Maryland has a number of major and minor professional sports franchises. Two National Football League teams play in Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore and the Washington Commanders in Prince George's County. The Baltimore Orioles compete as Major League Baseball franchise in Baltimore.
Other professional sports franchises in the state include five affiliated minor league baseball teams, one independent league baseball team, the Baltimore Blast indoor soccer team, two indoor football teams, two low-level Basketball teams, and three low-level outdoor soccer teams.
The Congressional Country Club has hosted several professional golf tournaments, including the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open, Senior PGA Championship, Kemper Open and Quicken Loans National.
Maryland has had famous athletes including baseball's Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers, Orioles' Cal Ripken Jr. and George Herman ("Babe") Ruth, who played for the old Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and especially won fame with the New York Yankees. Plus Olympic swimming medalists Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Chase Kalisz, and Katie Hoff.Since 1962, the official state sport of Maryland is jousting. Lacrosse was named the official team sport in 2004, and Sports Illustrated wrote the sport "has always been the showcase for the flower of Maryland manhood." In 2008, intending to promote physical fitness for all ages, Maryland declared walking the official state exercise and became the first state with an official state exercise.
Major professional teams
Maryland has major professional sports teams in the city of Baltimore and in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. Two major league teams play in Baltimore — the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and MLB's Baltimore Orioles. Additionally, the NFL's Baltimore Colts played in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983 before moving to Indianapolis.
The Washington Commanders (formerly the Washington Redskins) play in Landover, Maryland. The NHL's Washington Capitals and the NBA's Washington Wizards (formerly the Baltimore Bullets, then Washington Bullets) used to play in Maryland before moving in 1997 to a newly constructed Verizon Center arena in downtown Washington in the District of Columbia.
Other current professional and semi-pro teams
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Hockey
Soccer
Former professional and semi-pro teams
Baseball
The following table details baseball teams which were located in Maryland. For minor league teams that changed affiliations, each affiliation is listed as a separate team.
Basketball
Football
Hockey
Inline Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Other sports
Collegiate sports
NCAA Division I
Coppin State University
The Coppin State University sports teams participate in NCAA Division I as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) for most sports, with baseball competing in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Its teams are called the Eagles.
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse team, founded in 1883, is the school's most prominent sports team, which has won 44 national titles. The Blue Jays play at Homewood Field (pictured right). Lacrosse is the only sport in which Hopkins participates as an NCAA Division I member; both the men's and women's lacrosse teams compete at that level in the Big Ten Conference. All other Hopkins sports compete in NCAA Division III, in which athletic scholarships are not allowed. Hopkins is one of a small number of Division III schools authorized by the NCAA to continue awarding scholarships in their Division I sports.
Loyola University Maryland
Loyola fields 17 varsity teams and 22 club teams. The varsity teams, known as the Greyhounds, participate in the NCAA's Division I. All Loyola varsity teams compete in the Patriot League in the following sports:
Morgan State University
The Morgan State University athletic teams are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Their teams are called the Bears and compete in the following sports: Basketball – Men's & Women's Bowling – Women's Cheer – Women's Cross Country – Men's & Women's Football – Men's Softball – Women's Tennis – Men's & Women's Track & Field – Women's Volleyball – Women's