Photo Credit: The Speedy Butterfly / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: Natalia Pushchina / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: nikitsin.smugmug.com / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: Songquan Deng / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: Christopher Penler / Shutterstock, Photo Credit: Richard Cavalleri / Shutterstock. New Orleans Saints (1967-2010): . At the metro level, one city currently stands out for the length of time without a professional sports title. Counted from the first Super Bowl season, 1966, to present. Current NFL cities/regions only. The Detroit Red Wings brought the last major championship home to the Motor City ten . Check out our Cyber Monday Shoppers Guide! Ironically, the 2016 World Series loss to the Chicago Cubs snapped the longest championship drought ever, with the Cubs going 107 years without a title. Only locations . San Diego is the nations 17th largest metropolitan area with a 2017 population of 3,337,685. Here is how they compare to those 12. It is the largest city on the list and the only one with teams in all major leagues. Most cities, however, have tasted recent success in a major sport in one form or another. Here are the teams with the longest-running droughts in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and WNBA: Twelve NFL teams have never won a Super Bowl, but no team has gone longer without a championship than the Arizona Cardinals. It has been home to the NFLs San Diego Chargers (now Los Angeles Chargers), the NBAs San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets), San Diego Clippers (now Los Angeles Clippers) and briefly a second home for the Golden State Warriors, the ABAs San Diego Conquistadors, the NASLs San Diego Sockers (defunct) and the San Diego Padres. Minnesota United has yet to make the playoffs in two seasons of play in the MLS. Cleveland has not won a title since 1948, but it has come close to winning one several times. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ten Major Cities With Longest Championship Droughts. Mariners: 46 seasons (No titles)With the Nationals making it to the Fall Classic in 2019, that left the Mariners as the only franchise without an appearance in baseballs championship event. Researchers at HotDog.com ranked US and Canadian metropolitan areas according to active professional sports championship droughts, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS. General manager Billy Beanes innovative roster strategies have kept the As competitive on small-market budgets, particularly during the clubs Moneyball period in the early 2000s, but the franchise has reached just two ALCS since last winning the World Series in 1989. Whether curses are to blame or just bad management and worse luck, fans put up with a lot. Researchers at HotDog.com ranked U.S. and Canadian metropolitan areas according to active professional sports championship droughts, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS. This is also a list of the last time a particular club won a divisional playoff game. Columbus has only one active team, the, There have been no championships in Memphis history. Since the Chargers won the 1963 AFL championship, the Chargers, Padres, Clippers and Rockets have played a combined 109 seasons without a championship among them. Its made just one Fall Classic, in '82, when the Brew Crew was unable to finish off a 3-2 lead against the Cardinals. Others, meanwhile, are annually telling themselves Maybe next year just to repeat the cycle. Cyber Monday is coming with lots of deals on the things cord-cutters want and need from top providers like Hulu, ExpressVPN and NordVPN. For these teams, its practically impossible. Atlanta Hawks - 63 years. Some believe a curse is a reason for this title drought. A citys sports misfortunes can come in different forms. It is also possible that the NHL championship drought will extend to Los Angeles. Of course, some have it worse than others. The St. Louis Blues, founded in 1967, hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2019, their first championship in franchise history. Orioles: 39 seasons (Last title in 1983)Baltimores most recent trip to the World Series was its victory over the Phillies in 1983, when Cal Ripken Jr. was a 23-year-old who was only a year and a half into his consecutive-games streak. Prior to the 1972 season, the AFL's Oakland Raiders defeated the NFL's Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. Far more importantly, New York is in the playoffs for the first time since Ben McAdoo was the head coach, bringing an end to the Giants five-year playoff drought. Tom Brady, however, drove the Patriots 37 yards to set up the game-winning Adam Vinatieri 41 yard field goal. The modern Ottawa Senators did not begin. With spring training having begun in baseball and basketball and hockey seasons ramping up towards the playoffs towards, hope springs eternal for dedicated fans. It could be a decades-long, mythic streak of losing, like the 86- and 108-year World Series droughts of the Boston Red Sox (ended in 2004) and the Chicago Cubs (ended in 2016). Most cities, however, have tasted recent success in a major sport in one form or another. Blue Jays: 29 seasons (Last title in 1993)The road to the World Series title ran through Toronto at the beginning of the 1990s, but dynastic days north of the border subsided at the turn of the millennium. Here is a look at the longest active championship droughts, all of which go back to at least 1998. Last championship: 1994 Getty Images The Rangers are one of the NHL's "Original Six" teams and last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1994 to end a 54-year title drought. This is a sortable table of all 32 current NFL teams. But the magic hasnt been sufficient enough in the years since, though the Mets did enjoy plenty of memorable moments during their NL pennant runs in 2000 and 15. While the Rays made the postseason for the fourth straight season in 2022, they fell to the Guardians in the Wild Card Series. The Sabres made it to the Conference Finals in 2006 and 2007, but have not won a playoff series since then. New York then lost in the Finals three times from 1999 to 2002. Cleveland Guardians (MLB) - 73 years. ExpressVPN. Teams that have never made it beyond each successive milestone are listed under the year in which they began NFL play. Last championship in the city: New York Giants (2012), or for Brooklyn specifically, the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. Padres fans can take comfort in the fact that the Yankees were simply that good, as they began a 10-game World Series winning streak as the Yankees also swept the Atlanta Braves in 1999 and beat the New York Mets (4-1) in 2000. The Bucks swept through the NBA playoffs beating Nate Thurmond and the San Francisco Warriors (4-1), Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) and sweeping Wes Unseld and the Baltimore Bullets. Ottawa. They lost the championship the following season and did not reach the championship game for 60 years before falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl LIII. Its par for the course from a team that has battled to even reach mediocrity during its best seasons in the last two decades. The Bucks have not won a series since then, although this year certainly looks promising. The Original Ottawa Senators last won the Stanley Cup in 1927. Things looked promising for the Magic when they landed Shaquille ONeal with the #1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. DID YOU KNOW?FuboTV offers 38+ sports-oriented channels, which is why it might be the best option for live TV for sports fans. And some of these droughts are especially surprising. Winning a championship, regardless of league, is no easy feat. "Hotdog" is a registered trademark of Incognito Mode LLC. Last year they had the best record in the National League and were one game away from returning to the World Series, but lost Game 7 of the NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1. It could be tantalizingly close misses, like the Buffalo Bills run of four straight Super Bowl losses in the 1990s. Kansas City Royals - 6 years. Sacramento Kings - 71 years. At the metro level, one city currently stands out for the length of time without a professional sports title. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Since then the Bills have won only one playoff game - the 1995 Wild Card game. Theyve made it twice total since last winning in 1984. 10 of those cities have seen at least 2 teams total (in 2 different sports) win a championship ; 10 have seen at least 1 championship since 2010; 11 have seen at least 1 team win a championship since 2000 Between the NHLs Sabres (established 1970) and the NFLs Bills (established 1960), Buffalo has never experienced a sports championship in 62 years of having teams. Unfortunately for the Padres, they faced the New York Yankees, who at 114-48 had posted the second-best record in Major League history. Featured Photo Credit: Doug Lemke / Shutterstock. Tennessee also stands out for its pro sports struggles. It also has struggled with its back against the wall. He started streaming early, back in 2007 when Netflix introduced what seemed revolutionary even then, "instant watch," or what would eventually become the totality of the company. Its also an essential tool for getting the most out of your streaming services. Jacksonvilles debut as a pro-sports city came in 1970 when the American Basketball Associations The Floridians played some of their games in Jacksonville as a regional franchise in 1970 and 1971. Phoenix Suns - 53 years. The Longest NFL Championship Droughts The wait can be miserable. All NFL championships since the NFL was founded in 1920 were included; all NBA championships since the NBA was founded in 1946 were included; all World Series were included, dating back to 1903; all NHL championships since the NHL was founded in 1917 were included; and all MLS championships since MLSs first season in 1996 were included. For current droughts, Minnesota leads all states in the U.S. for the longest championship drought. Rockies: 30 seasons (No titles)Colorado had all the momentum in 2007, when "Rocktober" swept Denver and the team won eight straight postseason games and the NL pennant after prevailing over the Padres in a Game 163. Around a quarter (25.5%) have never won a championship, but one important caveat is that most of these cities have not had pro sports franchises for very long. The closest Milwaukee came to a title since 1971, however, was in 1982 when the Harvey Wallbanger Brewers won their only pennant in their 50-year history. In the event of a tie, the location with fewer total professional championships was ranked higher. Note that the NFL did not institute a permanent playoff tournament until 1967 and that the NFL Championship Game and any impromptu one-game playoffs (played only in the event of a tie atop the division standings) were the only postseason matchups in this era. **Does not include the three seasons (19961998) during which the franchise suspended operations. In their last appearance, the Vikings were playing for a chance to play in the Super Bowl to be held in Minneapolis. The Twins havent advanced past the LDS round since 02. Milwaukee since has made two National League Championship Series appearances. We see many teams continuing their hist. It would take the Sabres 24 years to return to the Stanley Cup Finals where they faced the Dallas Stars in 1999. Los Angeles Clippers - 52 years. Updated Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. The last Buffalo championship was in 1965 when the Bills won their second consecutive AFL title with a 23-0 win over the San Diego Chargers led by quarterback Jack Kemp (who would go on to be a New York Congressman). The Sacramento skyline, as seen fromThe ZigguratinWest Sacramento, California. The city of Los Angeles has the longest championship drought of any NBA city. 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In 2015-16, Cam Newton would lead the Panthers to a 15-1 season that was capped off with a 49-15 rout of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers are now at a 27-year championship drought. Which NHL team has the longest Stanley Cup drought? In 2017-18, they returned to the AFC Championship and had a 20-10 lead early in the fourth quarter over the defending champion New England Patriots, but Tom Brady led the Patriots back to a 24-20 win. , Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills are the other franchises that were in existence before the Super Bowl era that have yet to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Guardians: 74 seasons (Last title in 1948)Cleveland has had its chances during this time, but it lost World Series in 1954, 95, 97 and 2016 -- four of the clubs 12 postseason appearances since beating the Boston Braves in the 1948 Fall Classic. Despite having a team in each of the five major sports, it has been more than three decades since Minnesota last saw a title, when the MLBs Twins won in 1991. The Seattle Mariners snapped one of the longest playoff droughts ever, making it into the MLB postseason for the first time in two decades. Memphis has only one active team, the, The most recent championship for Baltimore was the, The most recent championship for Philadelphia was the, The most recent championship for Seattle was the, The most recent championship for Cleveland was the, The most recent championship for Raleigh was the, The most recent championships for Boston were the, The most recent championship for Pittsburgh was the, There have been no championships in Oklahoma City history. have a historic playoff drought to go along with their historic championship drought. 3) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - Last NFL Title: 1960. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); HotDog is the internet's oldest guide to cordcutting, replacing expensive cable or satellite TV with cheaper or free live stream and OTA options. To say Buffalo never won a championship is debatable. To put that 21-year drought into perspective, 28-year-old Jaromir Jagr led the NHL in points (121) during the 2000-01 regular season. Once part of the NFL, the Chargers made it to the AFC Championship Game four times: (i) losing to the Oakland Raiders 34-27 in 1980-81; (ii) losing 27-7 to Cincinnati in the famous Freezer Bowl in 1981-82; (iii)losing to the undefeated Patriots 21-12 in 2007-08; and (iv) then there was the 1994-95 season. Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks back to the NBA Finals in 1974 against the Boston Celtics. and, in a few cases, century-long curses. Salt Lake City has only one active team, the, The most recent championship for Montreal was the, There have been no championships in Sacramento history. City. The team came close to winning the inaugural WNBA championship in 1997 but fell to the Houston Comets. This is the second-longest championship drought the city has ever experienced dating back to 1900. The Royals beat the New York Knicks in seven games to win the 1951 NBA Finals. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders, List of NFL franchise post-season streaks, List of current National Football League consecutive playoff appearances, List of last undefeated NFL teams by season, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NFL_franchise_post-season_droughts&oldid=1139056286, Tied for most consecutive losses in team history, 1967, 19701972, 1975, 1977, 19801981, 1986, 1964, 1966, 1971, 19731974, 19761978, 1980, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 03:43. Mets: 36 seasons (Last title in 1986)It took a series of miracles for the Mets to come back in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series before eventually prevailing in Game 7. A season-ending Game 5 loss at Yankee Stadium in the 2022 AL Division Series extended the Guardians' MLB-record streak of elimination-game losses to 11. Keep in mind, that this happened when this franchise played in Rochester, New York as the Rochester Royals. Updated with completion of NFL season ending in 2023. The Twins win came months after the Minnesota North Stars lost in the Stanley Cup Finals. The last time the Lions won a championship came in 1957, when they defeated the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game. Phoenix, which is home to MLBs Arizona Diamondbacks, the NBAs Phoenix Suns, the NFLs Arizona Cardinals and the NHLs Arizona Coyotes, won its only championship ever in 2001 when the Diamondbacks won a thrilling World Series over the New York Yankees by scoring two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 7. 11/4/2016. As for the Detroit Lions, they can end their playoff drought and earn the No. Things looked promising after they took a 7-0 on their first drive, but then the Philadelphia Eagles shut them down en route to a 38-7 win. Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates leading the Bucks to the NBA championship Tuesday night. The Kansas City Royals have a chance to end a 29-year wait for a second world title. Twins: 31 seasons (Last title in 1991)The days of Jack Morris, Kirby Puckett and the "Homer Hanky" are growing further and further into the rearview mirror for the Twins. . It has been an essential part of our streaming toolkit for years. After consecutive first-round losses in 2005 and 2006, the Kings fired Adelman despite a .633 win percentage over 8 years. The Browns last appeared in the AFC Championship Game during the 1989 season when they fell . Back in 1925, the Cardinals faced the Pottsville Maroons in the 1925 NFL Championship game. Only locations with at least one currently active professional sports team were considered in the analysis. Five Pro Sports Cities in a Championship Drought That Deserve a Ring. For everything you need to know about Hulu, be sure to browse our Hulu + Live TV review. The Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills are the other franchises that were in existence before the Super Bowl era that have yet to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Rocky Widner / NBA. While the Cardinals appeared in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, their lone Super Bowl appearance, this organization has never hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. The Padres have the distinction of holding the longest championship drought that no one gives a shit about. The Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans. The first time was in 1920 behind the guise and bat of player/manager Tris Speaker. In their second season in Nashville, the Titans reached the Super Bowl for the only time in an amazing season that included surviving a near upset in the Wild Card game thanks to the infamous Music City Miracle 75-yard kick off return. The sport was also just two years removed from Wayne Gretzky retiring. (MEDIA GENERAL) After 108 years of waiting for another World Series ring, the Chicago Cubs ended the longest championship drought in major American professional sports history. semi-final defeat to a Manchester City side headed . Boston went 21 years without winning the NBA Finals from 1986-2007. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the longest championship drought in the NHL, a massive fall for a dynasty. 12. Then Hulu started and he was hooked. Guardians: 74 seasons (Last title in 1948) Cleveland has had its chances during this time, but it lost World Series in 1954, '95, '97 and 2016 -- four of the club's 12 postseason appearances since beating the Boston Braves in the 1948 Fall . Which WNBA team has the longest championship drought? Fans growing up as children hoping desperately to see their favorite club they were raised to support one day lift the banner declaring the champions. When the Cubs rallied from a 3-1 World Series deficit and then broke a 6-6 tie in the 10th inning Wednesday, they broke, as we all know, the longest championship . The franchise will hope to find a new quarterback in 2023, someone who can finally take this team back to the playoffs. An early exit extended Torontos futility with one of the longest championship droughts in sports. Orlando has not won a title since becoming a pro-city in 1989 when the Orlando Magic joined the NBA. Jacksonville has only one active team, the, The most recent championship for Newark was the, The most recent championship for New Orleans was the, There have been no championships in Columbus history. The Queen City is home to the MLBs Cincinnati Reds, NFLs Cincinnati Bengals and MLS FC Cincinnati (debuting this season) and was once home to the NBAs Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings) and the World Hockey Associations Cincinnati Stingers. Buffalo, who has Longest NFL / AFL / Super Bowl championship appearance droughts through history. The Hornets would move to New Orleans after the 2002 season. In that span since the 1984 title, theyve also found themselves on the precipice of the World Series three additional times -- losing the ALCS in 2013, 2011 and 1987. The Phoenix Suns have the longest championship drought by a team without a single title. The organizations last championship came in 1951, when the team was the Rochester Royals. Still, 15 of the 30 teams have gone at least the past 25 seasons -- since MLB's most recent expansion in 1998 -- without winning the World Series. A championship appearance is listed as appearing in an NFL Championship (19321969), AFL Championship (19601969), or Super Bowl Championship (1966present). In 2008-2009, the Arizona Cardinals came back from a 20-7 fourth quarter deficit to go ahead 23-20 with only 2:47 remaining in Super Bowl XLIII but Santonio Holmes amazing end zone catch gave the Pittsburgh Steeles the 27-23 win. When the Mariners host the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division series, it will be Seattles first MLB playoff game since Oct. 18, 2001. Researchers at HotDog.com ranked US and Canadian metropolitan areas according to active professional sports championship droughts. Each season begins with optimism across the 30 MLB fanbases, and each one ends with some level of disappointment for 29 of them. WOLVERHAMPTON, England: Wolverhampton boosted their survival hopes and delivered a damaging blow to Tottenham's Champions League ambitions in a 1-0 win in the English Premier League on Saturday. No city currently compares to Clevelands legendary sports curse, but many pro sports markets have nonetheless seen lengthy championship droughts in recent years. Answer (1 of 3): Counting AFL championships and defunct teams, the longest current droughts for an entire city winning any major sports championship are: 1. Projected by many as a contender entering the season, Russell Wilson regressed and Nathaniel Hackett didnt make it a full season before he was fired. Which teams have the longest championship droughts? Only one team can win the World Series every year, but some fanbases have been waiting a long time to see their team raise the Commissioners Trophy. How else could he watch one to two films every day? San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA. Active droughts are listed in bold type In 2001, the NBAs Vancouver Grizzlies moved to Memphis after six seasons and a dismal 101-359 (.219) record. The Reds have been 2-11 in its four post-season appearances since then and has finished in last or next to last 11 times including the last five seasons. The 2007-08 Celtics rolled to a stop-the-insanity 131-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on June 17, 2008, after which no Boston team would win a championship until . In the 67 years since their last title, the . The Cleveland Browns are tied for the second-longest conference championship game drought at 29 years. The 10 longest championship droughts in professional sports. From 1917-67, Toronto won the Stanley Cup finals 13 times, they still have the second-most Stanley Cup wins in NHL history. The longest currently active championship drought belongs to the city of Rays: 25 years (No titles)Tampa Bay debuted as the Devil Rays and began with some lean times, averaging 97 losses over its first 10 seasons. Its one thing to never hoist the championship trophy and witness a parade, but not even experiencing the brief second of joy from a playoff game makes rooting for teams even more painful. 9. We recommend (And use!) The New York Liberty are the only original WNBA team with its original name that has never won a title, giving them a drought of 25 seasons. Throughout the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), franchises have had various postseason and World Series droughts.. All 16 of the original Major League franchises (i.e., those in place when the first World Series was played in 1903) have won the World Series, with the longest wait for a franchise's first championship being for the Phillies (77 seasons, ending in 1980). We also cover VPNs, internet providers & more. Winnipeg has only one active team, the, There have been no championships in Jacksonville history. Though no other American sports franchise has reached the century mark for years without a title, there . 6 seed. The Seattle Mariners snapped one of the longest playoff droughts ever, making it into the MLB postseason . Active droughts are listed in bold type. With C-Town now anointed NBA champions, let's . Pittsburgh Pirates - 6 years. The Mariners have gone 20 years without reaching the MLB playoffs, it is the longest active postseason drought in the top four American mens sports. All 32 active NFL teams have qualified for and won a game in the playoffs. Only metros with at least one active NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or MLS team were considered. Having played more seasons naturally makes it more likely that a team would win a championship at some point. But the tide turned with a name change and new colors in 2008, when the franchise enjoyed a 31-win turnaround and claimed its first pennant before losing to the Phillies in five games in the World Series. Seattle tied the record for the most wins in an MLB season (116), but lost in the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees. Required fields are marked *. NFL: Arizona Cardinals: 70 years: . . They have two teams but took a World Series home in 1990. The Mariners last made the playoffs in 2001, an unforgettable season for the team. They are one of 11 teams without an NBA championship. Since then, the team has used four different names and reached just two conference finals, losing both. Ten teams have multiple losing streaks where they lost an equal number of post season games before breaking the drought. . The Blue Jays fell in back-to-back ALCS in 2015-16, representing their closest recent attempts. The Kings lost Game 6 in Los Angeles 106-102 in a controversial game that many have claimed demonstrates that the league wanted to ensure that the marquee Lakers and not the small-market Kings reached the NBA Finals; as in the final minutes, all foul calls and non-calls went the Lakers way. The Brewers have made it to the playoffs only three times since then. Which NBA team has the longest championship drought? The organization's last championship came in 1951, when the team was the Rochester Royals. The Bucks made it back to the conference finals in 2001 with a team led by Hall of Famer Ray Allen and Sam Cassell in the backcourt and power forward Glenn Big Dog Robinson. This is a list of current National Football League (NFL) franchise post-season and Super Bowl droughts (multiple consecutive seasons of not winning). Longest playoff drought - New York Jets: With the Browns and Bucs both having made the playoffs in 2020, the Jets now own the longest drought, not having appeared in a postseason contest since the 2010 AFC Championship Game. And in some cases, it could be all of a citys sports franchises struggling simultaneously, like in Cleveland, which experienced a 52-year championship drought from the Browns 1964 NFL title to the Cavaliers 2016 NBA championship. After the Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks share the second-longest Cup drought at 51 years. One of the NHLs Original Six organizations has gone over five decades without lifting the Cup. Note that for continuity purposes, the Cleveland Browns are officially considered to have suspended operations for the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons. While championship droughts are the focus, some fan bases have gone more than a decade without even seeing their team in the playoffs. Only streaks with consecutive years of professional sports operating within a location were considered. Your email address will not be published. The Colorado Avalanche last won the Stanley Cup in 2001. See where the Miami Dolphins rank among the current longest title droughts in American major sports.