The Bronx has a long and storied history when it comes to sports teams. From the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets of the NBA to the New York Excelsior of the Overwatch League, the city has seen a variety of teams come and go over the years. But what has been the evolution of sports teams in the Bronx since its founding?The first sports team to represent the city was the New York Rangers, who played ice hockey in the Meadowlands. This was made possible by great feats of environmental engineering that made the land safe for horses.
The Rangers were followed by the New York Americans, also known as the Amerks and, between 1941 and 1942, the Brooklyn Americans. The Americans played between 1925 and 1942, and were followed by the New York Giants and Jets who played at the Polo Grounds (Manhattan) and Shea Stadium (Queens), and the Giants played at Yankee Stadium (the Bronx).The city's NBA teams are the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, who have developed a fervent rivalry with the Washington Capitals as all three compete in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. In addition, two of the National Hockey League teams based in the metropolitan areas of New York (the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders) have also developed rivalries with each other. The city is also home to a historic NHL team, the New York Excelsior (NYXL), which is an American professional Overwatch League (OWL) team that represents New York City as one of its 12 founding members. The NYXL have reached the playoffs 13 consecutive seasons (although they have lost in the first round of their last four).The home games for one team were moved to Mamaroneck, in Westchester County, and they were renamed as the New York Sportimes.
The city is also home to another professional Call of Duty League (CDL) team called The New York Subliners, which was announced as one of its first five cities to have a place in the CDL. The most historic sporting rivalry between teams from these two cities is between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders in the National Football League. Along with these two NFL teams, there is also a women's soccer team called The New York Sharks. Ice hockey has a long history and many fans in this metropolitan area, which is one of only two metropolitan areas in America (along with Los Angeles) with more than one team in each of its four most popular major professional sports leagues. This includes nine franchises. Since its founding, there have been 14 World Series baseball championship series between teams from New York City, in clashes called 'Subway Series'.
Artists like Bruce Springsteen have performed at these events, while hotels, offices, and even condominiums have emerged from swamp to swamp in less than 20 years. A group of friends recommended that I try out for South Bronx United and I didn't know it would be the start of an incredible journey. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a major player in professional sports leagues, it's clear that sports teams in The Bronx have come a long way since their inception.
