List of Cleveland sports teams
The following is a list of sports teams that either are currently or were previously based in Cleveland, Ohio. Teams still active in Cleveland are listed in bold.
Baseball
Active
- Cleveland Indians, American League (1901-present)
Defunct
- Cleveland Forest Citys, National Association (1871–1872)
- Cleveland Spiders, National League (1879–1884, 1889–1899)
- Cleveland Blues, American Association (1887–1888)
- Cleveland Infants, Players League (1890)
- Cleveland Bearcats, American Association (1914)
- Cleveland Spiders, American Association (1915)
- Cleveland Tate Stars, Negro National League (1922)
- Cleveland Browns, Negro National League (1924)
- Cleveland Elites, Negro National League (1926)
- Cleveland Hornets, Negro National League (1927)
- Cleveland Tigers, Negro National League (1928)
- Cleveland Cubs, Negro National League (1931)
- Cleveland Stars, East-West League (1932)
- Cleveland Giants, Negro National League (1933)
- Cleveland Red Sox, Negro National League (1934)
- Cleveland Bears, Negro American League (1939–1940)
- Cleveland Buckeyes, Negro American League (1943–1948, 1950)
Basketball
Men's basketball
Active
- Cleveland Cavaliers, National Basketball Association (1970–present)
Defunct
- Cleveland Rosenblums, American Basketball League (1925–1931)
- Cleveland Chase Brassmen, National Basketball League (1943–1944)
- Cleveland Allmen Transfers, National Basketball League (1944–1946)
- Cleveland Rebels, Basketball Association of America (1946–1947)
- Cleveland Pipers, American Basketball League (1961–1962)
Women's basketball
- Cleveland Rockers, Women's National Basketball Association (1997–2003)
College
Active
- Cleveland State Vikings
- Case Western Reserve Spartans
Defunct
- Ohio Chiropody (1929-1941)
Football
Active
- Cleveland Browns, All-America Football Conference (1946–1949) National Football League (1950–1995, 1999–present)
- Cleveland Gladiators, Arena Football League (2008, 2010–present)
- Cleveland Fusion, Women's Football Alliance (2002-present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Tigers (NFL) APFA (1920), originally named as the Cleveland Indians in 1916, renamed in 1921
- Cleveland Indians (NFL 1931), league-sponsored team that only played on the road
- Cleveland Bulldogs NFL (1924–1925) (1927), named as the Cleveland Indians in 1923
- Cleveland Panthers AFL (1926)
- Cleveland Rams AFL (1936) NFL (1937–1942) (1944–1945) (known as the St. Louis Rams since 1995)
- Cleveland Thunderbolts AFL (Arena) (1992–1994), relocated from Columbus, Ohio
- Cleveland Crush, Legends Football League (2011-2013)
Ice hockey
Active
- Lake Erie Monsters, American Hockey League (2007-present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Indians, International Hockey League (1929–1934)
- Cleveland Falcons, IHL & AHL (1934–1937)
- Cleveland Barons, American Hockey League (1937–1973)
- Cleveland Crusaders, World Hockey Association (1972–1976)
- Cleveland Barons, NHL (1976–1978)
- Cleveland Lumberjacks, IHL (1992–2001)
- Cleveland Barons, American Hockey League (2001–2006)
- Cleveland Jr. Barons, NAHL (2005–2006)
Soccer
Active
- AFC Cleveland, National Premier Soccer League (2012-present)
- Cleveland Freeze, Professional Arena Soccer League (2013-present)
Defunct/relocated
- Cleveland Stokers, North American Soccer League (1967–1968)
- Cleveland Stars, American Soccer League (1972–1973) (name change from Cleveland Stars to Cleveland Cobras before 1974 season commenced)
- Cleveland Cobras, American Soccer League (1974–1981)
- Cleveland Force, MISL (1978–1988)
- Cleveland Force, (formerly Cleveland Crunch) NPSL (later reorganized as the MISL) (1989–2005)
- Cleveland City Stars, USL First Division (2006–2009)
Softball
- Cleveland Jaybirds, American Professional Slow Pitch League (1977–1978)
- Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, American Professional Slow Pitch League (1979)
- Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, North American Softball League (1980)
- Cleveland Competitors, United Professional Softball League (1982)
Indoor professional team tennis
- Cleveland Nets (featured Björn Borg & Martina Navratilova), World Team Tennis (1974–1977)
Rugby Union
- Cleveland Rovers RFC, USA Rugby (1978–present)
See also
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