Sports in Sacramento, California

Sports in American city

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Sports in Sacramento, California" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The City of Sacramento and the Sacramento metropolitan area are home to two major league professional teams — the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) — as well as numerous minor league and amateur sports teams. Sacramento also has recreational facilities.

A Sacramento Kings basketball game at Golden 1 Center Sutter Health Park, home of the River Cats and temporary home of the Athletics.

## Professional sports

[edit]

Sacramento is home to the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. The Kings relocated to Sacramento from Kansas City in 1985.

In 2000, AAA minor league baseball returned to Sacramento with the Sacramento River Cats, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The River Cats play at Sutter Health Park, located in West Sacramento.

On April 3, 2024, the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball reached an agreement with the City of Sacramento to play at Sutter Health Park on a temporary basis, beginning in 2025 before their permanent move to Las Vegas in 2028.[1]

Sacramento professional teams  Club  | League  | Sport  | Venue  | Founded  | Championships

|
|
|
|
|

Athletics | MLB | Baseball  | Sutter Health Park | 1901 (2025)  | 9 World Series titles (5 in Philadelphia, 4 in Oakland, California)
Sacramento Kings | NBA | Basketball  | Golden 1 Center | 1945 (1985)  | 1 NBA, 1 NBL (as Rochester Royals)
Sacramento River Cats | PCL | Baseball  | Sutter Health Park  | 1978 (2000)  | 3 Triple-A, 5 League
Sacramento Republic FC | USLC | Soccer  | Heart Health Park | 2012  | 2014 USL Pro Championship

### Former pro teams

[edit]

The now defunct Sacramento Monarchs of the Women's National Basketball Association were one of the eight founding members of the WNBA, which started in 1997. The Monarchs won the WNBA Championship in 2005 to become the first major, professional sports team in Sacramento to do so.[citation needed] However, the Monarchs team folded in November 2009.

The Sacramento Solons, a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, played in Sacramento during several periods (1903, 1905, 1909–1914, 1918–1960, 1974–1976), mostly at Edmonds Field.

The Sacramento Express played at Bonney Field (now named Heart Health Park) and began play in the only PRO Rugby season before the league folded.

In the past, the city hosted three professional football teams, the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football (who won the World Bowl II on June 6, 1992), the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League, and the Sacramento Attack of the Arena Football League.

## Semi-pro and amateur sports

[edit]

View of the city skyline from Raley Field

Teams in several smaller leagues have been and continue to be in Sacramento. The Sacramento Heatwave of the American Basketball Association currently plays at Folsom High School.

Sacramento was also home to an indoor soccer team, the Sacramento Knights of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (later called the World Indoor Soccer League). The Sacramento XSV (pronounced "excessive") of the National Professional Paintball League represents the City but is based in Modesto, California. The last sports team to come to Sacramento was the Sacramento Mountain Lions which was part of the United Football League (2009). They played at Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats.

Sacramento hosted the 2000 and 2004 USA Olympic Track & Field Trials. The California International Marathon (est. 1983) finishes in front of the Capitol, and attracts a field of international elite runners who vie for a share of the $50,000 prize purse. The fast point-to-point course begins in Folsom and is popular for runners seeking to achieve a Boston Marathon qualifying time and fitness runners. The Sacramento Mile is a national flat-track motorcycle racing event. From 1961 to 1980, Sacramento hosted the Camellia Bowl, which selected or helped select ten national champions in college football's lower divisions.

Club  | League  | Sport  | Venue  | Founded  | Championships

|
|
|
|
|

Sacramento Capitals | WTT | Tennis  | Allstate Stadium  | 1987  | 5
Sacramento Heatwave | ABA | Basketball  | Natomas H.S. Event Center | 2003  |
Sacramento Gold | NPSL | Soccer  | Cosumnes River College | 2003  | 1
Sacramento Sirens | IWFL | Football  | Foothill High School | 2001  | 1 WAFL, 3 IWFL
Sacramento Pride | WPSL | Soccer  | Lincoln High School | 1995  |
Sacramento Surge | PASL | Indoor Soccer  | McClellan Park  | 2012  |
Sacramento Suns | USAFL | Australian Football  | Various  | 2009  | 2 D2, 1 D3

## College and high school sports

[edit]

The Sacramento area is home to two NCAA Division 1 sports programs — Sacramento State, which fields 21 varsity sports, most in the Big Sky Conference; and UC Davis, which fields 23 varsity teams, most in the Big West Conference.

Sacramento has frequently hosted the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship as well as the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.

Sacramento is a hotbed for high school rugby. Jesuit High has won national championships, winning six times in total. Their arch-rival school Christian Brothers has come in second nationwide. Granite Bay, Burbank, Del Campo, Sierra Foothills, and Vacaville have also placed well in the national competition over the years. The Sacramento Valley High School Rugby Conference hosts the largest and arguably deepest preseason youth and high school rugby tournament in America.

## Recreation

[edit]

Sacramento hosts some recreational facilities and events. The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail that runs between Old Sacramento and Folsom Lake grants access to the American River Parkway, a natural area that includes more than 5,000 acres (20 km2) of undeveloped land. It attracts cyclists and equestrians from across the state. The California State Fair is held in Sacramento each year at the end of the summer, ending on Labor Day. In 2010, the State Fair moved to July. More than one million people attended this fair in 2001.

Among other recreational options in Sacramento is Discovery Park, a 275-acre (1.1 km2) park studded with stands of mature trees and grasslands. This park is situated where the American River flows into the Sacramento River.

In amateur sports, Sacramento claims many prominent Olympians such as Mark Spitz, Debbie Meyer, Mike Burton, Summer Sanders, Jeff Float (all swimming), and Billy Mills (track). Coach Sherm Chavoor founded his world famous Arden Hills Swim Club just east of the city and trained Burton, Myer, Spitz and others.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Jarosz, Joseph (April 3, 2024). "Oakland Athletics to Announce Temporary Residency in Sacramento". Sactown Sports.

* v
* t
* e

City of Sacramento

Topics|

* History
* Timeline
* Notable people
* Sports
* Skyscrapers
* Transportation

Government|

* City Council
* Mayors
* Police Department
* Fire Department
* Public schools
* Port

Neighborhoods|

* Ben Ali
* Boulevard Park
* Colonial Heights
* Curtis Park
* Del Paso Heights
* Downtown Sacramento
* East Sacramento
* Elmhurst
* Gardenland
* Land Park
* Lavender Heights
* Meadowview
* Midtown
* Natomas
* New Era Park
* North Sacramento
* Oak Park
* Old Sacramento
* Pocket-Greenhaven
* River Park
* Robla
* Southeast Village
* Southside Park
* Swanston Estates
* Tahoe Park
* Upper Land Park
* Valley View Acres

Symbols|

* Flag

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Sacramento County, California, United States

County seat: Sacramento

Cities|

* Citrus Heights
* Elk Grove
* Folsom
* Galt
* Isleton
* Rancho Cordova
* Sacramento

Sacramento County map

CDPs|

* Antelope
* Arden-Arcade
* Carmichael
* Clay
* Courtland
* Elverta
* Fair Oaks
* Florin
* Foothill Farms
* Franklin
* Freeport
* Fruitridge Pocket
* Gold River
* Herald
* Hood
* La Riviera
* Lemon Hill
* Mather
* McClellan Park
* North Highlands
* Orangevale
* Parkway
* Rancho Murieta
* Rio Linda
* Rosemont
* Vineyard
* Walnut Grove
* Wilton

Unincorporated
communities|

* Locke
* Paintersville
* Parkway-South Sacramento
* Ryde
* Sloughhouse

Ghost towns|

* Michigan Bar
* Mormon Island
* Norristown
* Prairie City
* Sutterville

* California portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Sports teams based in California

Australian rules
football|

USAFL
Golden Gate Roos
Los Angeles Dragons
Orange County Giants
Sacramento Suns
San Diego Lions

Baseball|

MLB
Athletics
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
PCL
Sacramento River Cats

Fresno Grizzlies
Inland Empire 66ers
Lake Elsinore Storm
Modesto Nuts
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
San Jose Giants
Stockton Ports
Visalia Rawhide
PIO
Oakland Ballers
Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers
PEC
Bakersfield Train Robbers
Dublin Leprechauns
Martinez Sturgeon
Monterey Amberjacks
San Rafael Pacifics
Vallejo Seaweed

Basketball|

NBA
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings
WNBA
Golden State Valkyries
Los Angeles Sparks
G League
San Diego Clippers
Santa Cruz Warriors
South Bay Lakers
Stockton Kings
BIG3
LA Riot
ABA
Team Trouble

Esports|

CDL
Los Angeles Guerrillas
Los Angeles Thieves
OWL
Los Angeles Gladiators
San Francisco Shock

American
football|

NFL
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
IFL
Bay Area Panthers
San Diego Strike Force
WFA
Cali War
River City Grizzlies
SoCal Magic
WNFC
Golden State Storm
Los Angeles Legends
San Diego Rebellion
USPWFL
AV Brickhouse Bricks
Sacramento Sirens
X League
Los Angeles Black Storm

Ice hockey|

NHL
Anaheim Ducks
Los Angeles Kings
San Jose Sharks
AHL
Bakersfield Condors
Coachella Valley Firebirds
Ontario Reign
San Diego Gulls
San Jose Barracuda
USPHL
Anaheim Avalanche
Fresno Monsters
San Diego Sabers
WSHL
Valencia Flyers

Lacrosse|

NLL
San Diego Seals
PLL
California Redwoods

Pickleball|

MLP
Los Angeles Mad Drops
SoCal Hard Eights

Roller derby|

WFTDA
Angel City Derby Girls
Bay Area Derby
Central Coast Roller Derby
Derby Revolution of Bakersfield
Humboldt Roller Derby
Sacramento Roller Derby
Santa Cruz Derby Girls
Silicon Valley Roller Girls
Sonoma County Roller Derby
RDCL
Los Angeles Derby Dolls
Orange County Roller Girls
San Diego Derby Dolls

Rugby league|

CRL
Los Angeles Mongrels
Oakland Originals
Sacramento Immortals
San Francisco Savage

Rugby union|

MLR
LA Giltinis
San Diego Legion
PRP
Golden Gate RFC
Old Mission Beach Athletic Club
Santa Monica Rugby Club
Belmont Shore RFC
Olympic Club
SCRFU
Finlander Rugby Club
SDSU Aztecs

Soccer|

MLS
LA Galaxy
Los Angeles FC
San Diego FC
San Jose Earthquakes
NWSL
Angel City FC
Bay FC
San Diego Wave FC
USLC
Monterey Bay FC
Oakland Roots SC
Orange County SC
Sacramento Republic FC
Santa Barbara Sky FC (2026)
MLSNP
Golden City FC (2026)
LAFC2
The Town FC
Ventura County FC
USL1
AV Alta FC
NISA
Albion San Diego
Capo FC
Irvine Zeta FC
Los Angeles Force
USL2
Academica SC
Almaden FC
AMSG FC
Capo FC
Coachella FC
Davis Legacy SC
Marin FC Legends
Monterey Bay F.C. 2
Project 51O
Redlands FC
San Francisco City FC
San Francisco Glens SC
Southern California Seahorses
Ventura County Fusion
USLW
Academica SC
AMSG FC
California Storm
Capo FC
Marin FC Siren
Oakland Soul SC
OC Sporting FC
Olympic Club SC
Pleasanton RAGE
San Francisco Glens
San Juan SC
Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Southern California Dutch Lions FC
Stockton Cargo SC
NISA Nation
Chula Vista FC
FC Golden State Force
NPSL
A.S. Los Angeles
Contra Costa FC
FC Davis
El Farolito SC
High Desert Elite FC
Napa Valley 1839 FC
Sacramento Gold FC
Sonoma County Sol
Temecula FC
UPSL
Santa Ana Winds FC
L.A. Wolves FC
La Máquina FC
FC Santa Clarita
Del Rey City SC
Real San Jose
Oakland Stompers
Oakland Pamperos
Aguiluchos U-23
Orange County FC 2
San Diego Internacional FC
MASL
Empire Strykers
San Diego Sockers

Empire Jets
San Diego Sockers 2
Turlock Cal Express

Ultimate|

UFA
Los Angeles Aviators
Oakland Spiders
San Diego Growlers
WUL
Los Angeles Astra
San Diego Super Bloom
San Francisco Falcons

Volleyball|

PVF
San Diego Mojo
NVA
Los Angeles Blaze
Ontario Matadors
Orange County Stunners
San Diego Wild

* Sports in Los Angeles
* Sports in Sacramento
* Sports in San Diego
* Sports in the San Francisco Bay Area
* College Sports in California

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template