Sports in Miami

Miami Beach sports and recreation - Miami Beach attractions

Florida is big on sports. Well, actually, it is huge on sports! Miami, of course, is one of the most dense sports cities of the state with important franchises in baseball, basketball, ice hockey, football, and many more. But it’s not just about the teams and franchises, but about the fans. Miami is a diverse city that is home to people from various backgrounds and nationalities from around the world. The Latin influence is notorious, especially in baseball.

American Football is one of the most watched sports in the United States, and this is no exception in Miami. In the National Football League (NFL), Miami is represented by the Miami Dolphins, founded in 1966. The Dolphins play at Dolphin Stadium is located in North Miami (about 15 miles from Miami Downtown), with a capacity of 76,500 spectators. The legendary and hall-of-fame Dan Marino played for the Dolphins from 1983 – 1999, where he won numerous awards and held many records. The Miami Dolphins have won 2 consecutive Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973.

Basketball is a growing sport worldwide, but its roots are in the United States. The luxurious American Airlines Arena, a $213 million monster located on Biscayne Boulevard with a total capacity of 19,600, is the home of the Miami Heat. Founded in 1988, the Miami Heat has won 7 division titles, 1 conference title, and 1 NBA Championship title. Shaquille O’Neal (aka The Diesel) and Dwyane Wade (aka Flash) are the team’s most famous players.

Baseball has been considered “America’s favorite pastime” for many decades. Baseball is huge in Florida, and the Florida Marlins represent the state with 2 championships in 1997 and 2003. The Marlins are based in Miami and are the second tenants of the Dolphin Stadium in North Miami. The Florida Marlins were founded in 1993 and are noticeable for winning the MLB World Series both times they made it to the post-season.

Hockey is not as popular as baseball, football, and basketball, but it does have an interesting rake in the Greater Miami area. The Bank Atlantic Center is located in Sunrise, FL, and is the home of the Florida Panthers, the professional hockey team representing the Sunshine State in the NHL. Its total seating capacity is 22,457.

Even though professional division sports take most of the audience in the US, college divisions are also important and interestingly popular. The famous Miami Hurricanes from the University of Miami, aka Canes, defend the orange and green colors at the Orange Bowl stadium in the NCAA football division.

NASCAR has selected the Homestead Miami Speedway to host its season-ending championship event on an annual basis. Here, the best NASCAR competitors engage in fierce battles to win the Nextel Cup. Miami is also the site of one of the nation’s fastest growing marathons. The ING Tropical Marathon attracts the top runners from around the world to enjoy one of the most scenic courses anywhere.

Greater Miami has plenty to brag about when it comes to golf courses. We feature some of the most difficult courses in the world. Some courses have been rated in the top 10 courses by Golfweek. With courses as impressive as those, it's no wonder that a number of great professional golf tournaments take place in this city. We even have the only public Miami Beach golf course in Continental U.S. that has Paspalum grass.

Greater Miami and the Beaches are home to one of four World Golf Championship events, the CA Championship, which features the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking along with top finishers on the money lists of the six Tours comprising the International Federation of PGA Tours (PGA Tour, European Tour, Australasian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour).

 

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS OUR COMPLETE MIAMI GUIDE