Alabama has several minor league professional and semi-professional teams, including three minor league baseball teams. It does not currently have any major professional sports league teams. However, Alabama has intermittently been home to teams in what were widely considered (and/or at least aspired to become) major leagues during their presence in the state. Additionally, Major League Baseball has retroactively recognized several Negro Leagues as major leagues; as a result, the Birmingham Black Barons are now considered to have been a major league baseball team.
Currently, Alabama is the second-most populous U.S. state without a major league franchise (it is the most populous if one considers Virginia to be the home of the NFL's Washington Commanders and NHL's Washington Capitals - those teams have their practice facilities and operational headquarters in Northern Virginia although neither team plays its home games there).[1][2]
Current minor-league professional and semi-professional teams
- Notes
| Club
|
City
|
Sport
|
League
|
Years active
|
Fate
|
| Alabama Outlawz
|
Birmingham
|
Indoor football
|
X-League Indoor Football, Arena Pro Football
|
2014–2015, 2017
|
Attempted to restart again in 2017, but folded prior to playing any home games
|
| Birmingham A's
|
Birmingham
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
1967–1975
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Black Barons
|
Birmingham
|
Baseball
|
Negro Southern League, Negro National League, Negro American League
|
1920–1960
|
Defunct
|
| Rocket City United
|
Madison
|
Soccer
|
National Premier Soccer League
|
2007–2013
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile A's
|
Mobile
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
|
|
| Mobile BayBears
|
Mobile
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
1997–2019
|
Relocated to Madison as the Rocket City Trash Pandas
|
| Mobile Black Bears
|
Mobile
|
Baseball
|
Independent Negro league team
|
|
|
| Mobile Soldiers
|
Mobile
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
|
|
| Mobile White Sox
|
Mobile
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
|
|
| Montgomery Grays
|
Montgomery
|
Baseball
|
South Atlantic League
|
|
|
| Montgomery Grey Sox
|
Montgomery
|
Baseball
|
Negro Southern League
|
1932
|
Defunct
|
| Montgomery Rebels
|
Montgomery
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
1903–1980 (various years)
|
Relocated to Birmingham
|
| Montgomery Wings
|
Montgomery
|
Baseball
|
Southeastern League
|
2002–2003
|
Defunct
|
| Ozark Patriots
|
Ozark
|
Baseball
|
Southeastern League
|
2002
|
Defunct
|
| Selma Cloverleafs
|
Selma
|
Baseball
|
Southeastern League
|
2002–2003
|
|
| Birmingham Bulldogs
|
Birmingham
|
Basketball
|
World Basketball Association
|
2004–2005
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Magicians
|
Birmingham
|
Basketball
|
American Basketball Association
|
2005–2006
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Power
|
Birmingham
|
Basketball
|
National Women's Basketball League
|
2001–2005
|
Defunct
|
| Druid City Dragons
|
Tuscaloosa
|
Basketball
|
World Basketball Association
|
2006
|
Defunct
|
| Huntsville Flight
|
Huntsville
|
Basketball
|
National Basketball Development League
|
2001–2005
|
Relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico
|
| Mobile Revelers
|
Mobile
|
Basketball
|
National Basketball Development League
|
2001–2003
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile Majesty
|
Mobile
|
Basketball
|
National Women's Basketball League
|
2001
|
Defunct
|
| Southern Alabama Bounce
|
Mobile
|
Basketball
|
American Basketball Association
|
2006–2007
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Barracudas
|
Birmingham
|
Canadian football
|
Canadian Football League
|
1995
|
Defunct
|
| Alabama Renegades
|
Huntsville
|
Football
|
National Women's Football Association
|
2000–2008
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Alabama Hawks
|
Huntsville
|
Football
|
Continental Football League
|
1968–1969
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Alabama Slammers
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
Women's American Football League
|
2001–2002
|
Defunct
|
| Alabama Vulcans
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
American Football Association
|
1979
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Americans
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
World Football League
|
1974
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Fire
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
World League of American Football
|
1991–1992
|
Defunct, league shut down U.S. operations and became NFL Europe before eventually folding
|
| Birmingham Iron
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
Alliance of American Football
|
2019
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Birmingham Stallions
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
United States Football League
|
1983–1985
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Birmingham Steel Magnolias
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
Women's Football Association
|
2002–2003
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Birmingham Thunderbolts
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
XFL
|
2001
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Birmingham Vulcans
|
Birmingham
|
Football
|
World Football League
|
1975
|
Defunct, league folded
|
| Gadsden Raiders
|
Gadsden
|
Football
|
Southern Professional Football League
|
1963–?
|
|
| Huntsville Rockets
|
Huntsville
|
Football
|
Southern Professional Football League
|
1963–1964
|
|
| Muscle Shoals SmasHers
|
Muscle Shoals
|
Football
|
National Women's Football Association
|
2004
|
Defunct
|
| Tuscaloosa Warriors
|
Tuscaloosa
|
Football
|
Southern Professional Football League
|
1963
|
Relocated to Columbus, Mississippi
|
| Alabama Slammers
|
Pelham
|
Ice hockey
|
World Hockey Association 2
|
2003–2004
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Bulls (1)
|
Birmingham
|
Ice hockey
|
World Hockey Association, Central Hockey League
|
1976–1981
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Bulls (2)
|
Birmingham
|
Ice hockey
|
East Coast Hockey League
|
1992–2001
|
Relocated to Atlantic City, New Jersey
|
| Birmingham South Stars
|
Birmingham
|
Ice hockey
|
Central Hockey League
|
1982–1983
|
Defunct
|
| Huntsville Blast
|
Huntsville
|
Ice hockey
|
East Coast Hockey League
|
1993–1994
|
Relocated to Tallahassee, Florida
|
| Huntsville Channel Cats/Tornado
|
Huntsville
|
Ice hockey
|
Southern Hockey League, Central Hockey League, South East Hockey League
|
1995–2001, 2003–2004
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile Mysticks
|
Mobile
|
Ice hockey
|
East Coast Hockey League
|
1995–2002
|
Relocated to Duluth, Georgia
|
| Birmingham/Alabama Steeldogs
|
Birmingham
|
Indoor football
|
AF2
|
2000–2007
|
Defunct
|
| Tennessee Valley/Alabama Vipers
|
Huntsville
|
Indoor football
|
AF2, Arena Football League
|
2000–2010
|
Relocated to Duluth, Georgia
|
| Mobile Bay Tarpons
|
Mobile
|
Indoor football
|
Southern Indoor Football League
|
| Mobile Seagulls
|
Mobile
|
Indoor football
|
Indoor Professional Football League, National Indoor Football League
|
2000–2001
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile Wizards
|
Mobile
|
Indoor football
|
AF2
|
2002
|
Defunct
|
| Montgomery Maulers/Bears
|
Montgomery
|
Indoor football
|
National Indoor Football League, American Indoor Football Association
|
2005–2007
|
Defunct
|
| Birmingham Grasshoppers
|
Birmingham
|
Soccer
|
United States Interregional Soccer League, Premier Development League
|
1992–1996
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile Revelers
|
Mobile
|
Soccer
|
United States Interregional Soccer League
|
1995–1997
|
Defunct
|
| Pumas FC
|
Birmingham
|
Soccer
|
National Premier Soccer League
|
2009–2010
|
Defunct
|
| Mobile Vipers
|
Mobile
|
Football
|
Extreme Southern
|
1988–1997
|
Defunct
|
| Huntsville Stars
|
Huntsville
|
Baseball
|
Southern League
|
1985–2014
|
Relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi as the Biloxi Shuckers
|
References