Greater Los Angeles
Sports
Table:
Team
Sport
League
Venue

Los Angeles Chargers

American football

National Football League

SoFi Stadium

Los Angeles Rams

American football

National Football League

SoFi Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Baseball

Major League Baseball

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Angels

Baseball

Major League Baseball

Angel Stadium

Los Angeles Lakers

Basketball

National Basketball Association

Staples Center

Los Angeles Clippers

Basketball

National Basketball Association

Staples Center

Los Angeles Sparks

Basketball

Women's National Basketball Association

Staples Center

Los Angeles Kings

Ice hockey

National Hockey League

Staples Center

Anaheim Ducks

Ice hockey

National Hockey League

Honda Center

LA Galaxy

Soccer

Major League Soccer

Dignity Health Sports Park

Los Angeles FC

Soccer

Major League Soccer

Banc of California Stadium

Considering the following table along with the context paragraphs listed at the end.

Give the answer to the question: What was the name of the franchise in 1978 whose team plays a sport on a rectangular court , with the objective of shooting a basketball through the defender 's hoop in arena opened on October 17 , 1999 ? ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles area . The Chargers compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) West division . The team was founded on August 14 , 1959 , and began play on September 10 , 1960 , as a charter member of the American Football League ( AFL ) , and spent its first season in Los Angeles , before moving to San Diego in 1961 to become the San Diego Chargers . The Chargers joined the NFL as result of the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 , and played their home games at SDCCU Stadium . The return of the Chargers to Los Angeles was announced for the 2017 season , just one year after the Rams had moved back to the city from St. Louis . The Chargers played their home games at Dignity Health Sports Park , formerly named StubHub Center , from 2017 to 2019 . Starting in 2020 , they will play their home games at SoFi Stadium , which they will share with the Los Angeles Rams . The Chargers won one AFL title in 1963 and reached the AFL playoffs five times and the AFL Championship four times before joining the NFL ( 1970 ) as part of the AFL-NFL merger . In the 43 years since then , the Chargers have made 13 trips to the playoffs and four appearances in the AFC Championship game . In 1994 , the Chargers won their lone AFC championship and faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX , losing 49-26 . The Chargers have eight players and one coach enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton , Ohio : wide receiver Lance Alworth ( 1962-1970 ) , defensive end Fred Dean ( 1975-1981 ) , quarterback Dan Fouts ( 1973-1987 ) , head coach-general manager Sid Gillman ( 1960-1969 , 1971 ) , wide receiver Charlie Joiner ( 1976-1986 ) , offensive lineman Ron Mix ( 1960-1969 ) , tight end Kellen Winslow ( 1979-1987 ) , linebacker Junior Seau ( 1990-2002 ) , and running back LaDainian Tomlinson ( 2001-2009 ) .
American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , [ nb 1 ] is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs or plays ; if they fail , they turn over the football to the defense , but if they succeed , they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . American football evolved in the United States , originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football match was played on November 6 , 1869 , between two college teams , Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time . A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the Father of American Football , established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams , and the concept of downs . Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football . The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game ( although their rules were developed independently from that of Camp 's ) . Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football . The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football .
The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held on the first Sunday in February and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . After initially determining champions through end-of-season standings , a playoff system was implemented in 1933 that culminated with the NFL Championship Game until 1966 . Following an agreement to merge the NFL with the American Football League ( AFL ) , the Super Bowl was first held in 1967 to determine a champion between the best teams from the two leagues and has remained as the final game of each NFL season since the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is also among the biggest club sporting events in the world , with the individual games accounting for many of the most watched television programs in American history and all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The Green Bay Packers hold the most combined NFL championships with 13 , winning nine titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowls afterwards . Since the creation of the Super Bowl , the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots both have the most championship titles at six .
SoFi Stadium is a stadium and entertainment complex under construction in Inglewood , California , United States . It is located at the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack , approximately 3 miles ( 4.8 km ) from LAX , immediately southeast of The Forum . Planned to open in July 2020 , the stadium will serve as the home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . It is also scheduled to host WrestleMania 37 in March 2021 , Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 and the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2023 . During the 2028 Summer Olympics , the stadium is expected to host the opening and closing ceremonies , as well as soccer . Archery will be held on the grounds outside the stadium . SoFi Stadium will be the third stadium , and second to be in current use , since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to be shared by two NFL teams ( MetLife Stadium , in East Rutherford , New Jersey , is home to the New York Giants and New York Jets , as was its predecessor , Giants Stadium ) . It will be the fourth facility in the Los Angeles area to host multiple teams from the same league as Staples Center is home to both of the city 's National Basketball Association ( NBA ) teams , the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers , Dignity Health Sports Park for a time hosted both the LA Galaxy and now-defunct Chivas USA of Major League Soccer , and Dodger Stadium hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels from 1962 to 1965 . The stadium is a component of Hollywood Park , a master planned neighborhood in development on the site of the former racetrack . Hollywood Park Casino re-opened in a new building on the property in October 2016 , becoming the development 's first establishment to open .
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles area . The Rams compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the National Football Conference ( NFC ) West division . The club has won three NFL championships , and is the only one to win championships representing three cities ( Cleveland in 1945 , Los Angeles in 1951 , and St. Louis in 1999 ) . Starting in 2020 , the Rams will play their home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood , which they will share with the Los Angeles Chargers . The franchise began in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams , based in Cleveland , Ohio . The club was owned by Homer Marshman and featured players such as William Bud Cooper , Harry The Horse Mattos , Stan Pincura , and Mike Sebastian . Damon Buzz Wetzel joined as general manager . The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1946 following the 1945 NFL Championship Game victory , making way for Paul Brown 's Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference and becoming the only NFL championship team to play the following season in another city . The club played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving into a reconstructed Anaheim Stadium in Orange County , California in 1980 . The Rams left California and moved to St. Louis , Missouri , following the 1994 NFL season . Five seasons after relocating , the team won Super Bowl XXXIV in a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans . They then appeared in Super Bowl XXXVI , where they lost 20-17 to the New England Patriots .
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles , California . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the National League ( NL ) West division . Established in 1883 in Brooklyn , New York , the team moved to Los Angeles before the 1958 season . They played for four seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving to their current home of Dodger Stadium in 1962 . The Dodgers have won six World Series championships and twenty three National League pennants . Eleven NL MVP award winners have played for the Dodgers , winning a total of thirteen MVP Awards ; eight Cy Young Award winners have also pitched for the Dodgers , winning a total of twelve Cy Young Awards . The team has eighteen Rookie of the Year Award winners , more than twice as many as the second place New York Yankees 8 . The Dodgers have had four consecutive Rookies of the Year from 1979 to 1982 and five in a row from 1992 to 1996 .
Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing teams who take turns batting and fielding . The game proceeds when a player on the fielding team , called the pitcher , throws a ball which a player on the batting team tries to hit with a bat . The objective of the offensive team ( batting team ) is to hit the ball into the field of play , allowing its players to run the bases , having them advance counter-clockwise around four bases to score what are called runs . The objective of the defensive team ( fielding team ) is to prevent batters from becoming runners , and to prevent runners ' advance around the bases . A run is scored when a runner legally advances around the bases in order and touches home plate ( the place where the player started as a batter ) . The team that scores the most runs by the end of the game is the winner . The first objective of the batting team is to have a player reach first base safely . A player on the batting team who reaches first base without being called out can attempt to advance to subsequent bases as a runner , either immediately or during teammates ' turns batting . The fielding team tries to prevent runs by getting batters or runners out , which forces them out of the field of play . Both the pitcher and fielders have methods of getting the batting team 's players out . The opposing teams switch back and forth between batting and fielding ; the batting team 's turn to bat is over once the fielding team records three outs . One turn batting for each team constitutes an inning .
Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is a professional baseball organization . It is the oldest of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . A total of 30 teams play in Major League Baseball : 15 teams in the National League ( NL ) and 15 in the American League ( AL ) . The NL and AL were formed as separate legal entities in 1876 and 1901 , respectively . Beginning in 1903 , the two leagues cooperated but remained legally separate entities . In 2000 the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball . MLB also oversees Minor League Baseball , which comprises 256 teams affiliated with the major league clubs . MLB and the World Baseball Softball Confederation jointly manage the international World Baseball Classic tournament . Baseball 's first openly all-professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings founded in 1869 . Before that , some teams had secretly paid some players . The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another . The period before 1920 is known as the dead-ball era , during which players would rarely hit home runs .
Dodger Stadium is a baseball park in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles , California . It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball 's Los Angeles Dodgers . Opened 58 years ago on April 10 , 1962 , it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of US $ 23 million . It is the oldest ballpark in MLB west of the Mississippi River , and third-oldest overall , after Fenway Park in Boston ( 1912 ) and Wrigley Field in Chicago ( 1914 ) , and is the world 's largest baseball stadium by seat capacity . Often referred to as a pitcher 's ballpark , the stadium has seen 12 no-hitters , two of which were perfect games . The stadium hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1980 - and will host in 2020 - as well as games of 10 World Series ( 1963 , 1965 , 1966 , 1974 , 1977 , 1978 , 1981 , 1988 , 2017 , and 2018 ) . It also hosted the semifinals and finals of the 2009 and 2017 World Baseball Classics as well as exhibition baseball during the 1984 Summer Olympics . It will also host baseball and softball during the 2028 Summer Olympics . The stadium hosted a soccer tournament on August 3 , 2013 featuring four clubs , the hometown team Los Angeles Galaxy , and Europe 's Real Madrid , Everton , and Juventus . The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks played a regular season game in 2014 as part of the NHL Stadium Series .
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the city of Anaheim , California , part of Orange County and the Los Angeles metropolitan area . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The Angels have played home games at Angel Stadium since 1966 . The current MLB franchise was established as one of the league 's first two expansion teams in 1961 by Gene Autry , the team 's first owner . Autry was a famous singing cowboy actor in a series of films in the 1930s to 1950s , and later was the subject of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum . The Angels name was taken by Autry in tribute to the previous original Los Angeles Angels , a Minor League franchise in the Pacific Coast League ( PCL ) , which played in South Central Los Angeles from 1903 to 1957 . He bought the rights to the Angels name from Walter O'Malley , the then-Los Angeles Dodgers owner , who acquired the PCL franchise from Philip K. Wrigley , also the owner of the parent Chicago Cubs at the time , as part of the Dodgers ' move to Southern California .
Angel Stadium of Anaheim , originally known as Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim , is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim , California . Since its opening in 1966 , it has served as the home ballpark of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , and was also the home stadium to the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League ( NFL ) from 1980 to 1994 . The stadium is often referred to by its unofficial nickname The Big A , coined by Herald Examiner Sports Editor , Bud Furillo . It is the fourth-oldest active Major League Baseball stadium , behind Fenway Park , Wrigley Field , and Dodger Stadium ; it is also the second-oldest stadium in the American League . It hosted the 1967 , 1989 , and 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Games . Angel Stadium and its surrounding parking lot are roughly bounded by Katella Avenue to the north , the Orange Freeway to the east , Orangewood Avenue to the south , and State College Boulevard to the west . Located near the eastern boundary of the parking lot is the landmark Big A sign and electronic marquee , which originally served as a scoreboard support . The halo located near the top of the 230-foot ( 70 m ) tall , 210-ton sign is illuminated following games in which the Angels win ( both at home and on the road ) , which gives rise to the fan expression , Light that baby Up ! ARTIC ( Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center ) servicing the Metrolink Orange County Line and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner , is located nearby on the other side of the State Route 57 and accessed through the Douglass Road gate at the northeast corner of the parking lot . The station provides convenient access to the stadium , the nearby Honda Center , and Disneyland from various communities along the route , which links San Luis Obispo , Los Angeles , and San Diego . The Anaheim Resort Transit stops at the center along with Orange County Transportation Authority buses . Aside from professional baseball and football , Angel Stadium has hosted high school and college football games , National Football League pre-season games , the short-lived World Football League , two crusades by evangelist Billy Graham , nearly 20 consecutive annual crusades by evangelist Greg Laurie , Eid el Fitr celebrations , and concerts , and 2 to 3 AMA Supercross Championship races a year .
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference in the Pacific Division . The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center , an arena shared with the NBA 's Los Angeles Clippers , the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA , and have won 16 NBA championships , the second-most behind the Boston Celtics . The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team , the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The new team began playing in Minneapolis , calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers . Initially a member of the NBL , the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America , where they would win five of the next six championships , led by star George Mikan . After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan 's retirement , they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960-61 season . Led by Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West , Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s , but lost each series to the Celtics , beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968 , the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Wilt Chamberlain , and won their sixth NBA title - and first in Los Angeles - in 1972 , led by new head coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of West and Chamberlain , the team acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who also won multiple MVP awards , but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s . The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed Showtime due to their fast break-offense led by Magic Johnson .
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams , most commonly of five players each , opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball ( approximately 9.4 inches ( 24 cm ) in diameter ) through the defender 's hoop ( a basket 18 inches ( 46 cm ) in diameter mounted 10 feet ( 3.048 m ) high to a backboard at each end of the court ) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop . A field goal is worth two points , unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three . After a foul , timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one or more one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins , but if regulation play expires with the score tied , an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated . Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running ( dribbling ) or by passing it to a teammate , both of which require considerable skill . On offense , players may use a variety of shots - the lay-up , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense , they may steal the ball from a dribbler , intercept passes , or block shots ; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is , a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard . It is a violation to lift or drag one 's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it , or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side at a time fall into five playing positions the tallest player is usually the center , the tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implements the coach 's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays ( player positioning ) . Informally , players may play three-on-three , two-on-two , and one-on-one . Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield , Massachusetts , United States , basketball has evolved to become one of the world 's most popular and widely viewed sports . The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity , salaries , talent , and level of competition . Outside North America , the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas .
The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is a men 's professional basketball league in North America , composed of 30 teams ( 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ) . It is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world . [ better source needed ] The league was founded in New York City on June 6 , 1946 , as the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3 , 1949 , after merging with the competing National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The NBA 's regular season runs from October to April , with each team playing 82 games . Its playoffs extend into June . NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball ( USAB ) , which is recognized by FIBA ( also known as the International Basketball Federation ) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States . The league 's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices in Midtown Manhattan , while its NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus , New Jersey .
Staples Center ( officially stylized as STAPLES Center ) is a multi-purpose arena in Downtown Los Angeles . Adjacent to the L.A. Live development , it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street . The arena opened on October 17 , 1999 . It is owned and operated by the Arturo L.A . Arena Company and Anschutz Entertainment Group . The arena is home venue to the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , and the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League ( AFL ) and the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA D-League were also tenants ; the Avengers were folded in 2009 , and the D-Fenders moved to the Lakers ' practice facility at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo , California for the 2011-12 season . Staples Center is also host to over 250 events and nearly 4 million guests each year . It is the only arena in the NBA shared by two teams , as well as one of only two North American professional sports venues to host two teams from the same league ; MetLife Stadium , the home of the National Football League 's New York Giants and New York Jets , is the other . Staples Center is the venue of the Grammy Awards ceremony and will host the basketball competition during the 2028 Summer Olympics .
The Los Angeles Clippers ( branded as the LA Clippers ) are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league 's Western Conference . The Clippers play their home games at the Staples Center , an arena they share with fellow NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers , as well as the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . The franchise was founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves , and were one of three expansion teams to join the NBA that year , along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers . The Braves saw some success and reached the playoffs three times , led by league Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Bob McAdoo . Conflicts with the Canisius Golden Griffins over the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and the sale of the franchise led to their relocating from Buffalo , New York , to San Diego , California . In 1978 , upon relocating , the franchise was rebranded to be known as the San Diego Clippers , in reference to the sailing ships that can be seen in the San Diego Bay . The franchise saw limited success on the court in its six years in San Diego despite the acquisition of star center Bill Walton , who missed nearly three full seasons due to injury upon his arrival . In 1981 , the franchise was acquired by Los Angeles-based real estate mogul Donald Sterling . In 1984 , the franchise was controversially relocated to Los Angeles by Sterling without the approval of the NBA . Despite fines and a lawsuit brought on against franchise ownership by the NBA seeking to return the franchise to San Diego , the team was ultimately permitted to remain in Los Angeles , where they failed to see significant regular season or playoff success . They were frequently seen as an example of a perennial loser in American professional sports , drawing unfavorable comparisons to their historically successful city-rivals , the Lakers .
The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles , California , playing in the Western Conference in the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) . The team was founded before the league 's inaugural 1997 season began . Like some other WNBA teams , the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart , even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers . As of 2019 , the Sparks are the last franchise to win back-to-back titles . Lakers owner Jerry Buss owned the Sparks from 1997 to 2006 when Williams Group Holdings purchased the team . It was previously the sister team of the Los Angeles Lakers . As of 2014 , the Sparks are owned by Sparks LA Sports , LLC . The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in sixteen of their twenty years in Los Angeles , more than any other team in the league . The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 4 inch center Tennessee standout Candace Parker , flashy point guard Nikki Teasley , and nearby USC products Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson . In 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2016 and 2017 , the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals . They won the title in 2001 , 2002 , and 2016 , beating Charlotte , New York , and Minnesota respectively , but fell short to Detroit in 2003 and Minnesota in 2017 . Being in a major national market , the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league ; they faced New York in the league 's inaugural game on June 21 , 1997 .
The Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) is a professional basketball league in the United States . It is currently composed of twelve teams . The league was founded on April 24 , 1996 , as the women 's counterpart to the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , and league play started in 1997 . The regular season is played from May to September , with the All Star game being played midway through the season in July and the WNBA Finals at the end of September until the beginning of October . Starting in 2020 , a midseason tournament , the Commissioner 's Cup , will be added , with regular-season Cup games played through early July followed by a final match in August . Five WNBA teams have direct NBA counterparts and play in the same arena : Indiana Fever , Los Angeles Sparks , Minnesota Lynx , New York Liberty , and Phoenix Mercury . The Atlanta Dream , Chicago Sky , Connecticut Sun , Dallas Wings , Las Vegas Aces , Seattle Storm , and Washington Mystics do not share an arena with a direct NBA counterpart , although four of the seven ( the Dream , the Sky , the Wings , and the Mystics ) share a market with an NBA counterpart , and the Storm shared an arena and market with an NBA team at the time of its founding . The Dream , the Sky , the Sun , the Wings , the Aces , the Sparks , and the Storm are all independently owned .
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The team was founded on June 5 , 1967 , after Jack Kent Cooke was awarded an NHL expansion franchise for Los Angeles on February 9 , 1966 , becoming one of the six teams that began play as part of the 1967 NHL expansion . The Kings played their home games at The Forum in Inglewood , California , a suburb of Los Angeles , for thirty-two years , until they moved to the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles at the start of the 1999-2000 season . During the 1970s and early 1980s , the Kings had many years marked by impressive play in the regular season only to be washed out by early playoff exits . Their highlights in those years included the strong goaltending of Rogie Vachon , and the Triple Crown Line of Charlie Simmer , Dave Taylor and Hall of Fame player Marcel Dionne , who had a famous upset of the uprising Edmonton Oilers in a 1982 playoff game known as the Miracle on Manchester . In 1988 , the Kings traded with the Oilers to get their captain Wayne Gretzky , leading to a successful phase of the franchise that raised hockey 's popularity in Los Angeles , and helped raise the sport 's profile in the American Sun Belt region . Gretzky , fellow Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille and defenseman Rob Blake led the Kings to the franchise 's sole division title in 1990-91 , and the Kings ' first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1993 . After the 1993 Finals , the Kings entered financial problems , with a bankruptcy in 1995 , which led to the franchise being acquired by Philip Anschutz ( owner of Anschutz Entertainment Group , operators of Staples Center ) and Edward P. Roski . A period of mediocrity ensued , with the Kings only resurging as they broke a six-year playoff drought in the 2009-10 season , with a team that included goaltender Jonathan Quick , defenseman Drew Doughty , and forwards Dustin Brown , Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams . Under coach Darryl Sutter , who was hired early in the 2011-12 season , the Kings won two Stanley Cups in three years : 2012 , over the New Jersey Devils , and 2014 , against the New York Rangers while Quick and Williams respectively won the Conn Smythe Trophy .
Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice , usually in a rink , in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent 's net to score goals . The sport is known to be fast-paced and physical , with teams usually fielding six players at a time : one goaltender , and five players who skate the span of the ice trying to control the puck and score goals against the opposing team . Ice hockey is most popular in Canada , central and eastern Europe , the Nordic countries , Russia , and the United States . Ice hockey is the official national winter sport of Canada . In addition , ice hockey is the most popular winter sport in Belarus , Croatia , the Czech Republic , Finland , Latvia , Russia , Slovakia , Sweden , and Switzerland . North America 's National Hockey League ( NHL ) is the highest level for men 's ice hockey and the strongest professional ice hockey league in the world . The Kontinental Hockey League ( KHL ) is the highest league in Russia and much of Eastern Europe . The International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) is the formal governing body for international ice hockey , with the IIHF managing international tournaments and maintaining the IIHF World Ranking . Worldwide , there are ice hockey federations in 76 countries . In Canada , the United States , Nordic countries , and some other European countries the sport is known simply as hockey ; the name ice hockey is used in places where hockey more often refers to the more popular field hockey , such as countries in South America , Asia , Africa , Australasia , and some European countries including the United Kingdom , Ireland and the Netherlands . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United Kingdom and elsewhere . These games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed , such as shinny and ice polo .
The National Hockey League ( NHL ; French : Ligue nationale de hockey - LNH ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America , currently comprising 31 teams : 24 in the United States and 7 in Canada . The NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world , and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . The Stanley Cup , the oldest professional sports trophy in North America , is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season . The National Hockey League was organized on November 26 , 1917 , at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization , the National Hockey Association ( NHA ) , which had been founded in 1909 in Renfrew , Ontario . The NHL immediately took the NHA 's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926 . At its inception , the NHL had four teams - all in Canada , thus the adjective National in the league 's name . The league expanded to the United States in 1924 , when the Boston Bruins joined , and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams . From 1942 to 1967 , the league had only six teams , collectively ( if not contemporaneously ) nicknamed the Original Six . The NHL added six new teams to double its size at the 1967 NHL expansion . The league then increased to 18 teams by 1974 and 21 teams in 1979 . Between 1991 and 2000 , the NHL further expanded to 30 teams . It added its 31st team in 2017 and has approved the addition of a 32nd team in 2021 .
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim , California . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . Since their inception , the Ducks have played their home games at the Honda Center . The club was founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim , a name based on the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks . Disney sold the franchise in 2005 to Henry and Susan Samueli , who along with then-general manager Brian Burke , changed the name of the team to the Anaheim Ducks before the 2006-07 season . The Ducks have made the playoffs 14 times , won six Pacific Division titles ( 2006-07 , 2012-13 , 2013-14 , 2014-15 , 2015-16 , 2016-17 ) , two Western Conference championships ( 2002-03 and 2006-07 ) , and one Stanley Cup ( 2006-07 ) .
The Honda Center ( formerly known as the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim ) is an indoor arena located in Anaheim , California . The arena is home to the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . Originally named the Anaheim Arena during construction , it was completed in 1993 at a cost of US $ 123 million . Arrowhead Water paid $ 15 million for the naming rights over 10 years in October 1993 . In the short period of time between the enfranchisement of the Mighty Ducks and the naming rights deal with Arrowhead , Disney referred to the Arena as the Pond of Anaheim . In October 2006 , Honda paid $ 60 million for the naming rights over 15 years .
The LA Galaxy , also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy , is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson , California , that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , as a member of the Western Conference . The club began play in 1996 as one of the league 's ten charter members . The Galaxy was founded in 1994 and is owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group . In their early years , the club played its home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California . Since 2003 , they have played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson , California . The team holds a rivalry with the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clásico and used to play the SuperClasico against city rivals Chivas USA before that team folded in 2014 . A new rival emerged in 2018 in the form of Los Angeles FC in the El Tráfico derby . The franchise is one of Major League Soccer 's most successful teams , with a record five MLS Cups and having appeared an additional four times in the final , and won the Western Conference regular season title eight times , four Supporters ' Shields , two U.S. Open Cups and one CONCACAF Champions ' Cup title . In 2017 , the club added the dubious MLS Wooden Spoon to its trophy case for finishing bottom of the MLS league table . In 2007 , the club made international headlines with the signing of English player David Beckham from Real Madrid , the most high-profile transaction with Major League Soccer to that point . The club has fielded other high-profile international players including Zlatan Ibrahimović , Robbie Keane , Luis Hernández , Giovani dos Santos , Jonathan dos Santos , Jorge Campos , Steven Gerrard , Ashley Cole , and American Landon Donovan who is the all-time leading scorer for the club . Mostly recently in 2020 they signed Javier Chicharito Hernández , the all-time leading scorer for Mexico 's National Team .
Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , [ a ] is a team sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players . It is played by approximately 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies , making it the world 's most popular sport . The game is played on a rectangular field called a pitch with a goal at each end . The object of the game is to score by moving the ball beyond the goal line into the opposing goal . Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The ball is 68-70 cm ( 27-28 in ) in circumference and known as the football . The two teams each compete to get the ball into the other team 's goal ( between the posts and under the bar ) , thereby scoring a goal . The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner ; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw . Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by the Laws of the Game : to represent their team in the coin toss prior to kick-off or penalty kicks . Players are not allowed to touch the ball with hands or arms while it is in play , except for the goalkeepers within the penalty area . Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball , but may also use any other part of their body except the hands and the arms . The team that scores most goals by the end of the match wins .
Major League Soccer ( MLS ) is a men 's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation which represents the sport 's highest level in the United States and Canada . The league comprises 26 teams - 23 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues in both countries . The league plans to expand to 30 teams with the additions of Austin FC and Charlotte in 2021 , then Sacramento Republic FC and a St. Louis franchise in 2022 . The regular season starts in late February or early March and goes through mid-October , with each team playing 34 games ; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters ' Shield . Fourteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs through October and November , culminating in the championship game , the MLS Cup . MLS teams also play in domestic competitions against teams from other divisions in the U.S. Open Cup and in the Canadian Championship . MLS teams also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League . With an average attendance of over 20,000 per game , MLS has the third highest average attendance of any sports league in the U.S. after the National Football League ( NFL ) and Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , and is the seventh highest attended professional soccer league worldwide . Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States ' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup . The first season took place in 1996 with ten teams . MLS experienced financial and operational struggles in its first few years : the league lost millions of dollars , teams played in mostly empty American football stadiums , and two teams folded in 2002 . Since then , MLS has expanded to 26 teams , soccer-specific stadiums have proliferated around the league , average attendance exceeds that of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , the Designated Player Rule allows teams to sign star players such as David Beckham , MLS secured national TV contracts , and the league is now profitable .
Dignity Health Sports Park , formerly Home Depot Center and StubHub Center , is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University , Dominguez Hills in Carson , California , that consists of the Dignity Health Sports Park Soccer Stadium , the Dignity Health Sports Park Tennis Stadium , a track and field facility and a velodrome : VELO Sports Center . It is approximately 14 miles ( 23 km ) south of downtown Los Angeles and its primary tenant is the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer ( MLS ) . The stadium is also home to the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL , and LA Galaxy II of USL Championship . Opened in 2003 , the $ 150 million complex was developed and is operated by the Anschutz Entertainment Group . With a seating capacity of 27,000 , it is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and the second-largest among its kind in MLS , after Toronto FC 's BMO Field in Ontario , Canada . In addition to hosting LA Galaxy games since its opening , the stadium also served as the home of the now-defunct Chivas USA MLS team from 2005 to 2014 . The stadium was the temporary home of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017 to 2019 . It was the smallest NFL stadium over the course of those three seasons . While the Chargers played in the stadium , the facility was named ROKiT Field at StubHub Center ; ROKiT 's naming rights to the football field are part of a multi-year agreement . During its first decade , the stadium 's sponsor was hardware retailer The Home Depot . In 2013 , the title sponsor became the online ticket marketplace StubHub . In 2019 , the name sponsor became healthcare provider Dignity Health .
Los Angeles Football Club , commonly referred to as LAFC , is an American professional soccer franchise based in Los Angeles , California , that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member of the Western Conference . The team plays their home games at the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park . The team shares the Los Angeles area market with the LA Galaxy , and the two clubs compete in a rivalry dubbed El Tráfico .
Banc of California Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles , California . It is the home of Major League Soccer 's Los Angeles FC . Opened on April 18 , 2018 , it was the first open-air stadium built in the City of Los Angeles since 1962 . Constructed on the site of the former Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena , it is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and just south of the main campus of the University of Southern California . Los Angeles FC subleases the site from the University which has a master lease with the LA Memorial Coliseum Commission for operating and managing the Coliseum and stadium properties .