Sports in Norfolk, Virginia
There are several professional minor-league sports teams as well as college sports teams in the Norfolk, Virginia area.
Teams
Baseball
In April 1993, the 12,067-seat Harbor Park baseball stadium opened, hosting the Norfolk Tides Triple-A minor league baseball team. It was instantly acclaimed as one of the best minor league ballparks in America, and received the honor of best minor league park in 1995 by Baseball America. Also, despite worries that a new downtown park would not draw fans from the region's other cities, Harbor Park continually posts one of the best attendance records in minor league baseball, and far higher than at their previous stadium, Met Park.[5]
Basketball
From 1970 to 1976, Norfolk served as home court (along with Hampton, Richmond and Roanoke) for the Virginia Squires regional professional basketball franchise of the now-defunct American Basketball Association (ABA). From 1970 to 1971, the Squires played their Norfolk home games at the Old Dominion University Fieldhouse. In November 1971, the Virginia Squires played their Norfolk home games at the new Norfolk Scope arena, until the team and the ABA league folded in May 1976.[6]
On January 30, 1974, the city hosted its first professional basketball all-star game, courtesy of the American Basketball Association, at the Norfolk Scope. 10,624 spectators were in attendance, as Artis Gilmore won Most Valuable Player of the 1974 ABA All-Star Game.[7]
Ice Hockey
In 1997, the National Hockey League rejected a bid for the proposed Hampton Roads Rhinos to enter the league as an expansion franchise.[8]
The former Hampton Roads Admirals have three championships in the ECHL.
College Sports
Old Dominion Monarchs and the Norfolk State Spartans play in NCAA Division I while the Virginia Wesleyan College's Marlins play in NCAA Division III.[3][4][9]
On March 29, 1982, Norfolk hosted the first NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship (also known as the Women's Final Four). The Norfolk Scope served as the chief venue for the event. 9,531 spectators were in attendance at this inaugural event.[10] On April 3, 1983, Norfolk hosted the second NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship at the Norfolk Scope. 7,837 spectators were in attendance.[11]
Other sports
The Norfolk Scope has served as the site of many professional wrestling events, including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Destination X and World Championship Wrestling's World War 3. Norfolk Scope was also the site of an episode of WCW Monday Nitro, where several World Wrestling Federation wrestlers drove a tank to the entryway of the Scope, thus "invading" the competition.
Venues
In 1971, Norfolk built the region's first entertainment and sports complex, featuring Chrysler Hall and the 13,800-seat Norfolk Scope indoor arena, located in the northern section of downtown. Norfolk Scope has served as a venue for major events.
References
- ↑ "Norfolk Admirals". Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- ↑ "Norfolk Tides". Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- 1 2 "ODU Monarchs". Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- 1 2 "NSU Spartans". Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- ↑ "Harbor Park". Harbor Park. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
- ↑ "Remember the ABA - Virginia Squires Page". Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ↑ "Remember the ABA, All Star Games". Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ↑ Minium, Harry (February 20, 1997). "Game over: NHL decides that the puck won't stop in Hampton Roads". The Virginian-Pilot. p. A1.
- ↑ "VWC Marlins". Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
- ↑ "1982 NCAA National Championship Tournament". Archived from the original on 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ↑ "1983 Tournament". Archived from the original on 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2007-03-29.