World Series...easiest championship to win?

[crzyjournalist03]

I was doing some research just for the heck of it to see how many current pro teams had never won a championship in each of the major professional sports leagues. I was really shocked to find out that Major League baseball had the fewest number of teams to never win a World Series, especially considering the fact that they've always had the fewest number of teams that actually make the playoffs every year.

Here's the list of teams sport-by-sport that have never won a championship, arranged by lowest percentage of teams that have never won:

Major League Baseball: 8/30; 27% of league

Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, and Colorado Rockies

NHL: 13/30; 43% of league

Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators (expansion-original Senators did win cup), Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Phoenix Coyotes, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers


NFL: 15/32; 47% of league

Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks


NBA: 14/30; 47% of league

Charlotte Bobcats, Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, New Jersey Nets,
New Orleans/Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers


Interesting side note:
Of the 13 NHL teams that have never won a Stanley Cup, 5 of those teams made the playoffs this year; all five could potentially be eliminated in the first round, as Ottawa, Nashville, and Minnesota have all already been eliminated, Washington trails in their series, and San Jose is going to a Game 7 in theirs.

Side note #2: 8 of the 14 NBA franchises who have never won a championship are currently playing in this year's NBA playoffs.

[Sweetwater Red]

The MLB (27%) and NHL (43%) have had no salary cap.


The NFL (47%) and NBA (47%) has had a salary cap.


:thinking:

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Sweetwater Red
The MLB (27%) and NHL (43%) have had no salary cap.


The NFL (47%) and NBA (47%) has had a salary cap.


:thinking:

That's another interesting point that I didn't notice...Parity? Perhaps in the regular season, but apparently the same teams are coming out with trophies every year.

[jimmyceatworld]

Nice research. You also have to figure in that many of the teams that haven't won championships are expansion teams. I didn't look too carefully at the teams that haven't won a ship, but I bet a lot of them haven't been around that long, or at least as long as the others.

[rangerjim]

unless your my Chicago Cubs - no expansion club here. Just 100 years of futility

5 playoff appearances in my 48 years of existence - yet whenever they do win the sky is a little bluer - the sun a little brighter.................

but I can say they currently reside in first place at 12-6 an are on ESPN tonight - go cubbies

[Panther One]

A few things to note about baseball...

The game has been around forever, so there's been a lot more opportunity for championships.

More importantly, however, is that for decades baseball only took four teams to the playoffs, so when you had a team that put together a good season and made the playoffs, there was a good chance of them winning it all. It's still that way with baseball only taking eight teams to the playoffs. Each year you have surprise teams that rise up and make the playoffs and sometimes wind up winning it all. Imagine if LA, NO, Boston, and Detroit were the only teams in the NBA playoffs. There would be a good chance that NO, who put together a good season, would win it all. Now throw in 12 other teams and their chances drop significantly because the teams with playoff history and success usually rise to the top.

Baseball is also different because of the nature of the game. The playoffs are so heavily dependent on pitching that if you get a Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling on your team and make the postseason, there's a good chance you're winning it all. One guy can make a difference on the basketball court, but not like a pitcher can in baseball.

[jimmyceatworld]

Originally posted by Panther One
A few things to note about baseball...

The game has been around forever, so there's been a lot more opportunity for championships.

More importantly, however, is that for decades baseball only took four teams to the playoffs, so when you had a team that put together a good season and made the playoffs, there was a good chance of them winning it all. It's still that way with baseball only taking eight teams to the playoffs. Each year you have surprise teams that rise up and make the playoffs and sometimes wind up winning it all. Imagine if LA, NO, Boston, and Detroit were the only teams in the NBA playoffs. There would be a good chance that NO, who put together a good season, would win it all. Now throw in 12 other teams and their chances drop significantly because the teams with playoff history and success usually rise to the top.

Baseball is also different because of the nature of the game. The playoffs are so heavily dependent on pitching that if you get a Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling on your team and make the postseason, there's a good chance you're winning it all. One guy can make a difference on the basketball court, but not like a pitcher can in baseball.

words of wisdom

[PHS Wildcats]

Originally posted by Sweetwater Red
The MLB (27%) and NHL (43%) have had no salary cap.


The NFL (47%) and NBA (47%) has had a salary cap.


:thinking:

Nice way to look at it