Buffalo has a proud history of hosting sporting events and is home to a wide array of athletics including professional, semi-professional, collegiate, amateur associations and youth league teams. The number of sporting events in Buffalo ensures that there is always an event to attend no matter what the season.

Over the years, Buffalo has played host to many national sporting events including the World University Games, the National Hockey League Entry Draft, the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Finals, the ESPN Bassmaster Elite Series Empire Chase, and the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics.  On New Year’s Day 2008, Buffalo hosted the Winter Classic, the first outdoor NHL game played in the US, at Ralph Wilson Stadium.  Buffalo has also held NCAA events including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships, the Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Championships, Division II Swimming and Diving, Division I Outdoor Track and Field, and the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four. In 2011, Buffalo will welcome visitors from around the world when it hosts the International Ice Hockey Federation Under 20 World Championships at HSBC Arena.

Other prestigious events held in Buffalo include the Empire State Games, the Special Olympics New York Summer Games, the US Youth Soccer Association Snickers Regional Tournament, the Drum Corp. International Summer Championships, the US Swimming Eastern Zone Regional, the US Synchronized Swimming East Zone Championships, the US Swimming and Diving Junior Nationals, and the YMCA Swim Association New York State Swim Meet.

There are five professional league teams that call Buffalo home. The Buffalo Bills of the National Football League, the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, the Buffalo Bisons of Minor League Baseball, the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League, and the recent addition Buffalo Stampede of the Premier Basketball League.

The Bills have been ranked in the top 10 in attendance for the last four years, and have sold a record number of season tickets this year. The Perennially successful Sabres have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals two of the last three years while winning the Presidents Trophy in 2007 and being ranked first among 122 professional sports franchises by ESPN.  The Bisons have shared similar success advancing to the playoffs six of the last eight years and winning the International League championship in 2004. Buffalo’s lacrosse team, the Bandits, advanced to the playoffs for the sixth straight year winning their 4th NLL Championship.

If you prefer college athletics, Buffalo is also home to many collegiate athletic programs including the Division I University at Buffalo Bulls and the Canisius College Golden Griffins. Other college teams include the Buffalo State College Bengals, the Daemen College Wildcats, the D’Youville College Spartans, the Medaille College Mavericks, the Hilbert College Hawks, and the Erie Community College Kats.

Buffalo also boasts a vast number of youth leagues throughout the city and its surrounding suburbs. Overall, there are more than 224 amateur athletic associations located in the Buffalo area.

With the variety of athletic options available in the Buffalo Niagara region year round, there is always something for everyone to enjoy.