Sports in Puerto Rico can be traced from the ceremonial competitions amongst the pre-Columbian Native Americans of the Arawak (Taíno) tribes who inhabited the island to the modern era in which sports activities consist of an organized physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose for competition. One of the sports which the Taíno's played was a ball game called "Batey". The "Batey" was played in U-shaped fields two teams; however, unlike the ball games of the modern era, the winners were treated like heroes and the losers were sacrificed.
Iván Rodríguez Torres, nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball catcher. A member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Rodríguez is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in MLB history. He played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.
The Puerto Rico Islanders were a professional association football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. They played in several different leagues from 2004 to 2012, when they suspended operations. In their last two seasons they played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They played their home games at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium. The team's colors were orange and white. They were succeeded by Puerto Rico FC.
The Puerto Rico national football team represents Puerto Rico in men's international football, and are governed by the Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol (FPF). The team's nickname is El Huracán Azul meaning The Blue Hurricane. They are members of the Caribbean Football Union, and part of CONCACAF. The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup or the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Puerto Rico Soccer League or PRSL is an association football league in Puerto Rico founded in 2008 and the first unified football league in the island's history. Association football had been growing in popularity in recent years, and this was an attempt to further develop the game on the island. The previous highest league in the country was the Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Puerto Rico. It shares Division I status with Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Puerto Rico.
Sevilla FC Puerto Rico was a Puerto Rican professional association football team based in Juncos, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2006, the team used to play in the Puerto Rico Soccer League. The club was founded in 2006 as a farm team for the Puerto Rico Islanders of the North American Soccer League in Bayamón, but in 2008 partnered with the Spanish La Liga club Sevilla FC and moved a year later to Juncos. Sevilla won both the regular season and play-offs in the inaugural season of the Puerto Rico Soccer League in 2008, and also won the regular season in 2011 before losing the play-off final on penalties to Leones.
Puerto Rico United is a Puerto Rican association football team based in Aguada, Puerto Rico founded in 2007. The team has played professionally in the Puerto Rico Soccer League (PRSL) and briefly in the American USL Professional Division. The team last competed in a professional league in 2011.
Puerto Rico FC was a professional football club based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2015, the team played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team debuted in the 2016 fall season. The team played its home games at the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium until the stadium was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria in September 2017. The team last played during the 2017 NASL season.
The Bayamon Wolfpack are a semi-pro Puerto Rican football team based in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, competing in the Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL).
The Carolina King Giants are a semi-pro Puerto Rican football team based in Carolina, Puerto Rico, competing in the Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL).
Gurabo Packers is a football team in Puerto Rico, founded in 2016 located in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. It plays in division 1 of the Puerto Rico American Football League.
The Peñuelas Ravens are a semi-pro Puerto Rican football team based in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, competing in the Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL).
The Hatillo Eagles was a semi-pro Puerto Rican football team based in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, competing in the Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL).
The University Gardens Seahawks are a semi-pro Puerto Rican football team based in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, competing in the Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL).
The 2017 Puerto Rico Soccer League season would be the 9th season as Puerto Rico's top-division football league.
The Liga Puerto Rico (LPR) is an amateur football competition organized by the Puerto Rican Football Federation. It is the top division football league on the island. The champion qualifies to participate in the Caribbean Club Shield each season.
2017