To quote Al Davis, the late owner of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, the ultimate goal in sports is to, “Just win, baby!” Anyone who has been a fan or follower of one or more of the four major professional sports leagues knows that some franchises and organizations have been more successful at achieving this goal than others. It’s easy to name the most accomplished organizations in the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, but what about the others? Can you name all of the pro sports teams that have never won a championship?
Inspiration Behind This Article
The original inspiration behind this seemingly random article is none other than Michael Nelson Trout. One of the best to ever play the sport of baseball, Mike Trout has been stricken by injuries in each of the past several seasons. Another trip to the injured list one month into the 2024 MLB season prompted another wave of discussion regarding the fact that he hasn’t gotten a sniff at winning a World Series championship during his time with the Los Angeles Angels.
Fun fact: Trout has played in as many MLB Postseason games (three) as he has attended playoff games of his beloved Philadelphia Eagles during his professional career. Even with Trout leading the American League in home runs at the time of his newest injury, the Angels are several games below .500 and headed for yet another lost season.
Believe it or not, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim used to be pretty good. So good, in fact, that they won the World Series back in 2002. Unfortunately, it has been nothing but mediocrity and incompetency since in the quest to get back to the pinnacle of the sport.
This brings us back to the inspiration to pen this little piece. As I drove my tractor-trailer across the desert on this, the second day of May 2024, headed for none other than the City of Angels, I realized I couldn’t confidently name many pro teams in my head who have never won a championship. The NFL was fairly easy for me, personally. The other leagues presented more “possibles” and “maybes.”
Thus, I set out to put together this little list. Whether you use this simply as a fun educational piece or are looking to find teams who have never won anything to cheer for, here are the championship-less franchises from each of the four major pro sports leagues.
What MLB Teams Have Never Won a World Series?
Colorado Rockies
- World Series Appearances: 1 (2007)
- Enfranchised: 1993
- Previous Homes: None
Milwaukee Brewers
- World Series Appearances: 1 (1982)
- Enfranchised: 1969
- Previous Homes: Seattle
San Diego Padres
- World Series Appearances: 2 (1984, 1998)
- Enfranchised: 1969
- Previous Homes: None
Seattle Mariners
- World Series Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1977
- Previous Homes: None
Tampa Bay Rays
- World Series Appearances: 2 (2008, 2020)
- Enfranchised: 1998
- Previous Homes: None
What NFL Teams Have Never Won a Super Bowl?
Arizona Cardinals
- Super Bowl Appearances: 1 (2008)
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: St. Louis
Atlanta Falcons
- Super Bowl Appearances: 2 (1998, 2016)
- Enfranchised: 1966
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Buffalo Bills
- Super Bowl Appearances: 4 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994)
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Carolina Panthers
- Super Bowl Appearances: 2 (2003, 2015)
- Enfranchised: 1995
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Cincinnati Bengals
- Super Bowl Appearances: 3 (1981, 1988, 2021)
- Enfranchised: 1968
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Cleveland Browns
- Super Bowl Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era (original Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996; Cleveland team resurrected in 1999)
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Detroit Lions
- Super Bowl Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Houston Texans
- Super Bowl Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 2002
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Super Bowl Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1995
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: None
Los Angeles Chargers
- Super Bowl Appearances: 1 (1994)
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: San Diego
Tennessee Titans
- Super Bowl Appearances: 1 (1999)
- Enfranchised: Pre-Super Bowl era
- Previous Super Bowl-era Homes: Houston
What NBA Teams Have Never Won the NBA Finals?
Brooklyn Nets
- NBA Finals Appearances: 2 (2002, 2003)
- Enfranchised: 1967
- Previous NBA Homes: Long Island (New York), New Jersey
Charlotte Hornets
- NBA Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1988 (original Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002; Charlotte team resurrected in 2014
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: None
Indiana Pacers
- NBA Finals Appearances: 1 (2000)
- Enfranchised: 1967
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: None
Los Angeles Clippers
- NBA Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1970
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: Buffalo, San Diego
Memphis Grizzlies
- NBA Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1995
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: Vancouver
Minnesota Timberwolves
- NBA Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1989
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: None
New Orleans Pelicans
- NBA Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 2002
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: New Orleans/Oklahoma City (temporary from 2005-07)
Orlando Magic
- NBA Finals Appearances: 2 (1995, 2009)
- Enfranchised: 1989
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: None
Phoenix Suns
- NBA Finals Appearances: 3 (1976, 1993, 2021)
- Enfranchised: 1968
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: None
Utah Jazz
- NBA Finals Appearances: 2 (1997, 1998)
- Enfranchised: 1974
- Previous Post-Merger Homes: New Orleans
What NHL Teams Have Never Won the Stanley Cup?
Arizona…errr…Salt Lake City…Coyotes???
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1972
- Previous NHL Homes: Winnipeg, Phoenix
Buffalo Sabres
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 2 (1975, 1999)
- Enfranchised: 1970
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 2000
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Florida Panthers
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 2 (1996, 2023)
- Enfranchised: 1993
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Minnesota Wild
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 2000
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Ottawa Senators
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 1 (2007)
- Enfranchised: 1992
- Previous NHL Homes: None
San Jose Sharks
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 1 (2016)
- Enfranchised: 1991
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Seattle Kraken
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 2021
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Vancouver Canucks
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 3 (1982, 1994, 2011)
- Enfranchised: 1970
- Previous NHL Homes: None
Winnipeg Jets
- Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 0
- Enfranchised: 1999
- Previous NHL Homes: Atlanta
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