With so many different competitive sports teams based and located in the state of California, it is evident that the region has a real affinity to sports in general.
The area has a rich history when it comes down to sporting competition and events, whilst a number of the world’s most famous American athletes have either been born or gone to world-class sports colleges and facilities within the state.
Each of the major professional sports to be contested within the US feature teams dotted all around the Golden State, with the NBA, NFL and the MLS all featuring franchises, whilst the Olympic Games has been held in Los Angeles twice (in 1932 and 1984) and is set to host the event once again in 2028.
Baseball is arguably the most popular sport in California
However, there is perhaps no sport that is more popular in California than the sport of baseball, as there are five different organizations that are located up and down the western state. Indeed, teams cover San Francisco, Oakland and the Greater Los Angeles area, as well as further south in San Diego.
In the San Francisco Bay area, the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics can be found, whilst the San Diego Padres are located as the team that is the furthest south in the state. The Greater Los Angeles area features two franchises, with the Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers both found in the surrounding area.
In fact, the Dodgers are perhaps one of the most iconic franchises in the sport today and throughout history, as they have continued to remain rather successful in MLB. Indeed, they remain one of the favorites for those who participate in sports betting as the online betting PA odds suggest that they are the current favorites to win the National League this season after a strong campaign.
History makes the sport popular in California
Naturally, the popularity of a sport within a certain area will typically come down to a number of factors and the history of the game is certainly one aspect that has helped baseball to thrive within California.
The game’s history is thought to trace all the way back to 1903 when the Los Angeles Angels started playing competitive games in the Pacific Coast League. The emergence of the Los Angeles Dodgers also helped to enhance the appeal of the sport, as they continued to attract more and more attention each year.
However, history is not necessarily the only reason why baseball has become extremely popular within the Golden State, though.
California boasts the most teams in MLB
As mentioned earlier, there are a number of teams located within California. In fact, with a total of five teams currently competing in MLB, the state has the most playing professionally than any other state in the US. A couple of other states have two, such as New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Missouri, whilst other states simply only have one team.
With a total of five teams involved, the popularity of the sport was always going to be significant within the state, whilst teams would not be located there if there was not an appeal for baseball.
Infrastructure
In addition to the fact that there are a number of professional franchises competing in the MLB on the west coast, the fact that the game is incredibly accessible to fans of the game within the state will have only boosted the appeal it has significantly within the region.
A number of teams and dozens of stadia means fans can go and enjoy their passion as often as they can when the season is being contested, thus helping the sport to thrive and remain as attractive as it ever has.
