Sports in Houston

Astrodome NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Texans Minute Maid Park, home of MLB's Astros Shell Energy Stadium, home of MLS's Dynamo Toyota Center, home of the NBA's Rockets.

The U.S. city of Houston and its metropolitan area have a rich sporting culture and the area residents are active in many spectator and participant sports. Spectators attend events including teams from four major professional sports teams and collegiate sports. Participants enjoy activities from running in Memorial Park to sailing on Galveston Bay and Clear Lake. Several other sports are also available, including nearly a dozen fencing clubs, ranging from recreational clubs to elite competitive organizations.[1]

## Major league sports

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Houston has five professional major league teams: the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Dynamo FC (MLS), and Houston Dash (NWSL). Houston does not have an NHL or a WNBA team.

The Astros have won two World Series titles in 2017 and 2022. In 2006, the Dynamo won the MLS Cup in their first year after moving from San Jose, California, and in 2007 became the first MLS franchise since 1997 to repeat a championship. Meanwhile, the Rockets similarly obtained two championships, winning back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.

Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros) and Toyota Center (home of the Rockets) are located in Downtown Houston—contributing to an urban renaissance that has transformed Houston's centre into a day-and-night destination.[citation needed] Also, the city has the first domed stadium in the United States, now known as the NRG Astrodome, and also holds the NFL's first retractable roof stadium—NRG Stadium. Other facilities for major league teams in Houston include Shell Energy Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium.

Professional major league teams  Club  | League  | Sport  | Venue  | Founded  | Titles  | Attendance

|
|
|
|
|
|

Houston Texans | NFL | Football | NRG Stadium | 2002 | 0  | 71,644
Houston Astros | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | 1962 | 2 (2017, 2022)  | 41,168
Houston Dynamo FC | MLS | Soccer | Shell Energy Stadium | 2006 | 2 (2006, 2007)  | 20,117
Houston Dash | NWSL | Soccer | Shell Energy Stadium | 2014 | 0  | 7,000
Houston Rockets | NBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | 1967 | 2 (1994, 1995)  | 18,104

## Other sports

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Club  | League  | Sport  | Venue  | Founded  | Titles

|
|
|
|
|

Houston SaberCats | MLR | Rugby union | SaberCats Stadium | 2018  | 0
Bayou Warriors  | UBA | Basketball |  | 2012  | 0
Houston Aces | WPSL | Women's soccer | Houston Christian University | 2012  | 1 (2018)
Houston Bounty Hunters  | NDL | Dodgeball |  | 2009  | 0
Houston Energy | WFA | Women's football | Pearland Stadium | 2000  | 4 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2018)
Houston FC | USL2 | Soccer | San Jacinto College | 2017  | 0
Houston Guardians | DCI | Drum and Bugle Corps |  | 2012  | 0
Houston Hornets  | USARL | Rugby league |  | 2011  | 0
Houston Hotshots | PASL | Indoor soccer | Northwest Indoor Sports  | 2015  | 0
Houston Lonestars | USAFL | Australian rules football |  | 2005  | 0
Houston Mud Turtles  | USAU | Ultimate Frisbee |  | 2016  | 0
Houston Power | WFA | Women's football | Guy K. Traylor Stadium  | 2010  | 0
Houston Roller Derby | WFTDA | Roller derby | Bayou Music Center | 2005  | 0
Houston Sparks  | WBCBL | Women's basketball |  | 2013  | 0
Houston Spirit  | UBL | Basketball |  | 2008  | 0
Houston Venom  | MLRH | In-line hockey |  | 2013  | 0
Houston Warriors  | UBA | Basketball |  | 2010  | 0
Houston Xperience  | ABA | Basketball | Lone Star College-Kingwood | 2011  | 0
Sugar Land Space Cowboys | PCL | Baseball | Constellation Field | 2010  | 3 (2016, 2018, 2020)
Houston Heat  | WNFC | Women's American football |  | 2019  | 0
League City Legends  | MLQ | Quidditch (real-life sport) |  | 2016  | 0
Houston APL  | APL | American football | Rice Stadium | 2018  | 0
Houston Stampede  | WFLA  | Women's American football |  | 2020  | 0
Houston Hurricanes  | NGFFL | Flag football |  | 2010  | 0
AHFC Royals | USL2 | Soccer | British International School of Houston | 2017  | 0
Houston Hurricanes | MiLC | Cricket | Prairie View Cricket Complex | 2020  | 0
AC Houston Sur  | USL2 | Soccer |  | 2021  | 0
Houston Roughnecks | UFL | American football | Rice Stadium | 2022  | 0
Houston Bolt  | MLIS  | Indoor soccer | Maya Indoor Soccer  | 2022  | 0
CF10 Houston FC  | NPSL | Soccer | British International School of Houston | 2017  | 0
Houston Havoc | UFA | Ultimate (sport) | SaberCats Stadium | 2023  | 0
Lone Star Athletics | MiLC | Cricket | Moosa Stadium | 2020  | 0

## Former teams

[edit]

See also: List of former professional sports teams in Houston

Houston was home to the now-defunct WNBA Comets from 1997 to 2008. The Comets won 4 consecutive WNBA Championships, which is still the most championships of any sports team in Houston, and the biggest title streak in Texas. [citation needed]

The AFL/NFL Oilers called Houston home from 1960 to 1997 before the team moved to Tennessee and became the Titans. The Oilers also provided the city with 2 AFL championships in 1960 and 1961, before the merger with the NFL.[2]

The Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League existed in Houston from 1994 until 2013 when they were moved to become the Iowa Wild. They won the Turner Cup (IHL) in 1999 and the Calder Cup (AHL) in 2003.

The Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association played in Houston from 1972 to 1978 until the WHA dissolved. They won the Avco World Trophy as champions of the WHA in 1974 and 1975.

Houston has three teams in World TeamTennis: The E-Z Riders in 1974, the Astro-Knots in 1982 and 1983, and the Wranglers from 2005 to 2007.

The Houston Scrap Yard Dawgs of the National Pro Fastpitch from 2016 to 2017 when the team was terminated by NPF after they became the NPF champions in 2017.

## College sports

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TDECU Stadium Rice Stadium

Four Division I college athletic programs play within the city of Houston, with the University of Houston as the sole member of a Power Four conference. A fifth, Prairie View A&M University, is located in the metropolitan area. A new venue, TDECU Stadium, opened in 2014 on the University of Houston campus at the former site of Robertson Stadium. Other college sports facilities in Houston include the Fertitta Center and Rice Stadium.

NCAA Division I programs  School  | Nickname  | Major Venues  | Conference

|
|
|

University of Houston | Cougars | TDECU Stadium, Fertitta Center | Big 12 (FBS)
Rice University | Owls | Rice Stadium, Tudor Fieldhouse | American (FBS)
Houston Christian University | Huskies | Husky Stadium, Sharp Gymnasium | Southland (FCS)
Texas Southern University | Tigers | Health and Physical Education Arena | SWAC (FCS)
Prairie View A&M University
(in Prairie View)  | Panthers | Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field, William Nicks Building | SWAC (FCS)

## Annual events

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Houston hosts annual sporting events such as the PGA Tour's Houston Open, the college football Texas Bowl, and college baseball's Houston College Classic. Since 1971, Houston's two NCAA Division I FBS football teams, the Rice Owls and Houston Cougars have faced off in the annual Bayou Bucket Classic. Since 1985, the Texas Southern Tigers and Prairie View A&M Panthers compete in the annual Labor Day Classic.

Every June since 2012, the U.S. national rugby team has played an international match against a top European team at BBVA Stadium, breaking attendance records for rugby matches in the U.S.[3] The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, an ATP World Tour 250 series tournament, has been held in Houston since 2001.

From 1998 to 2001, the CART World Series held the Grand Prix of Houston auto race on downtown streets. CART's successor series, Champ Car, revived the race for 2006 and 2007 on the streets surrounding Reliant Park. The race was discontinued again in 2008, following Champ Car's merger with the rival IndyCar Series. The Grand Prix of Houston returned for the 2013 season. In motorcycling, the Astrodome hosted an AMA Supercross Championship round from 1974 to 2003 and the NRG Stadium since 2003.

Several annual sporting events are no longer held in Houston. The Virginia Slims of Houston was a women's tennis tournament held from 1970 to 1995 as part of the WTA Tour. The final official event of the LPGA golf season, the LPGA Tour Championship, was held in Houston in 2009 but moved to Orlando, Florida in 2010.

Event  | Month  | Sport  | Venue  | Established

|
|
|
|

Houston Marathon | January  | Running | Convention Center and streets of Houston  | 1972
Houston College Classic | February  | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | 2001
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo | February / March  | Rodeo | NRG Park | 1932
Houston Open | March  | Golf | Golf Club of Houston | 1946
U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships | April  | Tennis | River Oaks Country Club | 2001
U.S. International Rugby Match | June  | Rugby | Shell Energy Stadium | 2012
Texas Bowl | December  | Football | NRG Stadium | 2006
Bayou Bucket Classic | Varies  | Football | Rice Stadium, TDECU Stadium, or NRG Stadium | 1971
SWAC Championship Game | December  | Football | NRG Stadium | 2013
SWAC Basketball Tournament | March  | Basketball | Toyota Center | 2013

## Other major events

[edit]

In addition to the events listed below, Houston hosted the Masters Grand Prix in 1976 and the Tennis Masters Cup in 2003 and 2004. Houston is set to host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Event  | Host  | Sport  | Venue  | Date

|
|
|
|

UFC 69: Shootout | UFC | Mixed martial arts | Toyota Center | April 7, 2007
Wrestlemania X-Seven | WWE | Professional wrestling | Astrodome | April 1, 2001
Wrestlemania XXV | WWE | Professional wrestling | Reliant Stadium | April 5, 2009
Super Bowl VIII | NFL | Football | Rice Stadium | January 13, 1974
Super Bowl XXXVIII | NFL | Football | Reliant Stadium | February 1, 2004
2005 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October 2005
1968 MLB All-Star Game | MLB | Baseball | Astrodome | July 9, 1968
1986 MLB All-Star Game | MLB | Baseball | Astrodome | July 15, 1986
2004 MLB All-Star Game | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | July 13, 2004
2006 NBA All-Star Game | NBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | February 19, 2006
1971 NCAA Men's Final Four | NCAA | Basketball | Astrodome | March 25 and 27, 1971
2010 MLS All-Star Game | MLS | Soccer | Reliant Stadium | July 28, 2010
2011 NCAA Men's Final Four | NCAA | Basketball | Reliant Stadium | April 2 and 4, 2011
Big 12 Championship Game | Big 12 | Football | Reliant Stadium | December 2002 and 2005
2013 USA Women's Sevens | IRB | Rugby sevens | BBVA Compass Stadium | February 1–2, 2013
2013 NBA All-Star Game | NBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | February 17, 2013
2016 NCAA Men's Final Four | NCAA | Basketball | NRG Stadium | April 2 and 4, 2016
Copa América Centenario | CONMEBOL | Soccer | NRG Stadium | June 11,13, and 21, 2016
Super Bowl LI | NFL | Football | NRG Stadium | February 5, 2017
2017 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October 2017
2018 U.S. Open Cup Final | USSF | Soccer | BBVA Compass Stadium | September 26, 2018
2019 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October 2019
2021 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October/November 2021
2022 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October/November 2022

2023 NCAA Men's Final Four

| NCAA | Basketball | NRG Stadium | April 1 and 3, 2023

2024 College Football Playoff National Championship

| NCAA | Football | NRG Stadium | January 8, 2024

2024 Copa America

| CONMEBOL | Soccer | NRG Stadium | June 22, 24, and July 4, 2024

## Intramural sports

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2019)

|

Houston has a cricket league for adults which, in 2016, had 30 teams and with the majority of players being immigrants from cricket-oriented countries; this league was established in the 1970s. In 2013 the first cricket club for children, Katy Youth Cricket, was established. The first youth league, Triggers Colts Cricket League, was established in 2014, as was the Sugar Land Youth Cricket Club and the North West Children's Cricket Club. In 2015 Energy Corridor Cricket, also a children's club, was established.[4] In September 2018 a cricket complex in Prairie View was scheduled to open.[5]

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, there was a renewed interest in roller skating in Houston.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Gulf Coast Division". Archived from the original on 2013-04-22.
2. ^ "TSHA | Houston Oilers". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
3. ^ "Ian Madigan kicks Ireland to victory over US Eagles in Texas". the Guardian. 2013-06-09. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
4. ^ Kadifa, Margaret (2016-03-22). "'Cricket' isn't a bug to this group of youngsters". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
5. ^ Collette, Mark (2018-07-18). "Major cricket complex in Prairie View is Houston man's field of dreams". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
6. ^ Garcia, Julie (2020-12-02). "On A Roll". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-04-28.

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City of Houston

Nickname: Space City

Topics|

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Business
districts|

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See also: List of companies in Houston

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Private universities
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See: List of colleges and universities in Houston

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