History of Sports in Minneapolis and Legalization

In Minnesota, various professional sports teams compete in all major leagues and the Winter Olympics. There are also various collegiate teams, including lovers of casino games that participate in various conferences and associations.

Major Professional Sports in Minneapolis

The Minnesota Twins are an American Major League Baseball team that moved to the state in 1961 from Washington, DC. They were known as the Senators before they moved to the Metrodome in 1982. The team played their home games in various facilities such as the Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis from 1961 to 1981.

During the 1800s, a baseball team based in Saint Paul known as the Saints was part of the Major League Baseball league. They were then moved to Chicago in 1900. The Saints are now a part of the American Association. They were formerly part of the Northern League founded in 1993 as an expansion team.

Soccer

The Major League Soccer team known as the Minnesota United FC was founded in 2017. It plays its home games at Allianz Field, which is in the Midway section of St. Paul. During their first two seasons, the team’s games were held at TCF Bank Stadium. During the 2019 season, two of the team’s players were named league-wide awards.

Before the Thunder’s formation, there were two professional soccer teams in the state. One of these was the Minnesota Kicks, which played its first game in May 1976. It was attended by over 20,000 fans.

Basketball

In 1989, the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves were founded as an expansion team. They play their home games at the Target Center, which is in downtown Minneapolis. The team, which is known as the Wolves, as well, played its first season in the Metrodome. They advanced to the 2004 Western Conference Finals.

When the NBA’s Detroit Lakers relocated to Minneapolis in 1947, they won the league’s championship. They stayed in the city and joined other NBL teams before eventually becoming part of the BAA, which won the league’s title in 1948 and 1949.

Football

The Vikings are a professional football team based in Minnesota. They played their home games at various facilities, such as the Metrodome, Metropolitan Stadium, and TCF Bank Stadium, until they moved to a new facility in 2016. The team’s new home is the University of Minnesota’s US Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016.

Before the Vikings, the area was home to other professional football teams, as well, such as the Red Jackets and the Marines. Some of the players who played for the teams in Minnesota are in the Hall of Fame.

Hockey

The Minnesota Wild, a National Hockey League team, was founded in 2000. They play their games at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Although they have made the playoffs in 12 of their 20 seasons, they have not been able to participate in the Stanley Cup finals. In 2002, the Wild surprised many by making it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time.

Fighting Saints were the names of two professional hockey teams that were based in St. Paul and were part of the World Hockey Association. One of the original 12 franchises of the league, the first team was based in Cleveland until it was relocated to St. Paul. During the 1976-77 season, the second team was based in the area.