Can You Name the State If We Give You Two of Its Professional Sports Teams?


By: Jonnathan Chadwick

6 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons by Keith Allison

About This Quiz

There are close to 150 professional teams across the four major sports leagues in North America, and each one of them has a unique story. More than 15 states don't host a pro sports team and 11 states, plus Washington, D.C., host at least one team from each of the four leagues. Some teams represent multiple states. The Boston Red Sox, for example, are based out of Massachusetts but are also the home team for people across New England. 

When it comes to team names, humans are the most popular. Kings, royals, knights, saints, senators, nationals, mavericks, cowboys, pirates, warriors, raiders, rangers, buccaneers, vikings, giants, devils, angels, wizards, twins, and of course, brewers, are all team names in North America.

People have a lock on team names, but birds like cardinals, eagles, penguins, ducks, hawks and ravens are pretty popular, and so are the more vicious animals like hornets, tigers, bears, lions, sharks, coyotes, bulls and raptors. Not to be outdone by anyone - person or animal - Mother Earth has her fair share of team names like the Rockies, the Thunder, the Hurricanes, the Flames, the Lightning, the Heat, the Suns, the Avalanche, the Stars and simply, the Wild.

It almost seems like there are more teams in North American than actual cities, and there are definitely more teams than states. Can you match the teams to the proper state?

Canada is home to many professional sports teams in North America. What city do the Blue Jays and Raptors represent?

Toronto isn't a state but it's an important city in North American sports leagues, as is Canada as a whole. Dozens of pro teams hail from the country and the NHL has seven Canadian teams, including the Montreal Candiens which is the league's founding organization.


Abraham Lincoln served as a Congressman from what state that is also home to the Fire and Bulls?

The Chicago Fire joined the MLS in 1998, two years after the league's first season, and the Chicago Bulls joined the NBA in 1966. The Bulls are well known for being Michael Jordan's team and winning six titles from 1991 to 1998.


The largest mountain range in North America is the Rocky Mountains. Where do the Rockies and the Avalanche play?

The Colorado Rockies joined the MLB in 1991 and the Colorado Avalanche joined the NHL in 1995. Both teams play out of Denver, which is the state capital and is also known as the Mile High City. The Avalanche have won two Stanley Cups.


Marlins are fish and dolphins are mammals and they are both names for teams in what state?

Both the Marlins and the Dolphins play out of Miami in the state of Florida. The 1972 Dolphins are the only NFL team to have ever completed a perfect season when they did it in 1972. The Patriots almost did it in 2007, but the team lost one game.


The Cowboys have been known as America's team for decades. What state are the Cowboys and Rangers from?

Both the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers play in stadiums located in Arlington, TX. The Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960 and in 1979 they were dubbed "America's Team" on live TV and the nickname stuck. They were almost called the Steers before a last second change.


The Suns and Coyotes play in a state that is full of sun and home to the Grand Canyon.

The Phoenix Suns joined the NBA in 1968 and the Coyotes joined the NHL as the Winnipeg Jets and then the Phoenix Coyotes before becoming the Arizona Coyotes in 2014. The Suns play out of Phoenix and the Avalanche play out of Glendale.


The Celtics and Red Sox both claim the "City of Champions" as home turf. What state do they represent?

The Boston Celtics have won the most championships in NBA history and the Boston Red Sox are one of the most storied MLB franchises. Like the New England Patriots, both teams play in Massachusetts but represent all of New England.


What state is home to a dozen professional sports teams including the Yankees and Knicks?

Between New York City and Buffalo, the state of New York is home to 12 professional sports teams. Madison Square Garden in Manhattan is the home court for the Knicks, and the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.


The Steel City is home to the Pirates and the Penguins of what state?

The Pirates were founded in 1881 and are one of the oldest teams in MLB history. The Pittsburgh Penguins was one of the second six teams to join the NHL in 1967, making it, too, one of the league's oldest teams. Both teams have counterparts in Philly.


One of the greatest running backs in NFL history is Jim Brown, who played for the Browns. What state do the Browns and Indians play in?

Jim Brown played for the NFL's Cleveland Browns from 1957 - 1965 and the Cleveland Indians joined the MLB in 1894 as the Grand Rapids Rustlers. They were known as the Bluebirds, Broncos and Naps before becoming the Indians in 1915.


Ravens are black birds and orioles are orange birds and both are the names of teams in what state?

Poet Edgar Allen Poe died in Baltimore but before he did he wrote his famous poem "The Raven," which is how the NFL's Baltimore Ravens got their name. The Baltimore Orioles entered the MLB in 1901 and play at Camden Yards.


What state are the Wild and the Vikings from?

St. Paul and Minneapolis are known as the 'Twin Cities' and they are home to the state's pro sports teams. The Minnesota Vikings were founded in 1960 and are based out of Minneapolis. The Minnesota Wild joined the NHL in 2000 and play out of St. Paul.


The Eagles and Penguins play in two of America's most iconic cities in what state?

Pittsburgh is known as "The Steel City" and has been a manufacturing hub for the country for generations. Philadelphia is one of the most important cities in American history and is home to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.


Two of the fastest animals on the planet are hawks and falcons. In what state do the Hawks and the Falcons play?

The Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta Hawks (NBA) are both based out of Atlanta. The Hawks were founded in 1946 and the Falcons were founded in 1966, one year before the Super Bowl started. The Falcons have been to two Super Bowls but have never won.


Cardinals are red birds and blues are a genre of music. What state do the Cardinals and Blues play in?

The Cardinals and Blues both play out of St. Louis. The Blues were part of the second six teams to join the NHL. The Cardinals were known as the Browns and then the Perfectos before becoming the Cardinals in 1900.


The Colts entered the NFL in 1953 as the Baltimore Colts before joining the NBA's Pacers in what state?

The Colts moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984 and the Pacers joined the NBA in 1976. The Colts were led to a Super Bowl by Peyton Manning in 2006 and the Pacers won three championships in the '70s.


The Union and Flyers play in a former capital of the United States. Where do they play?

The Union joined MLS in 2010 and the Flyers were part of the second six teams to join the NHL in 1967. Both teams play out of Philadelphia, which was a one-time capital of the United States and integral city in America's formation.


The Trail Blazers and Timbers play in a state that is equally known for its seacoast and forests.

The Portland Trailblazers joined the NBA in 1970 and the Portland Timbers joined MLS in 2011. The Trailblazers won one championship in 1977 and are well known for passing up on Michael Jordan in the NBA draft.


Both the NFL and MLB have teams called the Giants. What state do the Red Bulls and Giants represent?

New York has a ridiculous amount of pro teams and the Red Bulls play in MLS and the Giants play in the NFL. The stadiums for both teams are actually in New Jersey, but these teams are commonly considered New York teams. Their names are the New York Red Bulls and New York Giants.


The Predators and the Grizzlies play in two of the most well-known music cities in the world.

Memphis (home to Graceland) and Nashville (Country Music Hall of Fame) are known around the world for their music history. The Memphis Grizzlies joined the NBA in 1995 as the Vancouver Grizzlies. The team relocated in 2001. The Nashville Predators joined the NHL in 1998.


The Bills used to be known as the Bisons, which is a synonym for the city where they play. Where do the Bills and Sabres play?

The Bills and Sabres play out of Buffalo and are two of a dozen pro teams in New York. American bison are commonly known as buffalo but they are two different animals and live in different areas of the world.


The Saints joined the NFL in 1967 and the Pelicans joined the NBA in 2002. What state are they from?

The New Orleans Pelicans is the newest NBA team and the Saints joined the NFL in 1967, which was also the first year the Super Bowl was played. Louisiana is consistently ranked as a top birthplace of NFL players.


The Reds used to be known as the Red Stockings. What state do the Reds and Blue Jackets play in?

The Cincinnati Reds joined MLB in 1890 and was also known as the Red Stockings and Redlegs. The Columbus Blue Jackets joined the NHL in 2000 and is one of the league's newest teams. They are two of eight pro teams in the state.


The Capitals and Nationals represent the home of the Capitol Building and National Mall. Where do they play?

Both the Capitals and Nationals play out of Washington, D.C. The Nationals joined MLB as the Montreal Expos and relocated in 2005. The last MLB team to play out of Washington, D.C. was the Washington Senators in 1971.


The home of the 2020 Democratic National Convention is also home to the Bucks and Brewers of what state?

The Bucks entered the NBA in 1968 and the Brewers entered the MLB in 1969. Both teams play out of Milwaukee. The Brewers have never won a World Series and the Bucks won one in 1971 with Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.


The Cubs used to be known as the White Stockings and the Bears used to be known as the Staleys. What state do they play for?

The Decatur Staleys is one of the founding organizations of the NFL and the team became the Chicago Bears in 1922. The Chicago Cubs is one of the original MLB teams and has been playing out of Illinois since 1870.


Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen held ownership in both the Seahawks and Sounders. What state do they represent?

Both the Seahawks (NFL) and Sounders (MLS) play out of Seattle. Paul Allen was full owner of the Seahawks and part-owner of the Sounders before he died. His estate now has a stake in both teams and he also owned the NBA's Portland Trailblazers.


One of the oldest law-enforcement agencies in the country are rangers of this state, where the Rangers and Stars play.

The Texas Rangers is a law enforcement agency that was formed in 1835. The baseball Texas Rangers entered MLB as the Washington Senators in 1961 but relocated to Texas and became the Rangers in 1971. The Dallas Stars joined the NHL in 1993.


The Giants used to play in New York but relocated to join the 49ers in what state?

Both New York and California have pro sports teams known as the Giants. The MLB's New York Giants moved to San Francisco in 1957 and retained the name. The NFL's 49ers are named for settlers who flooded the area during the 1849 gold rush.


The Earthquakes and the Sharks are two of 19 teams that play in this state that is also home to earthquakes and sharks.

Both the Earthquakes and the Sharks play out of San Jose and they were both founded in the '90s. The Earthquakes were one of the original 10 MLS teams and the Sharks organization was the 22nd team to join the NHL in 1991.


The MLS was formed in 1993 and the Dynamo joined in 2005. What state is home to the Dynamo and the Spurs?

The Houston Dynamo and San Antonio Spurs play out of Texas and are two of several other pro teams across the major pro leagues in Texas. Houston and San Antonio are the first and second most populous cities in Texas.


A panther is a big cat and is the official animal of this state, where the Lightning and the Panthers play.

The Carolina Panthers is an NFL team but the Florida Panthers is an NHL team that joined the league in 1993 and is based out of the Miami area. The Tampa Bay Lightning joined the NHL one year earlier, in 1992, and was the first NHL franchise in Florida.


A piston is a mechanical part found in motor vehicles. It's fitting that the Pistons share what state with the Tigers?

Both the Pistons and Tigers play out of Detroit (The Motor City) and have seven world championships between them. The Pistons were one of the first teams to join the NBA and the Tigers got their name from members of Michigan's oldest military unit.


Both royals and chiefs are people held in high esteem within their social circle. What state is home to the Royals and the Chiefs?

The Royals and Chiefs play out of Missouri and the state is home to two other pro teams across the four major sports. Both of these teams play out of Kansas City. Kansas doesn't host any pro teams from the four major leagues but Kansas City is right on its border.


The Rams were once located in St. Louis and the Galaxy were founded in 1994. What state do they call home today?

The LA Rams entered the NFL in 1937 as the Cleveland Rams, moved to Los Angeles in 1946, moved to St. Louis in 1995 and then moved back to LA in 2016. The LA Galaxy has been located in LA since its founding and was once home to David Beckham.


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