For Bostonians, sports are an even bigger topic than the weather. Nearly everyone has a favorite team they passionately support, and almost everybody loves the Red Sox. Fortunately, the city’s fans have been richly rewarded for their loyalty: Boston-area teams have won seven major championships in the last decade alone. Here are the most popular teams:
The Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are one of baseball’s most storied franchises. Founded in 1901, the team has appeared in 13 World Series and won eight titles. The Red Sox share one of sport’s greatest rivalries with the New York Yankees, a feud that dates back more than a century.
Legendary slugger Babe Ruth joined the team in 1914 at age 19 and helped lead Boston to World Series victories in 1915 and 1918. After an 86-year championship drought known as the “Curse of the Bambino,” the Red Sox finally reclaimed glory in 2004, followed by another title in 2007. More recently, they added championships in 2013 and 2018.
Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, offers an intimate, electric atmosphere that makes every fan feel part of the game. A summer night at Fenway with a cold beer and a hot dog remains one of Boston’s most cherished traditions.
The New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have dominated the NFL in recent decades, winning six Super Bowl titles since 2001 (including five in the last decade alone). Their first triumph came in Super Bowl XXXVI (2002), when they stunned the St. Louis Rams 20–17 in one of the most dramatic finishes in Super Bowl history.
Under quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots went on to win Super Bowls in 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Each victory was celebrated with massive rallies across New England. The team plays at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, a modern venue that also hosts major concerts and events.
The Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics hold the NBA record with 17 championships, including an incredible run of dominance in the 1950s and 1960s. The team’s fierce rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighted by Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson in the 1980s, is one of the greatest in sports history.
After a lean period, the Celtics shocked the league in 2007–08 with a 42-game turnaround—the largest single-season improvement in NBA history—and won their 17th title by defeating the Lakers in six games. The team continues to carry high expectations in Boston.
The Boston Bruins
From the beloved Boston Garden to their current home at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins have been a fixture in the city’s sports scene for over a century. Loyal fans have stood by them through thick and thin. In 2011, the Bruins won their sixth Stanley Cup, defeating the Vancouver Canucks in a thrilling seven-game series—their second-most Stanley Cup titles among U.S. NHL teams.
The New England Revolution
The New England Revolution are Major League Soccer’s Boston-area franchise. They share Gillette Stadium with the Patriots and have helped prove that top-level soccer has a strong future in the region. In 2013, the Revs earned a playoff berth and finished third in the Eastern Conference, ending a long postseason drought.
The Boston Cannons Lacrosse
Though less well-known than the city’s other pro teams, the Boston Cannons have been a successful Major League Lacrosse franchise. In 2011, they captured their first MLL championship, defeating the Hamilton Nationals 10–9. The team plays its home games at historic Harvard Stadium in Cambridge.
Boston College Sports
Boston’s colleges and universities are deeply involved in Division I athletics. The four NCAA Division I programs in the city—Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University—compete fiercely in the Hockey East conference (except Harvard in ECAC Hockey).
Every February, the four schools face off in the Beanpot Tournament at TD Garden, one of the oldest and most beloved college hockey traditions in the country.
