Washington Nationals: 2004-Present

Sports Team Relocations

The franchise relocated in December 2004, playing its first season in 2005. The Nationals' best year came in that inaugural season, finishing with an 81-81 record. The franchise is one of three teams to have never played in a World Series. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

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Brooklyn Nets? In 2004, after not being able to make a new arena deal with Newark, the Nets ownership changed hands. In 2005, the team announced plans to move the team to Brooklyn, with the Barclays Center to be their new home. In March, the team announced that they want to play in Brooklyn starting in the 2011-12 season. On September 23, it was reported that Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov has a deal in place to own 80 percent of the team (pending league approval by the owners and financing for the new arena) and is one of the keys to getting the team to Brooklyn. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Seattle SuperSon... The Sonics won their only title in 1979, one of only three championships a Seattle pro team has won for the city. The Sonics last season in Seattle was their worst, finishing with a 20-62 record. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)
Oklahoma City Th... The franchise was sold to Oklahoma City investors, namely Clay Bennett, for $350 million. In their inaugural season, the Thunder finished 23-59, the same record as the Sonics' first season in 1967-68. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Quebec Nordiques... The Nordiques first started in the World Hockey Association before moving to the NHL in 1979. Owen Nolan and Adam Foote are the only two players who suited up for the Nordiques to still be listed on NHL rosters. (AP Photo/Jacques Boissinot)
Colorado Avalanc... In 1992, the Nordiques acquired Peter Forsberg in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Forsberg finally played with the team in its final season in Quebec. Forsberg then became a star in Colorado, helping the Avalanche win two Stanley Cups, the first being the inaugural season in 1995-96. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Houston Oilers: ... The Oilers won two AFL Championship games before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. At one point in the NFL, the team went to the playoffs seven consecutive seasons (1987-1993). (AP Photo/Richard Carson)
Tennessee Titans... Before being renamed the Titans, the team spent the '97 and '98 seasons as the Tennessee Oilers. As the Titans, the team was able to compile three 13-win regular seasons, the highest total in any one season for the franchise. (AP Photo/John Russell)
Charlotte Hornet... While in Charlotte, the Hornets made seven playoff appearances, but never made it past the Eastern Conference semifinals. In one of the more lopsided trades in NBA history, the Hornets in 1996 traded away the draft rights to Kobe Bryant for Vlade Divac, who only spent two seasons in Charlotte. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
New Orleans Horn... Two years after the move, in 2004-05, the NBA switched the team to the Western Conference. Because of Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets played most of their home games in Oklahoma City during the '05-06 and '06-07 seasons. They returned full time to New Orleans in '07-08 and compiled a 56-25 record, the most wins in franchise history. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Winnipeg Jets : ... Current Coyote Shane Doan has spent all of his NHL career playing for the Jets/Coyotes. On January 5, 1978, after three losing efforts, the Jets finally defeated the Soviet National team during an exhibition game, the first time a club reached that accomplishment. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Coyotes:... The Coyotes went to the playoffs the first four seasons in Arizona, but each time lost in the quarterfinals. From 2005-09, hockey great Wayne Gretzky coached the team. The NHL is trying to find an owner who will keep the team in Phoenix, but a move, possibility to Hamilton, Ontario, could be looming. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Cleveland Browns... After spending time (1946-1949) in the All-America Football Conference, the team joined the NFL in 1950. Despite winning eight championships (including the AAFC), the team still has never won or even played in a Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Baltimore Ravens... While the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996, the first football team seen in the city since the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland did get a new Browns team in 1999. The Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000, its fifth season in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Hartford Whalers... While in the World Hockey Association, the team was named the New England Whalers until the move to the NHL. In their 18 seasons, the Whalers only had three winning seasons and missed the playoffs 10 times. The team also was only able to win one playoff series as the Whalers. (AP Photo/Richard Mei)
Carolina Hurrica... In 11 seasons as the Hurricanes, the team has enjoyed eight winning seasons, made five playoff appearances and won the Stanley Cup in 2005-06. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Vancouver Grizzl... In the inaugural season for the Grizzlies, the team lost 23 straight games at one point, tying a single-season record held by the Nuggets. In six seasons in Vancouver, the team never won more than 23 games. During the 98-99 lockout, the team went 8-42. (AP Photo/Nick Procaylo)
Memphis Grizzlie... In Memphis, the team did go to the playoffs three straight seasons (2003-06), including a franchise high 50 wins in 2003-04. Despite that success, the team never made it past the first round and in the other five seasons, Memphis has never won more than 28 games. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Brooklyn Dodgers... On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in the big leagues when he suited up for the Dodgers. After majority owner Walter O'Malley failed to buy suitable land to build a new stadium in Brooklyn, Los Angeles offered him a chance to buy land in the city. The Dodgers played their final game at Ebbets Field on September 24, 1957. (AP Photo)
Los Angeles Dodg... The franchise won five of its World Series titles while in Los Angeles, the most recent being in 1988. The Dodgers, along with the Giants, were the first MLB teams to call the West Coast home. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
New York Giants:... Like the Dodgers, the Giants needed a new stadium and considered a move of their own. Initially, moving to Minneapolis was their target. But owner Horace Stoneham was swayed into bringing the team to California by the mayor of San Francisco and Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley. (AP Photo/Gene Smith)
San Francisco Gi... The Giants have not won a World Series since the move to California. Nevertheless, their inner-state rivalry with the Dodgers still remains strong. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Washington Senat... In 1905, the team name was changed to the Nationals from the Senators. Many fans and newspapers wanted to keep the "Senators" name and both were used interchangeably. In 1955, the team was officially changed back to the Senators. The team won its first World Series in 1924, defeating the New York Giants. (AP Photo)
Minnesota Twins:... After the death of Senators' owner Clark Griffith, his nephew, Calvin, took over the team and led the way to Minnesota. Calvin at first wanted to move to San Francisco, but in 1960 a deal was reached with Minneapolis. The Twins have won two World Series ('87, '91) since the move. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Washington Senat... After the move to Minneapolis, MLB awarded Washington, D.C. a new expansion team in 1961. The team kept the name "Senators" and played its first season in Griffith Stadium (home of the original Senators) until it moved to District of Columbia Stadium, later to be renamed RFK Stadium. After some money issues and losing seasons, owner Bob Short decided to make the move to Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/stf)
Texas Rangers: 1... The franchise has yet to win a World Series, but the Rangers have won their division three times, most recently in 1999. In 1989, former president George W. Bush led a group of investors who bought the team. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)
Montreal Expos: ... The Expos went to the playoffs in 1981 (the only appearance in franchise history) and lost in the NLCS to the Dodgers. In 1994, Montreal had the best record (74-40) in baseball, but a players' strike canceled the rest of the season. (AP Photo/Ryan Remiorz)
Washington Natio... The franchise relocated in December 2004, playing its first season in 2005. The Nationals' best year came in that inaugural season, finishing with an 81-81 record. The franchise is one of three teams to have never played in a World Series. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Los Angeles Rams... Before moving to Los Angeles in 1946, the Rams were stationed in Cleveland. The team won their first championship in their last season in Cleveland and won again in 1951 while in L.A. The Rams also signed the first two African American players (Kenny Washington, Woody Strode) to play in the NFL, post-World War II. (AP Photo)
St. Louis Rams: ... In 1995, a new domed stadium in was being built in St. Louis in preparation for the Rams arrival. At the time, the Rams were struggling on the field. Owner Georgia Frontiere almost moved the team to Baltimore at one point, but eventually went to St. Louis. The Rams won their first Super Bowl in 1999, defeating the Tennessee Titans. (AP Photo/James A. Finley)
Oakland Raiders:... The Raiders debuted in Oakland while playing in the American Football League. The team came over to the NFL during the merger and won two Super Bowls ('76, '80) to go along with their AFL title in 1967. After a couple of antitrust lawsuits, Al Davis moved the team to Los Angeles. After a few years in L.A., including a Super Bowl in '83, Davis wanted a more modern stadium than the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In 1991, Davis announced that he wanted to go back to Oakland and in 1995 a letter of intent was signed to make the move. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Oakland Raiders:... Since moving back to Oakland, the team showed former success in 2000. This success carried the team to a 2003 Super Bowl appearance, but Oakland lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, the Raiders have struggled. In 2008, the team accumulated their sixth straight 11-plus loss season. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)