There are two major leagues. Florida has three National Football League teams, two Major League Baseball teams, two NBA teams, two NHL teams, two Major League Soccer teams, and 13 NCAA Division I college teams.
The state of Florida is known for its sunny weather and extensive beaches, but it also contains a large number of sports teams. There are two major professional sports leagues: the NFL and the MLB. Each year, the best athletes in Florida try out for various teams in both the NFL and MLB. In addition, there are multiple other professional sports teams based in Florida: the Miami Heat in the NBA, the Orlando Magic in the NBA, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, and the Florida Marlins in the MLB.
Florida has had an enormous impact on baseball. The first game was played in 1869, and by 1872, there were already plans to build a new stadium in New York City for the football team that would become known as the New York Giants. However, the New York State Legislature refused to authorize money for such a project, so the ballclub moved to San Francisco where they remain today. In fact, only two teams have ever left California for another state: the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958 and the San Diego Padres in 1995.
Which states have two professional football teams? Each state has two NFL teams: Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The other states only have one pro team.
Pennsylvania has the most NFL teams with four. Maryland and New Jersey each have three. Ohio has two. Texas only has one NFL team but they're both in Houston so they're called "The Texans".
All 50 states plus the District of Columbia have at least one team in the NFL. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Division one has 13 colleges. From Tallahassee in the north to Miami in the south, Florida offers 13 division-one institutions that provide every sport conceivable. Whatever sport you are interested in, whether it is football or basketball for men, softball or even rowing for women, these colleges provide it.
There are four universities in Florida that have all won at least one national championship: University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, and Palm Beach State College (now known as Palm Beach Atlantic University).
The University of Florida has won more national championships than any other university. UF has also produced a number of high-profile athletes during its history who went on to play professional sports. These include Ernie Davis, Fred Taylor, Deion Sanders, and Tim Tebow.
Florida State University has also had a significant impact on sports both nationally and internationally. In 1994, FSU became the first college to field a team in both the NFL and NBA when the Jacksonville Jaguars played against the New York Giants. The Seminoles currently play in the ACC, which is one of the most competitive conferences in college football.
University of Miami has had an impact on baseball both nationally and internationally. Fourteen players from the University of Miami have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft since it began in 1965. Six of them were chosen in the first two years.
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