Sports in New Orleans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Orleans is home to a wide variety of sporting events. Most notable are the home games of the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and the New Orleans Hornets (NBA), the annual Sugar Bowl, the annual Zurich Classic (PGA Tour) and horse racing at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Also, New Orleans regularly hosts the Super Bowl, the college football BCS National Championship Game, and the NCAA college basketball Final Four.
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[edit] Football
- Saints -- The New Orleans Saints are one of the 32 teams in the NFL. The home stadium of the Saints is the Louisiana Superdome.
- Green Wave -- The Tulane Green Wave football team represents Tulane University in NCAA Division I college football.
- Voodoo -- The New Orleans VooDoo are an indoor football team in the AFL
- Blaze -- The New Orleans Blaze are a women's football team in the National Women's Football Association.
Former football teams in New Orleans include the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (which became the Portland Breakers) and the New Orleans Night of the Arena Football League (1991–1992).
[edit] Special Football Games
- Sugar Bowl -- New Orleans has been home to the annual Sugar Bowl since 1935. Originally played at Tulane Stadium, it has been played in the Louisiana Superdome since 1975.
- The Bayou Classic -- an annual football game between two historically black universities, Grambling State and Southern University.
- Super Bowl -- More Super Bowls have been played at the Louisiana Superdome than at any other sports facility: 1978, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, and 2002.
- BCS National Championship Game -- The Louisiana Superdome rotates with three other locations as the host for the BCS National Championship Game. The Superdome hosted the BCS National Championship Game in 2000, 2004, 2008, and will continue to do so in 2012, 2016, etc.
- New Orleans Bowl -- New Orleans has been home to the annual New Orleans Bowl since 2001.
- ArenaBowl -- New Orleans played host to the AFL's championship game in 2007 and will do so again in 2008.
[edit] Basketball
- Hornets -- The New Orleans Hornets are one of the 30 teams in the NBA. The home stadium of the Hornets is the New Orleans Arena
- Green Wave -- The Tulane Green Wave basketball team represents Tulane University in NCAA Division I college basketball.
- Privateers -- the New Orleans Privateers basketball team represents the University of New Orleans in NCAA Division I college basketball.
- Blues -- The New Orleans Blues are an expansion American Basketball Association franchise.
Former basketball teams in New Orleans include the New Orleans Jazz (1974–1980) which became the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Buccaneers (c. 1967–1970).
[edit] Special Basketball Games
- The Final Four -- the Superdome hosted the NCAA college basketball Final Four in 1982, 1987, 1993, and 2003.
- NBA All Star Game -- The NBA All Star Game was hosted by New Orleans in 2008
[edit] Baseball
- Zephyrs -- The New Orleans Zephyrs are a PCL baseball team affiliated with the New York Mets. The home stadium of the Zephyrs is Zephyr Field in suburban Metairie.
- The Green Wave -- The Tulane Green Wave baseball team represents Tulane University in NCAA Division I college baseball.
- Privateers -- The New Orleans Privateers baseball team represents the University of New Orleans in NCAA Division I college baseball.
Former baseball teams in New Orleans include the New Orleans Pelicans (1887–1959; 1977)
[edit] Golf
Zurich Classic -- The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour.
[edit] Horse racing
New Orleans is home to the Fair Grounds Race Course, the nation's third-oldest thoroughbred track.
[edit] Running
New Orleans hosts the Crescent City Classic, a 10k race every April. It also hosts the Mardi Gras Marathon.
[edit] Soccer
- Shell Shockers -- The New Orleans Shell Shockers are a soccer team in the USL Premier Development League
Former soccer teams in New Orleans include the New Orleans Storm (1993-1999).
[edit] Yachting
New Orleans is also home to the New Orleans Yacht Club and Southern Yacht Club, both of which are located at West End on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Southern Yacht Club was established in 1849 and is the second oldest yacht club in the United States.
[edit] Roller Derby
As of September 2006, The Big Easy Rollergirls has about 60 active members.
[edit] Ice Hockey
Former ice hockey teams in New Orleans include the New Orleans Brass (1997–2003).
[edit] Rugby
The New Orleans Halfmoons, a women's rugby team and member of USA Rugby, was disbanded after its members were scattered by Hurricane Katrina. The Halfmoons, one of the oldest women's teams in the United States, hosted the annual "Throw Me Something Rugger" tournament held the weekend before Fat Tuesday. Feb 2007, the Halfmoons returned to once again host the annual tournament.
[edit] Car Racing
In 1991, 1992, and 1995, New Orleans was home to the Grand Prix du Mardi Gras. The sports car races took place on 2 different street circuits downtown. The circuit used in 1991 used streets near the riverfront, but was regarded as being too narrow. A course that ran around the Superdome was used the other years. Low attendance, dates that resulted in hot or rainy weather, and complaints from business owners contributed to the event's demise.
[edit] High School Sports
New Orleans has produced many championship teams at the LHSAA and national levels. Some of the most notable of these is John Curtis Christian School, and Arcbishop Shaw, located in the River Ridge suburb, with 21 state championships in football and a national ranking in the 2007 season. Other schools have earned high national rankings recently in basketball, baseball, and soccer
[edit] New Orleans Teams
| Club | Sport | League | Founded | Venue |
| New Orleans Saints | American Football | National Football League | 1967 | Louisiana Superdome |
| New Orleans Hornets | Basketball | National Basketball Association | 1988 | New Orleans Arena |
| New Orleans Zephyrs | Baseball | Pacific Coast League | 1993 | Zephyr Field |
| New Orleans Blaze | Women's Football | National Women's Football Association | 2002 | Muss Bertolino Stadium |
| New Orleans Shell Shockers | Soccer | Premier Development League | 2003 | Muss Bertolino Stadium |
| New Orleans VooDoo | Arena Football | Arena Football League | 2004 | New Orleans Arena |
| Big Easy Rollergirls | Roller Derby | Women's Flat Track Derby Association | 2005 | Mardi Gras World |
| Louisiana Blues | Basketball | American Basketball Association | 2006 | North Shore Harbor Center |
[edit] See also
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