⚾ MLB: 1883-2021
139 2
Entered the National League in 1883.
Franchise currently exists as the Philadelphia Phillies.
🏈 NFL: 1933-2021
89 4
The Eagles franchise was established in 1933 as a replacement for the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets, when a group led by Bert Bell secured the rights to an NFL franchise in Philadelphia. Since the...
🏀 NBA: 1947-2021
75 3
Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA and one of only eight (out of 23) to survive the league's first decade.
The 76ers have...
NHL: 1968-2021
54 2
Part of the 1967 NHL Expansion, the Flyers were the first expansion team in the post–Original Six era to win the Stanley Cup, victorious in 1973–74 and again in 1974–75.
The Flyers' all-time points p...
Defunct Teams
Teams that have folded or moved away from the Philadelphia area.F i l t e r & S o r t Filter & Sort
WHA: 1973-1973
1
In 1972, the fledgling WHA attempted to place a team in Calgary, to be known as the Broncos in the hopes of a rivalry with Edmonton, and the Oilers. When the team's owner, Bob Brownridge suddenly died...
🏀 ABL3: 1963-1963
1
The American Basketball League played one full season, 1961–1962, and part of the next season until the league folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a three poin...
🏀 NBA: 1947-1962
16 2
Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city's name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. The club plays its h...
⚾ MLB: 1901-1954
54 6
One of the eight original American League teams beginning with the 1901 season.
Left Philadelphia to relocate in Kansas City to begin the 1955 season.
Left Kansas City to relocate to Oakland to begin the 1968 season.
⚾ NNL: 1933-1948
16 1
Owned in part by sports promoter Eddie Gottlieb who also owned the Philadelphia Sphas and Philadelphia Warriors basketball teams. Gottlieb was also the booking agent for all the Negro league teams in the Northeast, taking 10% of all receipts
🏀 WPBT: 1915-1948
34 1
The Barons played in several major and minor leagues over the decades. The team achieved tremendous success after 1946 as a minor league team, winning 11 titles during its time.
🏀 ABL: 1923-1947
25 11
The team's name is an acronym, derived from South Philadelphia Hebrew Association, and the team's players, at least in its earlier years, were primarily Jewish.
🏀 ABL: 1942-1947
6 2
A powerhouse in the ABL during the 1940s, the eventually faded after they lost their entire starting lineup to the military during World War II.
🏀 ABL: 1899-1947
49 6
Known as the Trenton Potters in early 1900s, the Trenton Bengals (aka Royal Bengals) in the 1920s and 30s, and eventually as the Trenton Tigers in the 1940s before fading along with the ABL.
⚾ USNL: 1916-1945
30 3
Established as a boys team in 1910, developed by their owner to be one of the powerhouse Negro league baseball teams in the mid 1920s. Folded along with many clubs during the Great Depression
⚾ Negro: 1932-1936
5
White promoter Harry Passon organized a new Bacharach team based in Philadelphia. The club eventually joined Gus Greenlee's new Negro National League in 1934 but returned to independent baseball in 1935.
🏀 EBL2: 1903-1933
31 2
Jasper Jewels played for 31 seasons from 1903 to 1933, several in the EBL2, before folding....
🏀 EBL2: 1899-1932
34 3
Figuring prominently in Camden’s success were set shooting stars Eddie Ferat and Snake Deal, and high-scoring Bill Keenan, who had displaced veteran John Wendelken as the league’s best center. Equally...
🏈 NFL: 1924-1931
8 1
The Frankford Athletic Association was organized in May 1899 in the parlor of the Suburban Club. The cost of purchasing a share in the association was $10. However, there were also contributing member...
NHL: 1931-1931
1
The Pirates, the third American-based NHL team, got off to a promising start in the 1925–26 season, making the playoffs in two of their first three seasons. However, the team soon fell on hard times b...
🏈 NFL: 1924-1928
5
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the Northeastern part of the state. Founded in 1920, they played in the National Football League (NFL) from ...
⚾ ECL: 1922-1927
6
Known primarily for their hitting with HOF'er Oscar Charleston, triple-crown winning Heavy Johnson, and well-known pro basketball player Fats Jenkins. Never able to finish much better than average in the ECL, the club dropped to play an independent schedule, and lost its best players to other teams.
🏀 PSL: 1915-1917
3
Freeland North Siders played for 3 seasons from 1915 to 1917, several in the PSL, before folding....
⚾ Negro: 1902-1911
10 2
From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. Disbanded during the 1911 season, forced by player defections across North, South, East, and West versions of Philadelphia Giants
🏀 NBL1: 1900-1903
4 1
Bristol franchise merged with Burlington at the end of the first half
🏈 NFL1: 1901-1902
2
The Philadelphia Phillies were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was a member of what was referred to as the National Football League—not to b...
⚾ AA: 1890-1891
2
After the Players League folded following the 1890 season, the Philadelphia joined the American Association (AA) to replace the previously expelled Philiadelphia Athletics team.
The AA folded the following season and the Philadelphia players were absorbed into existing NL clubs in 1892.
⚾ AA: 1882-1890
9 1
Expelled by the Association following the 1890 season in response to the franchise releasing and selling the majority of their players for financial reasons.
⚾ UA: 1884-1884
1
Team disbanded in August of 1884.
The Union Association replaced the team with the Wilmington Quicksteps.
⚾ UA: 1884-1884
1
Joined the Union Association in late August 1884 to replace the Philadelphia Keystones.
Wilmington played only 18 games before folding themselves, replaced by the Milwaukee Brewers.
⚾ NL: 1861-1876
16 1
Left the National Association to become one of 8 founding clubs of the National League in 1876. Folded after being expelled for failing to complete final road trip of the 1876 season.
⚾ NA: 1873-1875
3
Philadelphia was formed to join the NA in 1873. To differentiate from Athletic of Philadelphia, the new team was known as the White Stockings. Folded following the 1875 season.
The early history of sports contains hundreds of teams that appeared for only 1 or 2 seasons before folding. Most of these teams have no historical photographs or articles, so are omitted from this list to reduce clutter. To view a comprehensive list of all defunct teams, browse to the early leagues section for baseball, football, basketball, or hockey.