Kentucky is primarily known for its passionate college sports, especially basketball, but it also has several professional sports teams, mostly in minor leagues. Here’s a list:
Soccer (Football):
- Louisville City FC (USL Championship – men’s)
- Racing Louisville FC (National Women’s Soccer League – NWSL)
- Lexington SC (USL Championship – men’s, moving for 2025; USL W League – women’s)
Baseball (Minor League):
- Louisville Bats (Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, International League)
- Bowling Green Hot Rods (High-A, South Atlantic League)
- Florence Y’alls (Frontier League, an MLB Partner League independent league)
- Lexington Legends (Atlantic League, an MLB Partner League independent league)
It’s worth noting that while Kentucky doesn’t have any “major league” professional sports franchises (like NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL), its college teams, particularly the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals, have a significant national following and are often considered the state’s de facto “major league” teams due to their immense popularity.