Sports Teams That Are Now Extinct

As stable as professional sports franchises seem to be, not every team is a success. Some leave their cities for greener pastures, and others simply cease to exist, leaving memories behind. Although these teams are no longer around, fans still remember them well.

Brass Bonanza: Hartford Whalers

It's a rare hockey fan who doesn't get nostalgic about the Whalers. From their beloved logo to their unique goal song, "Brass Bonanza," the Whalers made an indelible impact on the NHL from 1979 until 1997.

However, a lack of corporate dollars in Connecticut made the team's long-term survival impossible, and the Whalers fled for Raleigh, NC, becoming the Carolina Hurricanes. Today, the Canes pay tribute to their past with Whalers Jersey Nights.

Canada's First Baseball Team: Montreal Expos

Les Expos endured everything from a collapsing stadium to players not wanting to play in French-speaking Quebec. The real death of the franchise came in 1994 when a strike wiped out the World Series with the Expos holding baseball's best record.

The team sold its stars the next year and never contended again. The Expos moved to Washington, DC, in 2005, where the team became the Washington Nationals, finally winning a World Series in 2019.

Ripped From the Northwest: Seattle SuperSonics

Seattle had plenty of fan support and a fan-friendly arena, but the Sonics weren't keeping up with other teams' corporate dollars well enough to suit their owners. The city refused to pay for a new arena, leading to the team's sale to Oklahoma City interests and relocation as the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. The Sonics may return someday, but for now, they're considered to share history with OKC.

The Scorned City: Houston Oilers

The Oilers began life as a beloved franchise in the AFL, winning titles in 1960 and 1961. But by the 1990s, playoff failures and a fire sale led to Houstonians losing interest. By the end, owner Bud Adams angered the city so much that the Oilers played in front of thousands of empty seats. They moved to Tennessee in 1997, becoming the Tennessee Oilers and then the Titans in 1999.

Ohio's Lost Hockey Team: Cleveland Barons

Moving to Ohio was supposed to solve the financial woes of the California Golden Seals, but it didn't. A lack of promotion meant few people in Cleveland knew or cared about the Cleveland Barons. They struggled even more on the ice, and after two years, the Barons merged with Minnesota, disappearing from the league entirely in 1978. As of 2022, it's the last time a team in the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL has folded.