Sports in Buffalo

Buffalo, New York, and its greater metropolitan area is currently home to two major league sports teams, the Buffalo Sabres (National Hockey League) & Buffalo Bills (National Football League). Buffalo is also home to several other major and minor league sports teams, including the Buffalo Bandits (National Lacrosse League), Buffalo Bisons (International League), Buffalo eXtreme (American Basketball Association) and FC Buffalo (USL League Two). Local colleges active in NCAA Division I athletics include Canisius University, Niagara University, St. Bonaventure University and University at Buffalo.

Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills

KeyBank Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bandits

Alumni Arena, home of the Buffalo Bulls

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 the Music 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 were American 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 the Buffalo Bills (established 1960) were joined by the Buffalo Braves of the National 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 league Buffalo Bisons with hopes that it could attract a Major League Baseball franchise to the city. The major league franchise never came, although the Toronto Blue Jays would eventually play their home games at Sahlen Field in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2]

Joe Mesi was a professional boxer from Buffalo who earned the nickname "Third Franchise" during his undefeated career between 1997 and 2007 after selling out KeyBank Center and other local venues multiple times.^[3]

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Professional

More information Sport, League ...

Sport	League	Club	Founded	Venue	Titles	Championship years
Baseball	IL	Buffalo Bisons	1979†	Sahlen Field	3	1997, 1998, 2004
Basketball	ABA	Buffalo eXtreme	2023	XGen Elite Sports Complex
Football	NFL	Buffalo Bills	1960	Highmark Stadium	2	1964, 1965
Hockey	NHL	Buffalo Sabres	1970	KeyBank Center
Lacrosse	NLL	Buffalo Bandits	1992	KeyBank Center	6	1992, 1993, 1996, 2008, 2023, 2024
Soccer	USL League Two	FC Buffalo	2009	Williamsville South High School
Soccer	UWS	FC Buffalo Women	2021	Williamsville South High School

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* American Football League (AFL) championships were earned prior to the AFL–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.

Collegiate

More information Sport, League ...

Sport	League	Club	Founded	Venue	Titles	Championship years
College Basketball	NCAA	Buffalo Bulls	1915	Alumni Arena	4	2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
College Basketball	NCAA	Canisius Golden Griffins	1903	Koessler Athletic Center	1	1996
College Basketball	NCAA	Niagara Purple Eagles	1905	Gallagher Center	2	2005, 2007
College Basketball	NCAA	St. Bonaventure Bonnies	1902	Reilly Center	2	2012, 2021
College Football	NCAA	Buffalo Bulls	1894	University at Buffalo Stadium	1	2008
College Hockey	NCAA	Canisius Golden Griffins	1980	LECOM Harborcenter	2	2013, 2023
College Hockey	NCAA	Niagara Purple Eagles	1996	Dwyer Arena	3	2000, 2004, 2008*

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* 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.

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Lacrosse

Buffalo Bowmans (Indoor Professional Lacrosse League) 1932
Buffalo Renegades (National Lacrosse League (Canada)) 1991

Soccer

Buffalo White Eagles (Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League) 1962
Buffalo Blazers (Canadian National Soccer League) 1976–1980
Buffalo Stallions (Major Indoor Soccer League) 1979–1984
Buffalo Storm (United Soccer League) 1984
Buffalo Blizzard (National Professional Soccer League) 1992–2001
Buffalo FFillies (USL W-League) 1996–1998
Queen City FC (National Premier Soccer League) 2007–2008
Western New York Flash (Women's Professional Soccer/National Women's Soccer League) 2008–2018
Buffalo City FC (National Premier Soccer League) 2009

Tennis

Toronto-Buffalo Royals (World TeamTennis) 1974

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[1]
Van Riper, Tom. "America's Most Miserable Sports Cities". Forbes. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
[2]
"Toronto Blue Jays to play in Buffalo for 2020 season". WHEC. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
[3]
""Baby" Joe Mesi – Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame".

[1] [1]
Van Riper, Tom. "America's Most Miserable Sports Cities". Forbes. Retrieved 10 April 2013.

[2] [2]
"Toronto Blue Jays to play in Buffalo for 2020 season". WHEC. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.

[3] [3]
""Baby" Joe Mesi – Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame".

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Sports in Buffalo

Professional

Collegiate

Baseball

Basketball

Football

Hockey

Lacrosse

Soccer

Tennis

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Sports in Buffalo

Professional

Collegiate

Baseball

Basketball

Football

Hockey

Lacrosse

Soccer

Tennis

Wikiwand in your browser!

Current teams

Former teams

Major sports events held in Buffalo

References