Edmonton - Sports and Recreation

Sports and Recreation

Edmonton has numerous professional sports teams, including the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League, Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League, and FC Edmonton of the North American Soccer League. Junior sports clubs include the Edmonton Huskies and Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. Venues for Edmonton's professional and junior sports teams include Commonwealth Stadium (Eskimos), Rexall Place (Oilers, Rush and Oil Kings), Telus Field (Prospects), the Universiade Pavilion (Energy), and Clarke Stadium (FC Edmonton, Huskies and Wildcats). A new arena to accommodate the Oilers, among other major events, is currently in planning stages.

Edmonton's teams have rivalries with Calgary's teams and games between Edmonton and Calgary teams are often referred to as the Battle of Alberta.

Past notable hockey teams in Edmonton include the original junior hockey incarnation of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League and the Edmonton Roadrunners of the American Hockey League. Other past notable sports teams include the Edmonton Grads, a women's basketball team, and the Edmonton Trappers, a former baseball team in the Pacific Coast League.

Local university-level sports teams include the U of A Golden Bears, the U of A Pandas, the NAIT Ooks, and the Grant MacEwan Griffins. Local amateur teams, among others, include the Edmonton Gold of the Rugby Canada Super League and the two flat track roller derby leagues: Oil City Roller Derby – and E-Ville Roller Derby

From 2005 to 2012, Edmonton hosted an annual circuit on the Indy Racing League known as the Edmonton Indy. In addition, Castrol Raceway hosts regular sprint car and a national IHRA events at their facility next to Edmonton International Airport.

Other past sporting events hosted by Edmonton include the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1983 World University Games (Universiade), the 2001 World Championships in Athletics, the 2002 World Ringette Championships, the 2005 World Master Games, the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup, the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the CN Canadian Women's Open, and the 2010 Canadian National Debating Championship. Edmonton shared hosting duties with Calgary for the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.