More On First-Time Champions

Following up on my post from last Tuesday about droughts before franchises' first championships and the relatively rare occurrence of having two first-time champions in the same year, what was then only possible has now become reality.  In back-to-back nights last week, the St. Louis Blues clinched their franchise's first-ever Stanley Cup and the Toronto Raptors clinched their franchise's first-ever NBA championship (and the first NBA title for a team located outside the United States).

As I mentioned Tuesday, this is the 8th time in the last 30 years that we have two first-time champions in the same year:

-2019:  St. Louis Blues (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA)

-2018:  Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Washington Capitals (NHL)

-2006:  Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Miami Heat (NBA)

-2002:  Anaheim Angels (MLB), New England Patriots (NFL)

-2001:  Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Baltimore Ravens (NFL)

-1999:  Dallas Stars (NHL), San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

-1991:  Chicago Bulls (NBA), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)

-1989:  Calgary Flames (NHL), Detroit Pistons (NBA)

Amazingly, it's not the first time that first-time champions have been crowned on consecutive days.  In 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Stanley Cup a day before the Miami Heat won the NBA title.

But what intrigues me more than anything -- yes, anything -- is the frequency with which franchises have won their first titles over the past 40 years, particularly in the NBA.  If the past is any indication, this won't be the last title from the Raptors, and their next one will come soon.

Below is a look at the first-time champions in each of the four major sports leagues since 1980, as well as the number of different franchises that have won titles during that span in each league and the franchises in each league that have never won a title (with the year they joined their respective leagues).

As expected, the NBA has the least parity.  While 8 teams have won their first titles since 1980, only 12 teams have won championships during that span.  On the other hand, over 50% of the teams in the other three leagues have won titles since 1980 (including a whopping 70% of Major League Baseball teams), and there are more NHL teams that won their first Stanley Cup (13) than overall NBA teams that have won a title in that span.  And while the NBA has had more expansion teams since 1980 than the NFL or MLB (but fewer than the NHL), expansion teams have won titles in all four leagues during that span.

Here are the overall percentages for each league:
-70% of the current MLB franchises have won a World Series since 1980 (4 expansion teams joined since 1980)
-58.1% of the current NHL franchises have won a Stanley Cup since 1980 (10 expansion teams joined since 1980)
-53.1% of the current NFL franchises have won a Super Bowl since 1980 (4 expansion teams joined since 1980)
-40% of the current NBA franchises have won an NBA title since 1980 (8 expansion teams joined since 1980)

Here are the detailed breakdowns for each league:

MLB

First time World Series champs since 1980:  7

-Philadelphia Phillies (1980)

-Kansas City Royals (1985)

-Toronto Blue Jays (1992)

-Florida Marlins (1997)

-Arizona Diamondbacks (2001)

-Anaheim Angels (2002)

-Houston Astros (2017)

Number of different teams that have won the World Series since 1980:  21

-New York Yankees:  5 (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009)

-Boston Red Sox:  4 (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018)

-San Francisco Giants:  3 (2010, 2012, 2014)

-St. Louis Cardinals:  3 (1982, 2006, 2011)

-Florida/Miami Marlins:  2 (1997, 2003)

-Kansas City Royals:  2 (1985, 2015)

-Los Angeles Dodgers:  2 (1981, 1988)

-Minnesota Twins:  2 (1987, 1991)

-Philadelphia Phillies:  2 (1980, 2008)

-Toronto Blue Jays:  2 (1992, 1993)

-Anaheim/LA Angels:  1 (2002)

-Arizona Diamondbacks:  1 (2001)

-Atlanta Braves:  1 (1995)

-Baltimore Orioles:  1 (1983)

-Chicago Cubs:  1 (2016)

-Chicago White Sox:  1 (2005)

-Cincinnati Reds:  1 (1990)

-Detroit Tigers:  1 (1984)

-Houston Astros:  1 (2017)

-New York Mets:  1 (1986)

-Oakland Athletics:  1 (1989)

Franchises without any World Series titles (with year in which they completed their first season in MLB):  7 (23.3% of the MLB)
-Colorado Rockies (1993)
-Milwaukee Brewers/Seattle Pilots (1969)
-San Diego Padres (1969)
-Seattle Mariners (1977)
-Tampa Bay Rays/Devil Rays (1998)
-Texas Rangers/Washington Senators (second) (1961)
-Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos (1969)

NBA

First time NBA champs since 1980:  8

-Detroit Pistons (1989)

-Chicago Bulls (1991)

-Houston Rockets (1994)

-San Antonio Spurs (1999)

-Miami Heat (2006)

-Dallas Mavericks (2011)

-Cleveland Cavaliers (2016)

-Toronto Raptors (2019)

Number of different teams that have won the NBA title since 1980:  12

-Los Angeles Lakers:  10 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

-Chicago Bulls:  6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

-San Antonio Spurs:  5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

-Boston Celtics:  4 (1981, 1984, 1986, 2008)

-Detroit Pistons:  3 (1989, 1990, 2004)

-Golden State Warriors:  3 (2015, 2017, 2018)

-Miami Heat:  3 (2006, 2012, 2013)

-Houston Rockets:  2 (1994, 1995)

-Cleveland Cavaliers:  1 (2016)

-Dallas Mavericks:  1 (2011)

-Philadelphia 76ers:  1 (1983)

-Toronto Raptors:  1 (2019)

Franchises without any NBA titles (with year in which they completed their first season in NBA):  11 (36.7% of the NBA)

-Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets (1976)
-Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats (1988)
-Denver Nuggets (1976)
-Indiana Pacers (1976)
-Los Angeles/San Diego Clippers/Buffalo Braves (1970)
-Minnesota Timberwolves (1989)
-Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies (1995)
-New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets (2002)
-Orlando Magic (1989)
-Phoenix Suns (1968)
-Utah/New Orleans Jazz (1974)

NFL

First time Super Bowl/NFL champs since 1980 (I'm including NFL championships prior to the Super Bowl era):  7

-San Francisco 49ers (1982)

-Denver Broncos (1998)

-Baltimore Ravens (2001)

-New England Patriots (2002)

-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003)

-New Orleans Saints (2009)

-Seattle Seahawks (2013)

Number of different teams that have won the Super Bowl since 1980:  17

-New England Patriots:  6 (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019)

-San Francisco 49ers:  5 (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995)

-New York Giants:  4 (1987, 1991, 2008, 2012)

-Dallas Cowboys:  3 (1993, 1994, 1996)

-Denver Broncos:  3 (1998, 1999, 2016)

-Pittsburgh Steelers:  3 (1980, 2006, 2009)

-Washington Redskins:  3 (1983, 1988, 1992)

-Baltimore Ravens:  2 (2001, 2013)

-Green Bay Packers:  2 (1997, 2011)

-Oakland/LA Raiders:  2 (1981, 1984)

-Chicago Bears:  1 (1986)

-Indianapolis Colts:  1 (2007)

-New Orleans Saints:  1 (2010)

-Philadelphia Eagles:  1 (2018)

-Seattle Seahawks:  1 (2014)

-St. Louis/LA Rams:  1 (2000)

-Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  1 (2003)

Franchises without any NFL titles (pre-Super Bowl era NFL titles count; with year in which they completed their first season in NFL):  9 (28.1% of the NFL)

-Atlanta Falcons (1966)
-Buffalo Bills (1970)
-Carolina Panthers (1995)
-Cincinnati Bengals (1970)
-Houston Texans (2002)
-Jacksonville Jaguars (1995)
-Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (1970)
-Minnesota Vikings (1961)
-Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers (1970)

NHL

First time Stanley Cup champs since 1980:  13
-New York Islanders (1980)
-Edmonton Oilers (1984)
-Calgary Flames (1989)
-Pittsburgh Penguins (1991)
-New Jersey Devils (1995)
-Colorado Avalanche (1996)
-Dallas Stars (1999)
-Tampa Bay Lightning (2004)
-Carolina Hurricanes (2006)
-Anaheim Ducks (2007)
-Los Angeles Kings (2012)
-Washington Capitals (2018)
-St. Louis Blues (2019)

Number of different teams that have won the Stanley Cup since 1980:  18

-Edmonton Oilers:  5 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)
-Pittsburgh Penguins:  5 (1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, 2017)
-Detroit Red Wings:  4 (1996, 1997, 2002, 2008)
-New York Islanders:  4 (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983)
-Chicago Blackhawks:  3 (2010, 2013, 2015)
-Colorado Avalanche:  2 (1996, 2001)
-Los Angeles Kings:  2 (2012, 2014)
-Montreal Canadiens:  2 (1986, 1993)
-New Jersey Devils:  2 (1995, 2000)
-Anaheim Ducks:  1 (2007)
-Boston Bruins:  1 (2011)
-Calgary Flames:  1 (1989)
-Carolina Hurricanes:  1 (2006)
-Dallas Stars:  1 (1999)
-New York Rangers:  1 (1994)
-St. Louis Blues:  1 (2019)
-Tampa Bay Lightning:  1 (2004)
-Washington Capitals:  1 (2018)

Franchises without any Stanley Cups (with year in which they completed their first season):  11 (35.5% of the NHL)
-Arizona Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets (original) (1980)
-Buffalo Sabres (1971)
-Columbus Blue Jackets (2001)
-Florida Panthers (1994)
-Minnesota Wild (2001)
-Nashville Predators (1999)
-Ottawa Senators (1993)
-San Jose Sharks (1992)
-Vancouver Canucks (1971)
-Vegas Golden Knights (2018)
-Winnipeg Jets (new)/Atlanta Thrashers (2000)