Miami’s Best Sports Teams
It’s going to be no big surprise to anyone who lives there, but when it comes to sports, Miami is up there with the best of them.
Image by joe calomeni / Pixabay
In fact, in a 2023 survey it was ranked number 6 in the list of best US cities for sports, beaten only by LA, Boston, Pittsburgh, New York and Dallas.
While it’s the city’s five major league teams that get most of the attention, there’s plenty to enjoy at every level for fans of sport.
For example, the college teams from the University of Miami have their own devoted band of followers of the Hurricanes while teams from the Florida Atlantic and International Universities are also very well supported. Then there are the ten other professional sports teams playing everything from rugby to e-sports as well as the more traditional activities of soccer and baseball.
So the fact that Hard Rock Bet Florida is now available is very welcome news for fans who like to add a little interest to their sports by having a wager or two while they watch any of these major teams.
Miami Dolphins
The Fins are in their 54th season in the NFL and their second under the leadership of head coach Mike McDaniel.
Since his arrival, they have seen a steady improvement in performance and, by January 2024, were well placed in second position in the AFC East on an equal footing with the Buffalo Bills.
There are hopes that they could be on their way to revisiting their glory days of the early 70s when they not only won the Super Bowl twice but were also the first ever team to go through a whole season unbeaten, a feat they accomplished in 1972.
They’ve also been making waves this season. Their Week 3 defeat of the Denver Broncos was the first time since 1966 that any team has scored 70 points in a game.
Florida Panthers
Hockey doesn’t seem like a game particularly suited to the Florida climate, but the Panthers have a loyal following nonetheless.
They have seen some turbulent times since the franchise was first awarded back in 1992, but there are signs that they are now firmly on the up and up, thanks to star players like captain Alexsander Barkov and his deputy, Matthew Tkachuk.
In the 2022-23 season this saw them make their way into the playoffs for the Stanley Cup in which they were drawn against the heavily fancied Boston Bruins in the first round. Defying all the odds, they went on to beat them 4-3 in the seven-game series. They then moved on to taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes. It was only when they met with the Vegas Golden Knights in the final that it all came unstuck with a five-game defeat.
Image courtesy of Markus Kammermann / Pixabay
Miami Marlins
The city’s baseball team is another that is long overdue for a resurgence. They became an expansion team in MLB back in 1993 season when they were known as the Florida Marlins, becoming the Miami Marlins nine years later for the 2012 season.
1997 and 2003 were the highlight years for the team when they won the World Series. They have also qualified for the playoffs on two other occasions, in 2020 and, most recently, in 2023 when they lost in the wild card round to the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, with the lowest winning percentage of any MLB team ever, it does seem like there’s a mountain to climb if they ever want to really reach the top tier.
Miami Heat
Next season will be the Heat’s 36th in the NBA and they will enter it in pretty good shape. The 2022-23 season saw them becoming divisional champions with a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Going into the playoffs they went on to beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks to create arguably one of the biggest upsets in playoff history. With further wins over the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics they met the Denver Nuggets in the finals, sadly losing 4-1.
Image by hfcbay / Pixabay
Inter Miami CF
For many, the most exciting recent development in Miami sports has come from soccer. Not only is Inter Miami CF part owned by British soccer legend David Beckham, but it also now has the world’s leading footballer on the team. Lionel Messi has won the prestigious Ballon D’Or no less than eight times and ever since his signing was announced back in July 2023 replica number 10 shirts with his name on have been like gold-dust. It’s also no coincidence that, since he signed, the club has enjoyed its first ever Leagues Cup win.
So Miami is undoubtedly a sporting paradise for fans. And once you also start looking at the opportunities for participation there’s even more to offer. But that’s a whole other story!