States with the Most Sports Championship Wins: California, Massachusetts, Florida Top the List
The states with the most sports championship wins – Wisconsin placed seventh
- California has recorded the most championship wins over the last 20 years, with a total of 15 wins across its NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL teams.
- Massachusetts and Florida rank have had the second and third highest number of championship wins.
- North Carolina, Maryland, and Louisiana rank among the states with the fewest wins, each with just one win in 20 years.
New research has revealed the state with the most sports championship wins, with Wisconsin placed seventh.
The study, conducted by GambleSpot, used historical data from ESPN to uncover which state’s sports teams have won the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB championships the most between 2004 and 2024.
California ranks top as the state with the most sports championship wins, with a total of 15 wins over the 20-year period. Seven of these wins come from NBA teams; theGolden State Warriorstook home four wins while the Los Angeles Lakersrecorded three wins.
Following in second is Massachusetts, with a total of 11 championship wins between 2004 and 2024. TheNew England Patriotsaccounted for four wins in total, as did the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Celtics recorded two wins, while the Boston Bruins took home one win for the state.
Florida placed third with eight championship wins over the 20-year period. Half of these wins were attributed to their NHL team,Tampa Bay Lightning, which has recorded four wins since 2004.
Ranking fourth is Pennsylvania, with seven championship wins since 2004. The NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers won twice during this period, while the state’s other football team, Philadelphia Eagles, has won once. The NHL team Pittsburgh Penguins has won three championships over the past twenty years, while the MLB team Philadelphia Phillies has won once.
Texas is placed joint-fourth, having won seven championships in total. Most of its wins came from its NBA teams – three from the San Antonio Spurs and one from the Dallas Mavericks.
Also placing fourth is Missouri with seven wins. The Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) have won a total of three times between 2004 and 2024, as have the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), while the St. Louis Blues (NHL) have won once during this period.
Rounding out the top five is Illinois with a total of five wins across this period. The Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) have won three times since 2004, while MLB teams Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs have won once each.
The states winning the most sports championships during the past 20 years:
|
Rank
|
State
|
Number of championship wins
|
|
1.
|
California
|
15
|
|
2.
|
Massachusetts
|
11
|
|
3.
|
Florida
|
8
|
|
4.(=)
|
Pennsylvania
|
7
|
|
4.(=)
|
Texas
|
7
|
|
4.(=)
|
Missouri
|
7
|
|
5.
|
Illinois
|
5
|
|
6.(=)
|
Colorado
|
3
|
|
6.(=)
|
New York
|
3
|
|
7.(=)
|
Wisconsin
|
2
|
|
7.(=)
|
District of Columbia
|
2
|
|
7.(=)
|
Michigan
|
2
|
Eight states have won just one game since 2004, including North Carolina, Maryland, and Louisiana.
Commenting on the findings, Andriy Nezdropa, CEO of Adwise Partners LLC, the company behind GambleSpot, said:
“Tracking championships by state can show where athletic talent is concentrated. States with multiple championships might have strong youth sports programs, excellent coaching, and a culture that prioritizes sports. For example, states such as California, Texas, and Florida are known for producing top-tier athletes across multiple sporting leagues.
“Championship wins may reflect higher levels of investment in sports infrastructure, such as stadiums, training facilities, and professional franchises. These states may also boast passionate fan bases that provide strong support for their teams. This engagement can be crucial for a team’s success, as fan support can drive revenue, team morale, and even influence a home-field advantage.”
Methodology: Data from ESPN was used to find the total number of championship wins for NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB teams between 2004 and 2024. States were then ranked based on the total number of championship wins across these four sporting leagues.
Full table ranking:
|
Rank
|
State
|
NFL wins
|
NBA wins
|
NHL wins
|
MLB wins
|
Total number of championship wins
|
|
1.
|
California
|
1
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
15
|
|
2.
|
Massachusetts
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
11
|
|
3.
|
Florida
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
8
|
|
4.(=)
|
Pennsylvania
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
7
|
|
4.(=)
|
Texas
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
3
|
7
|
|
4.(=)
|
Missouri
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
7
|
|
5.
|
Illinois
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
6.(=)
|
New York
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
6.(=)
|
Colorado
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
|
7.(=)
|
Wisconsin
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
7.(=)
|
District of Columbia
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
7.(=)
|
Michigan
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
8.(=)
|
Indiana
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Louisiana
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Ohio
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Maryland
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Washington
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
North Carolina
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Nevada
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
8.(=)
|
Georgia
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
