DENVER (KDVR) — In recent years Colorado sports teams have experienced something of a winning boom. The streets of downtown Denver have played host to several championship parades featuring some of Colorado's most revered athletes.
According to a study conducted by GambleSpot, over the course of the last 20 years, Colorado is the state with the sixth most championship wins across the nation. The study used information from ESPN to compile how many NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB championships each state has had since 2004.
Sixth place is not too bad considering Colorado only has four teams representing it across these leagues. California, who topped the list, has 15 teams across the four leagues. Colorado even tied with New York which has nine teams representing it.
The winning was split up pretty evenly in Colorado with the three championships all coming from a different sport. The Denver Broncos kickstarted the championship quests in 2016 with their Super Bowl win against the Carolina Panthers. Colorado sports fans would have to wait a while to see another team win a championship.
Then, in 2022, the Colorado Avalanche had a breakthrough and won the Stanley Cup after facing off against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In what felt like the blink of an eye, another championship was delivered to the state the very next year when the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals to bring home the franchise's first-ever championship.
The Colorado Rockies got close to making it four championships, but they couldn't get over the hump in their loss in the 2007 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. The Rockies are the last major sports team in Colorado who have yet to win a championship.
The full ranking of states that have won championships includes:
- California — 15 wins
- Massachusetts — 11 wins
- Florida — 8 wins
- Pennsylvania — 7 wins
- Texas — 7 wins
- Missouri — 7 wins
- Illinois — 5 wins
- New York — 3 wins
- Colorado — 3 wins
- Wisconsin — 2 wins
- Indiana — 1 win
- Louisiana — 1 win
- Ohio — 1 win
- Maryland — 1 win
- Washington — 1 win
- North Carolina — 1 win
- Nevada — 1 win
- Georgia — 1 win
Several states had the opportunity of witnessing dynasties perform each year such as the Golden State Warriors who were responsible for four of California's 15 wins, or the Chicago Blackhawks who brought in three of Illinois' five titles. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the states who have had to wait decades to see one of their teams bring home that final win of the season.
Coloradans are in the perfect time to see their favorite teams chase a title, as three of the four major sports leagues are in season or starting within the month.
For the football fans out there, the Broncos' season is just beginning, and with a new-look squad, the team is 2-2 and will be looking to improve on their 8-9 record from last season.
As for the Rockies, the MLB playoffs have just begun and they were unable to make it to the postseason this year after finishing the season with a 61-101 record.
With two of Colorado's championships coming within the last three years and the cores of both of those championship squads from the Nuggets and Avs remaining intact, Colorado sports fans will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see if those teams can make a few more runs at a title.
The Nuggets took off to the other side of the world and began their preseason on Friday in a game versus the Boston Celtics. The teams played at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Nuggets regular season will kick off at Ball Arena on Oct. 24 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Meanwhile, the Avs are nearing the end of their preseason tour and will begin the regular season on Oct. 9 against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but local fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see their team in person as they head to Las Vegas for the season opener.
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