Sports in Colorado

This list of sports in the U.S. State of Colorado includes professional teams, college sports, and individual sports from the Denver Metropolitan Area and other cities.

Professional sports teams

Colorado is the least populous state with a franchise in each of the major professional sports leagues. The state is able to support the teams because it contains a large metropolitan area with a higher population than any other city within . Therefore, many of the residents in the surrounding states support the teams in Denver, as shown by the reach of the Broncos' radio network.

ClubHomeFirst gameSportLeagueDenver BroncosDenverFootballNational Football LeagueDenver NuggetsDenverBasketballNational Basketball AssociationColorado RockiesDenverBaseballMajor League BaseballColorado AvalancheDenverIce hockeyNational Hockey LeagueColorado RapidsCommerce CitySoccerMajor League SoccerDenver Summit FCDenverMarch 14, SoccerNational Women's Soccer LeagueDenver OutlawsDenverJune 2, Field lacrossePremier Lacrosse LeagueColorado Springs Switchbacks FCColorado SpringsSoccerUSL ChampionshipDenver BulldogsDenverSummer 1998Australian rules footballUSAFLColorado MammothDenverLacrosseNational Lacrosse LeagueColorado EaglesLovelandIce hockeyAmerican Hockey LeagueRocky Mountain RollergirlsDenverRoller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationDenver Roller DerbyDenverRoller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationBoulder County BombersBoulderRoller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationDenver BarbariansDenverSpring 1967Rugby unionRugby Super LeagueAmerican RaptorsGlendaleSpring 2007Rugby unionSuper Rugby Americas

Former professional sports teams ClubSportLeagueAurora CavalryBasketballInternational Basketball LeagueColorado 14ers (won championship in their final season of 2008–09; moved to Frisco, Texas, went on hiatus in 2009–10, and resumed play in 2010–11 as the Texas Legends)BasketballNBA Development LeagueColorado Chill (folded along with the NWBL)BasketballNational Women's Basketball LeagueColorado CrossoverBasketballInternational Basketball LeagueColorado Crush (suspended operations with the AFL in 2009, and did not return after league's hiatus ended)Arena footballArena Football LeagueColorado Rapids U23'sSoccerUSL Premier Development LeagueColorado Raptors (Reformed as American Raptors, playing in Super Rugby Americas)Rugby unionMajor League RugbyColorado Rockies (NHL) (moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, and became the New Jersey Devils)Ice hockeyNational Hockey LeagueColorado Rumble FC (Denver)Indoor soccerMajor Arena Soccer League 2Colorado Springs BlizzardSoccer USL Premier Development LeagueColorado Springs Sky Sox (relocated to San Antonio after the 2018 season as the San Antonio Missions)BaseballPacific Coast League (Triple-A, Minor League Baseball)Colorado Springs Snow SoxBaseballPecos LeagueColorado Xplosion (won the Western Conference Championship in inaugural season)Women's BasketballAmerican Basketball League (1996–1998)Denver Grizzlies (moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, later moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and became the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters)Ice hockeyInternational Hockey League (1945–2001)Denver Spurs (moved to Ottawa, Ontario and became the Ottawa Civics for the rest of the team's existence)Ice hockeyWorld Hockey Association/Central Hockey League/Western Hockey LeagueDenver CutthroatsIce hockeyCentral Hockey LeagueDenver Dynamite (Inaugural AFL member; folded after four seasons)Arena footballArena Football LeagueDenver Gold (United States Football League member, 1983–1985)FootballUnited States Football LeagueDenver Bears/Denver Zephyrs (moved to New Orleans and became the New Orleans Zephyrs; now playing as the New Orleans Baby Cakes in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, Louisiana)BaseballAmerican Association/Pacific Coast LeagueDenver Racquets 1974 Champions (moved to Phoenix 1975)TennisWorld Team TennisDenver StampedeRugby unionPRO RugbyGrand Junction Jackalopes (in 2025, announced they would be relocating but have yet to reveal a new location)BaseballPioneer League (Independent, MLB Partner League)Northern Colorado OwlzBaseballPioneer League (Independent, MLB Partner League)Rocky Mountain RageIce hockeyCentral Hockey LeagueRocky Mountain VibesBaseballPioneer League (Independent, MLB Partner League)

College athletics

Colorado is home to five NCAA Division I schools, plus a number of additional schools competing at lower levels. One school that competes at the lowest NCAA level, Division III, operates two Division I teams.

Team School City Conference Air Force Falcons USAF Academy Mountain West Colorado Buffaloes Boulder Big 12 Colorado College Tigers Colorado College Colorado Springs NCHC (men's ice hockey)Mountain West (women's soccer) Colorado State Rams Colorado State University Fort Collins Mountain West Denver Pioneers Denver Summit Northern Colorado Bears Greeley Big Sky

Other sports

The Unser family includes Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Bobby Unser, Robby Unser and Louis Unser, and have won the Indianapolis 500 among other motorsports events.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a major motorsports event held at the Pikes Peak roads. Notable drivers include Mario Andretti, Michèle Mouton, Walter Röhrl, Ari Vatanen, Nobuhiro Tajima, Stig Blomqvist, Sébastien Loeb and Romain Dumas in addition to the Unsers.

Meanwhile, the Pikes Peak International Raceway has hosted motorsport events including IndyCar Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Truck Series, AMA Superbike Championship and USAC Silver Crown Series.

The Cherry Hills Country Club has hosted professional golf tournaments such as the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women's Open and PGA Championship.

The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is located at Fort Carson and serves as the training system for active duty, National Guard and Reserve soldiers to compete for Team USA at the Olympic and the Paralympic Games. Similarly, the Air Force World Class Athlete Program operates in Colorado Springs near one of two locations for the United States Olympic Training Center.

Since 2002, Aspen has served as the host city for ESPN's annual Winter X Games competitions.

Sports in Colorado

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