Top 25 Sports Franchises of All Time

By Vinny Lanni

Top 25 Sports Franchises of All Time

derek jeter yankees 2014 — It's not an easy thing to be considered one of the best franchises of all time. There's a lot that goes into the conversation such as popularity, history and, of course, championship wins. Take a look at some of the best teams that sports have to offer.

25. Detroit Pistons

billips pistons jersey

25. Detroit Pistons

billips pistons jersey — The Pistons have three championships, nine division titles and eight retired numbers. Their run of dominance was in the 90s and early 2000s, but even though they not an elite team now, look for them to climb back up the ladder.

24. Edmonton Oilers

wayne gretzky oilers nhl

24. Edmonton Oilers

wayne gretzky oilers nhl — The great Wayne Gretzky put the Oilers on the map and the star goal scorer is one of the, if not the best, NHL players of all time. With five Stanley Cups and nine more division titles, the Oilers have been a force since joining the league in 1972.

23. Real Madrid

real madrid soccer team

23. Real Madrid

real madrid soccer team — The soccer club that is located in Spain is one of the most dominate across the globe. Right now it's the richest sports team in the entire world and it's worth a crazy $ 3.3 billion. The 2014 club is led by some of soccer's best players such as Pepe and GK Iker Casillas.

22. New York Giants

eli manning giants qb

22. New York Giants

eli manning giants qb — The G-Men have four Super Bowl titles, 11 conference championships and 31 playoff appearances since their start up in 1925. The Giants are the longest tenured team in the NFL since joining in 1925. The guys in blue put their team into the spot light with two Super Bowl wins over the New England Patriots in 2007 and 2011.

21. Oakland Athletics

billy beane gm oakland

21. Oakland Athletics

billy beane gm oakland — Billy Beane is the mastermind behind the A's success and he has sculpted some original teams that have done nothing but win games. The Swingin' A's have nine World Series titles and 15 AL pennants to their credit. Right now the team has made a resurgence of late after being at the bottom of the AL West for so long. It's a franchise that will always find its way back to the top.

20. Chicago Bears

chicago bears cutler qb

20. Chicago Bears

chicago bears cutler qb — Da Bears, as many fans like to call them, were a force to be reckoned with back in the day. They played football with an aggressive, hard-nosed approach and it gave the team a swagger back in the 1980s. Even though the Bears only have one Super Bowl in 1985, they are still a classic and well-known franchise in sports.

19. Toronto Maple Leafs

toronto maple leafs 2014

19. Toronto Maple Leafs

toronto maple leafs 2014 — With 13 Stanley Cups, the guys above the U.S. border have been a force in the NHL. They are one of the "original six" teams and even though they haven't won much of late, between 1917 and 1967 is when they had their run of glory. Maybe the Leafs can get back to the glory days soon and recapture some old magic.

18. San Antonio Spurs

tim duncan nba champion

18. San Antonio Spurs

tim duncan nba champion — The Spurs are a world-class organization and their run to greatness began pretty late around the year 1999. After 1999 hit, the Spurs racked up all five of the team's championships and right now they could be considered the best in the NBA. Many teams now in the NBA buy their players and win them over with money, but the Spurs are built from the draft.

17. New York Rangers

henrik lundqvist rangers goalie

17. New York Rangers

henrik lundqvist rangers goalie — It's always a tough task for opposing teams to come into the great Madison Square Garden a steal a game from the Rangers. A member of the "original six," the Rangers have tallied four Stanley Cups and seven division championships. There are some greats who have played for the blue and white including Brian Leetch, Adam Graves and Mark Messier.

16. Chicago Cubs

chicago cubs helmet

16. Chicago Cubs

chicago cubs helmet — Established in 1870, the Cubs have been famous for their famous venue in Wrigley Field. They haven't won a World Series since 1907, but the Cubbies have won 16 NL Pennants and are a team that is desperately trying to capture another World Series. Despite their struggles of late, the Cubs are a classic franchise that is know world wide.

15. Boston Red Sox

red sox end game

15. Boston Red Sox

red sox end game — The Red Sox are best known for their rivalry with the New York Yankees and as a fan of MLB, it is one of the best rivalries in sports. Boston has eight World Series titles, and three have them have come in the 2000s. The "Curse of the Bambino" has followed Sox fans around for decades, but the team won in 2004 to put an end to the 86-year-old curse.

14. New England Patriots

tom brady new england qb

14. New England Patriots

tom brady new england qb — Tom Brady may seem like a recent name to some, but he could be the biggest face of the franchise. In New England, they like to do things "the right way" and always have had a knack of grooming players to be respected on and off the field. If you live in Boston, the talk of the town is always centered around the Patriots and its hard to blame them; it is a prestigious franchise in the NFL.

13. Dallas Cowboys

emmitt smith cowboys running back

13. Dallas Cowboys

emmitt smith cowboys running back — That star on the side of the helmet says it all. The Cowboys and their owner Jerry Jones were one of the best teams in football not too long ago, but I'm sure fans just remember the Cowboys for the average team that they are now. Dallas was dubbed as "American's team" and it has a strong fanbase across the United States. Many NFL fans hate the Cowboys, but that's what makes the Boys who they are.

12. St. Louis Cardinals

albert pujols cardinals

12. St. Louis Cardinals

albert pujols cardinals — Established in 1882, The Redbirds have had 11 Word Series titles and 19 NL Pennants to their resume. St. Louis has eight seasons with 100 wins or more and it's had a crazy amount of Hall-of-Fame players on its team. Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean and Ozzie Smith are just a few of the names who have played on this decorated franchise.

11. Manchester United

manchester united soccer team

11. Manchester United

manchester united soccer team — Man U ranks No. 1 when it comes to league titles at 20. It is an organization that does nothing but win and it's one of the most respected clubs world-wide. Led by the great Wayne Rooney, this squad is always dangerous no matter the opposition.

10. San Franciso 49ers

steve young 49ers qb

10. San Franciso 49ers

steve young 49ers qb — The 49ers are best known for their time between 1981 and 1994 where the team won five Super Bowls during that span. Many of the great names who have come through the organization include Jerry Rice, Steve Young and Joe Montana.

9. Boston Bruins

boston bruins 2014 playoffs

9. Boston Bruins

boston bruins 2014 playoffs — The Bruins are tied for fifth in the NHL with six Stanley Cup wins and are still a respected organization in the NHL even today. Boston loves it's sports teams and the Bruins are lucky to have such a strong fanbase who is there to support them every single year. Some could argue that the Bruins are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2014, so it seems as if the team has not missed a beat from its early years.

8. Detroit Red Wings

detroit red wings playoffs

8. Detroit Red Wings

detroit red wings playoffs — Motor city is one of the best hockey towns in all of the NHL. The Red Wings have made the playoffs in 28 of the last 30 seasons and that number is pretty absurd. Year in and year out, the Wings are contenders for a Stanley Cup and with that kind of consistency, they are easily one of the best franchises in all of sports.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

bill cowher steelers coach

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

bill cowher steelers coach — That black and gold sure are intimidating for opposing teams going against the Steelers. The franchise has been successful due to some great ownership from the Rooney family. With six Super Bowl wins and 27 Playoff appearances, fans of Pittsburgh have to be pretty pleased with their team over the years.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

2014 la dodgers

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

2014 la dodgers — The Boys in Blue are most known for their move from Brooklyn to L.A. but even after the move, they were still a great franchise. The team has had eight Cy Young winners, and produced 12 Rookie of the Year award winners.

5. Los Angeles Lakers

kobe bryant lackers best

5. Los Angeles Lakers

kobe bryant lackers best — There are so many legends who have come through the L.A. Lakers that I don't even know where to start. The Lakers play in a big city and have had a ton of stars on the team dating all the way back to the Wilt Chamberlain days. When someone talks about some of the greatest players in NBA history, many of them have come through the Lakers' organization.

4. Chicago Bulls

michael jordan bulls

4. Chicago Bulls

michael jordan bulls — Led by the legendary Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson, the Bulls have put together some of the best teams to have ever step on an NBA court. Life is pretty easy when you have No. 23 on your team and he is without a doubt one of the biggest reasons why the Bulls are a top franchise in all of sports.

3. Montreal Canadiens

montreal canadians 2014

3. Montreal Canadiens

montreal canadians 2014 — Montreal has a ridiculous 24 Stanley Cups and with that number is more than any other NHL franchise. Fans of the Canadiens bleed red and blue and they have one of the best fanbases in the NHL.

2. Boston Celtics

boston celtics larry bird — Larry Bird was the face of the Celtics during his time on the team and even though he didn't win all of the 17 championships the Celtics won, he has a lot of them. The Celtics have 21 retired numbers and have a ton of history and prestige. Some of the best NBA rivalries have been centered around the Celtics and they are without a doubt one of the most legendary teams in the NBA.

1. New York Yankees

derek jeter yankees retire

1. New York Yankees

derek jeter yankees retire — Some hate them, some love them, but with 27 World Series titles, the Yankees are the top franchise in all of sports. The Yanks have a respected history with a ton of players who have become legends of the game while wearing pinstripes.

Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.

Share On Facebook

Share