Washington, DC sports teams are represented well across the six major professional sports leagues. Being a major city, these teams consistently field talented players and have fairly good seasons, with regular post-season appearances. 13 times DC teams have brought home the top prize in sports, a national championship.
With the influx of people in DC from other metropolitan areas, they bring their sports fandom with them and sometimes cannot get on board with the local teams. It’s not uncommon to go to a professional sporting event and see much of the stadium wearing the other team’s colors and jerseys.
Believe it or not, you can be nostalgic toward your old allegiances and still find room to root for the local teams. This blending of dedication is great for the local economy and will feed your inner sports fan at the same time. Whatever your sport, there’s a team for every fanbase, and with beautiful new facilities in great neighborhoods that are fun to visit. Nothing beats getting out to the ol’ ball game.
Washington Nationals
For many who grew up in the DC area, their childhood team was the Baltimore Orioles, but that all changed in 2005 when Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals. They played their first three seasons at the old RFK stadium while Nationals Park was being built. The opening of the Park in 2008 resulted in an incredible transformation of a blighted area of Southeast into a commercial and residential juggernaut with no sign of slowing down.
The park itself is lovely, with a mix of modern convenience in a traditional ballpark style. The ballpark has truly become a jewel of the Washington, DC sports scene. The Nationals are a consistently solid team, winning Division Titles repeatedly over the last several years. They have also generated a fair amount of excitement with popular players like Bryce Harper (now with the Phillies), Stephen Strasburg, and Ryan Zimmerman.
The team struck gold in 2019 when the Nationals took the Houston Astros to Game 7 of the World Series and won that game to take home their first title.
Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team is a storied franchise and is currently the third most valuable team in the NFL, behind only arch-rivals Dallas and New England. However, poor management has plagued the WFT and is known for making big off-season moves that pump up their fan base, only to fail to convert these changes into a winning season.
In recent years they’ve been plagued by controversy regarding their logo and team name, which is often cited as offensive by Native American groups. This ugly part of their history changed before the 2020 season when the team temporarily changed its name to simply The Washington Football Team, which may very well stick.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards started as the Baltimore Bullets, moving to DC in 1973, although they continued to play some games in Baltimore in ensuing seasons. The team’s owner changed their name from the Washington Bullets to the Washington Wizards in 1995. The team’s name, Wizards, resulted from a fan vote. Under the Bullets team name, they appeared in several NBA finals and won the 1978 NBA championship.
Perennial contenders, last season, the Washington Wizards finished 9th in the Eastern Conference, just missing the playoffs. They are halfway through the 2020-1 season, and it’s been another rough go for a team in rebuilding mode. The Wizards play at Capital One Arena, which they share with the Washington Capitals.
Washington Capitals
One of the most popular DC sports teams, the Washington Capitals finally got to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup high when they won their first championship in 2018. Team favorite Alexander Ovechkin has been with the team since 2004 and has served as captain since 2010. He has been a popular star player for the Caps, reaching his 1,000-point milestone in January 2017.
Despite initial complaints of soft ice at Capital One Arena, conditions have improved in recent years and an evening at the Caps game is a popular tradition for many in the area. In addition, the commercial development in the area means that whether you are a Wizards or Caps fan, you will find great restaurants and bars for before and after the game.
Washington Mystics
This team representing DC in the WNBA has been around since 1998 and secured its first championship in 2019, reaching that milestone the same year as the Nationals. The 2020 season was a bit of a mess with Covid’s shortened season, and the team finished 8th in the league. This season’s team is poised to make a run when they tip-off in May. The team plays its home games at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena.
DC United
The winningest team over the last 25 years in Washington is DC United. They one of the most consistently high-performing and championship-winning soccer teams in the MLS. The team brought home championships in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2004.
They’ve played for many years at RFK Stadium, at one time sharing it with the Nationals. They have also played some of their games at the larger FedEx Field, including a 2011 exhibition against Manchester United, which drew over 81,000 fans and set a record for DC-area soccer match attendance.
Audi Field, which opened in July 2018, is the new home of DC United. The nearly $500 million venue is a soccer-specific stadium design and has brought tremendous residential and commercial growth to the Buzzard Point area.
Get Out Early and Often
No matter what your favorite sport is, you will find a DC team to root for. And if you want to be close to where the action is, there are great residential options close to all the stadiums and arenas. Sign in at our website and let one of our agents know where you want to be. We’ll create a custom search that will ensure you always have a home-field advantage