Sports in the Tampa Bay area
Franchise Years of Operation Sport Venue League
Tampa Bay Storm Pittsburgh Gladiators ( 1987-1990 ) , Tampa Bay Storm ( 1991-2017 ) Arena football Amalie Arena Arena Football League
Florida Redbacks 2003-2014 Australian rules football United States Australian Football League -Eastern Australian Football League
Bradenton Explorers 1989-1990 Baseball Jackie Robinson Ballpark Senior Professional Baseball Association
Bradenton Growers 1919-1926 Baseball McKechnie Field Florida State League
Dunedin Blue Jays 1978-1979 Baseball Grant Field Florida State League
St. Petersburg Pelicans 1940s-1950s ? Baseball Campbell Park Florida State Negro Baseball League
St. Petersburg Pelicans 1989-1990 Baseball Al Lang Stadium Senior Professional Baseball Association
St. Petersburg Saints 1908-1928 Baseball Coffee Pot Park Florida State League ( 1920-1928 )
St. Petersburg Saints St. Petersburg Saints ( 1947-1965 ) , St. Petersburg Cardinals ( 1966-1996 ) , St. Petersburg Devil Rays ( 1997-2000 ) Baseball Al Lang Field Florida International League ( 1947-1954 ) , Florida State League ( 1955-2000 )
Tampa Rockets 1940s ? Baseball Florida State Negro League
Tampa Smokers 1919-1932 , 1946-1954 Baseball Plant Field Florida State League ( 1919-1927 ) , Southeastern League ( 1929-1930 ) , West Coast League ( 1932 ) , Florida International League ( 1946-1954 )
Tampa Bay Sharks 2005-2010 Basketball Bob Martinez Sports Center Touring team ( 2005-2010 ) , American Basketball Association ( scheduled to begin in the 2010-2011 season but never played in any games )
Tampa Bay Strong Dogs Harlem Revs ( 2004 ) , Harlem Strong Dogs ( 2004-2006 ) , Tampa Bay Strong Dogs ( 2006 ) Basketball Bob Martinez Sports Center American Basketball Association
Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs 2000-2001 Basketball Bayfront Center Arena American Basketball Association
Florida Scorpions Sarasota Knights ( 2008 ) , Florida Knights ( 2007 ) , Florida Scorpions ( 2011 ) Football Manatee Civic Center National Indoor Football League ( 2008 ) , American Professional Football League ( 2008 , 2011 )
Florida Tuskers Florida Tuskers ( 2009-2010 ) , Virginia Destroyers ( 2011-2012 ) Football United Football League
Tampa Bay Bandits 1983-1985 Football Tampa Stadium United States Football League
Tampa Cardinals 1926 : Tampa Cardinals ( game 1 ) , Haven-Villas ( game 2 ) , St. Petersburg Cardinals ( game 3-4 ) , Lena Vistas ( game 5 ) Football Plant Field , Adair Park , and others Independent
Haven-Villa of Winter Haven 1926 Football Winter Haven High School Independent
Florida Marine Raiders Lakeland Raiders ( 2012-2013 ) , Florida Marine Raiders ( 2014-2015 ) Indoor Football Lakeland Center Ultimate Indoor Football League ( 2012-2013 ) , X-League Indoor Football ( 2014-2015 )
List of Tampa Bay professional and college sports teams -- Former sports teams
The Tampa Bay Area is home to many sports teams and has a substantial history of sporting activity. Most of the region's professional sports franchises use the name Tampa Bay, which is the name of a body of water, not of any city. This is to emphasize that they represent the wider metropolitan area and not a particular municipality. Three teams compete at the major league level. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in the National Football League (NFL), the Tampa Bay Lightning play in the National Hockey League (NHL), and the Tampa Bay Rays play in Major League Baseball (MLB). Additionally, six MLB teams hold their spring training camps in the area. A number of minor league franchises play in the region as well, including the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United Soccer League, and four minor league baseball teams competing in the Class-A Florida State League. In intercollegiate sports, the University of South Florida Bulls compete in NCAA Division I, while Eckerd College, Saint Leo University and the University of Tampa compete in NCAA Division II.