Soccer League 1981, Moved to become Washington Diplomats, Lasted 1 year. League folded in 1984
Kalamazoo Kingdom Soccer USL Premier Development League Folded in 2006.
Lansing Ignite FC Soccer USL League One Folded
Michigan Hawks Soccer W-League Folded after the 2008 season.
Michigan Phoenix Soccer Women's Premier Soccer League Left the WPSL and terminated in 2006
West Michigan Edge Soccer USL Premier Development League Folded after the 2008 season.
West Michigan Firewomen Soccer W-League
Grand Rapids Chicks Women's baseball All-American Girls Professional Baseball League League folded in 1954.
Kalamazoo Lassies Women's baseballAll-American Girls Professional Baseball LeagueLeague folded in 1954.
Muskegon Belles Women's baseballAll-American Girls Professional Baseball LeagueLeague folded in 1954.
Muskegon Lassies Women's baseballAll-American Girls Professional Baseball LeagueMoved to Kalamazoo in 1950.

See also

References