A list of the best and the worst New York professional sports teams

From the Knicks to the Yankees and the Nets, New York's professional sports teams show an array of sports talent. Discover more about all the major and minor sports teams in the Empire State.

Compared to most cities in the United States of America, the Big Apple has the most major league teams. This article will dive deep into the list of New York professional sports teams and their performances.

How many professional sports teams are in New York City?

There are several professional sports teams in New York City. These teams play in almost all major leagues, including the NBA, MLS, AFL, WHL, ABA, NFL, MLB and NHL.

Would you like to discover what professional sports teams are in New York? The city boasts about 11 major league teams. Scroll down and look at all the New York professional sports teams.

What are the major sports teams in New York?

What is the number 1 sports team in NYC?

The state lays claim to several other top teams, such as Buffalo, New York's professional sports teams. These include the Buffalo Sabres, Bisons, Bandits and Beuts.

1. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are undeniably New York's most famous sports team. As one of the most successful MLB teams ever, the Yankees have a 10,602-8,000 record in 121 seasons between 1903 and 2023.

2. New York City FC

Is NYCFC good? As of March 2023, the club ranks fifth in the MLS league standings. The club's first appearance at the MLS championships ended in victory when they won the Philadelphia Union 2-1.

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NBA

3. New York Red Bulls

Although the Red Bulls are ranked 11th in the Major League Soccer standings, they have become one of the biggest teams in New York. With 1394 points, the three-time Supporter's Shield winners rank 37th on continental rankings and hold the 693rd position on world rankings.

4. New York Knicks

Although the Knicks have had a number of unsuccessful seasons, a new dawn has risen under Tom Thibodeau’s coaching. A recent report by Sports Illustrated revealed that the basketball team is making efforts to catch up to league giants such as the Mavericks, Bucks and 76ers. Only time will tell if the Knicks can make the playoffs in 2023.

5. Brooklyn Nets

In the East Conference, the Brooklyn Nets rank sixth with 38 wins and 38 losses and a .533 win percentage. At the time of writing, the team is ranked thirteenth nationally.

6. New Jersey Devils

Although fans consider the Devils part of New Jersey, the team is regarded as part of NY city's professional sports teams due to media coverage. The team is ranked highly among the top NFL football teams in New York.

What professional sports team has the most losses?

At the time of writing, most reports suggest that the city has the most successful sports teams. However, New York is also home to some of the worst sports franchises of all time. We have used various verified sources, such as StatsMuse, to compile this list of the teams.

1. New York Jets - 1995/96

In 1996, the Jets suffered one of their worst seasons after ending the year with a 1-15 win-loss record. The most recent disappointing results came in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons with 2-14, 4-13, and 7-10 win-loss records, respectively.

2. New York Mets - 1961/62

1962 was the year the Mets had the worst record. The team only won a third of the matches played during the season, finishing tenth in the league with a 40-120 win-loss record. However, the club later recorded worse results in 1963, 1964, and 1965 where they lost 111, 109 and 112 games, respectively.

3. New York Islanders - 1972/73

The Islanders ended their worst season in 1972/73 with 30 overall points and a 12-60-6 record in 78 games. In 2021/22, the team disappointed fans with a 37-35-10 record and a .512 win percentage.

4. New York Rangers - 1943/44

What was the worst Rangers season? Undoubtedly, a 6-39-5 record in the 1943/44 season marked the worst performance by the Rangers. The team ended the season with six wins against 39 losses and 17 overall points in 50 games.

5. New York Giants - 1965/66

What was the worst year for the New York Giants? In 1966, the football giants recorded one win against 12 losses in 14 games. In 1973 and 1974, the team performed dismally, recording two wins in the season. Most recently, the squad ended the 2021 season with a 4-13 record and a .235 win percentage.

What city has lost the most professional sports teams?

Although the city beheld the glory of sports for a long time, the turn of the century spelt doom for most teams. According to a report by USA Today in 2020, 12 teams in various leagues have decamped to other cities.

New York's professional sports teams include two Major League Baseball teams, and is also home to three National Hockey League franchises. They have two National Basketball Association teams, and one Major League Soccer team. There is also one National Football League team.

SportsBrief recently published an article on all professional sports teams based in Boston. Home to several major league teams, Boston is regarded as one of the most successful sports cities in the United States. Click on the link above and discover more about the city's crowning jewels in sports.

Sport	League	Team
Soccer	Major League Soccer (MLS)	New York Red Bulls New York City FC
American football	National Football League (NFL)	New York Giants New York Jets
Baseball	Major League Baseball (MLB)	New York Yankees New York Mets
Hockey	National Hockey League (NHL)	New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Devils
Basketball	National Basketball Association (NBA)	New York Knicks Brooklyn Nets