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The Best Sports Teams Named After Animals

Ranker Sports
Updated July 9, 2024 21.2K views 37 items
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3.1K votes
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Vote up the best pro sports teams in the US with animal mascots.

How many sports teams named after animals can you think of? Which animal sports teams do you think are the best of all time? In the world of professional sports, the team's name and mascot may not matter much when it comes to winning, but some of these sports teams with animal names have been at the top of their class. Some of these team names came from classic '90s movies (Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Raptors), while others came from state birds (New Orleans Pelicans, Baltimore Orioles). These animal team names encompass a wide variety of animals, such as the wolf (Timberwolves), cats (Bengals), or horses (Colts). But which of these teams has performed the best over the years? Could any be considered the best sport franchises of all time?

When it comes to the best animal sports teams, the St. Louis Cardinals may be the most successful franchise to have been named after animals. The Cardinals have dominated the MLB's National League with some of the greatest MLB players ever, and they currently hold the number two spot for most World Series wins, next to the Yankees. Then you have the NBA's Chicago Bulls, with six championships during the Michael Jordan era. A number of NFL teams have taken their animal mascots to Super Bowl glory, such as the Ravens, the Dolphins, and the colts. Other notable teams named after animals include the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, MLB's Baltimore Orioles, and the NHL's Boston Bruins, among many others.

So who's your favorite animal sports team? Check out the complete list of professional sports teams named after animals with their logos below and vote up the franchises you think are the very best.

Most divisive: Toronto Raptors
Over 300 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of All the Teams Named After Animals
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