Colorado's Professional Sports Teams: A Complete Guide
Major League and Minor League Teams in the Centennial State
Colorado boasts a full slate of major professional sports franchises across the "Big Four" leagues, plus prominent minor league and semi-pro teams. All major teams are based in the Denver metro area.
Major League (Big Four)
| League | Team | Venue | Founded/Joined | Championships |
|---|
| MLB | Colorado Rockies | Coors Field (Denver) | 1993 | 0 (2 NL pennants: 2007) |
| NFL | Denver Broncos | Empower Field at Mile High | 1960 (AFL), 1970 (NFL) | 3 (1997, 1998, 2015) |
| NBA | Denver Nuggets | Ball Arena | 1967 (ABA), 1976 (NBA) | 1 (2023) |
| NHL | Colorado Avalanche | Ball Arena | 1979 (Quebec), 1995 (COL) | 3 (1996, 2001, 2022) |
Major League Soccer
- Colorado Rapids — MLS (1996 founding club). Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park (Commerce City). MLS Cup 2010.
Minor League & Semi-Pro
| League | Team | Location | Affiliation/Level |
|---|
| MiLB (AAA) | Albuquerque Isotopes | Albuquerque, NM | Rockies affiliate (but NM not CO) |
| MiLB (High-A) | Spokane Indians | Spokane, WA | Rockies affiliate (WA not CO) |
| MiLB (Single-A) | Fresno Grizzlies | Fresno, CA | Rockies affiliate (CA not CO) |
| MiLB (Rookie) | ACL Rockies | Scottsdale, AZ | Complex league (AZ not CO) |
| NLL (Box Lacrosse) | Colorado Mammoth | Ball Arena (Denver) | 3 Championships (2006, 2022, 2023) |
| MLR (Rugby Union) | Colorado Raptors | Infinity Park (Glendale) | 2018–2020 (folded); Glendale Raptors (amateur) continue |
| USL League Two | Flatirons Rush | Boulder | Pre-pro soccer |
| USL W League | Colorado Storm | Denver | Women's pre-pro |
College Sports (NCAA Division I)
- University of Colorado Boulder (Buffaloes) — Pac-12 → Big 12 (2024). Folsom Field, CU Events Center.
- Colorado State (Rams) — Mountain West. Canvas Stadium, Moby Arena.
- Air Force (Falcons) — Mountain West. Falcon Stadium, Cadet Field House.
- Denver (Pioneers) — Summit League. Magness Arena (hockey: 9 NCAA titles).
- Northern Colorado (Bears) — Big Sky. Nottingham Field, Bank of Colorado Arena.
Olympic Training Hub
Colorado Springs hosts the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and 24 National Governing Bodies. Many pro athletes train at altitude (6,000–10,000 ft).
Denver: A True Sports City
With four major teams sharing two downtown venues (Ball Arena, Empower Field), plus MLS, NLL, and elite college programs within 60 miles, Colorado offers one of the nation's densest pro sports concentrations — all amplified by the "Mile High" altitude advantage.
Wanderlust World