Buffalo, New York, and its greater metropolitan area is currently home to three major professional sports teams, theBuffalo Bills (National Football League),Buffalo Sabres (National Hockey League), andBuffalo Bandits (National Lacrosse League). Buffalo is also home to other professional sports teams, including theBuffalo Bisons (International League) andBuffalo Pro Soccer (USL Championship). Semi-professional teams include theBuffalo eXtreme (American Basketball Association),FC Buffalo (USL League Two),FC Buffalo Women (USL W League), andBuffalo Stallions (National Premier Soccer League). Local colleges active inNCAA Division I athletics includeCanisius University,Niagara University,St. Bonaventure University andUniversity at Buffalo.
Sports are a major part of the city's culture. In recent decades, Buffalo based teams have become known for crushing and sometimes controversial defeats.Wide Right,No Goal and theMusic City Miracle have come to define the suffering of Buffalo sports fans. In February 2012,Forbes listed Buffalo #4 on its list of "Most Miserable Sports Cities."[1] The city's only major championships wereAmerican Football League titles won by the Buffalo Bills in 1964 and 1965.
Buffalo had at one point three franchises in major league sports beginning in 1970, when theBuffalo Bills (established 1960) were joined by theBuffalo Braves of theNational Basketball Association and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. However, the Braves struggled financially and were relocated to California in 1978. This led to the perception that Buffalo's market could not support a third franchise.Sahlen Field was built in 1988 for the minor leagueBuffalo Bisons with hopes that it could attract aMajor League Baseball franchise to the city. The major league franchise never came, although theToronto Blue Jays would eventually play their home games at Sahlen Field in 2020 and 2021 because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[2]
Joe Mesi was aprofessional boxer from Buffalo who earned the nickname "Third Franchise" during his undefeated career between 1997 and 2007 after selling outKeyBank Center and other local venues multiple times.[3]
| Sport | League | Club | Founded | Venue | Titles | Championship years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | IL | Buffalo Bisons | 1979† | Sahlen Field | 3 | 1997,1998,2004 |
| Football | NFL | Buffalo Bills | 1960 | Highmark Stadium | 2 | 1964*,1965* |
| Hockey | NHL | Buffalo Sabres | 1970 | KeyBank Center | ||
| Lacrosse | NLL | Buffalo Bandits | 1992 | KeyBank Center | 7 | 1992,1993,1996,2008,2023,2024,2025 |
| Soccer | USLC | Buffalo Pro Soccer | 2024 | TBD |
*American Football League (AFL) championships were earned prior to theAFL–NFL merger of 1970.
† Date refers to current incarnation;Buffalo Bisons previously operated from 1886 to 1970, and the current Bisons count this team as part of their history.
| Sport | League | Club | Founded | Venue | Titles | Championship years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basketball | ABA | Buffalo eXtreme | 2023 | XGen Elite Sports Complex | ||
| Soccer | USL2 | FC Buffalo | 2009 | Coyer Field | ||
| Soccer | USLW | FC Buffalo Women | 2021 | Coyer Field | ||
| Soccer | NPSL | Buffalo Stallions | 2025 | North Tonawanda High School |
*College Hockey America (CHA) men's hockey championships were earned prior to the league's discontinuation of the conference's men's program in 2010.
| Government and services | |
|---|---|
| Transportation | |
| Research and education | |
| Medicine and healthcare | |
| Other topics | |
_-_Orchard_Park%2c_NY.jpg)
.jpg)
