THE CHANGING SOUTH

Stock-car racing, a popular "good-old-boy" tradition, had a southern concentration until the late 1990's. This sport is still intensely associated with the South than any other region or country, even though its popularity has spread throughout the United States (Regional landscapes of the United States and Canada).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_in_Califonia California also has its share in sports not only car races. California has the Olympic Games three times. Los Angeles, the largest city in the state, hosted both the 1932^[1] and 1984 Summer Olympics^[2]. Squaw Valley, California hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics^[3]. Los Angeles and San Francisco were in the race for the United States Olympic Committee nomination to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, but eventually lost to Chicago.
Besides the Olympics, California has also hosted several major international soccer events:

• Two of the venues for the 1994 FIFA World Cup were in the state—Stanford Stadium at Stanford University, with San Francisco serving as the official host city, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with Los Angeles as the host city. The Rose Bowl hosted the final, won by Brazil in a penalty shootout with Italy.
• Both stadiums were also used for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, along with Spartan Stadium in San Jose. The Rose Bowl again hosted the final, in which a crowd of over 90,000—the largest ever to witness a women's sporting event to this day—saw the USA defeat China in another penalty shootout, capped off by Brandi Chastain's famous shirt-stripping moment.
• The 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup used one California venue, The Home Depot Center in Carson. It hosted the final of that competition, won by Germany over Sweden.

[edit] State-wide sports events

[edit] Professional sports

Map

California has over twenty major professional sports franchises, far more than any other US state. The San Francisco Bay Area has their nine major league teams spread amongst three cities: San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. While home to ten major league franchises, the Greater Los Angeles Area is the largest metropolitan area not to have any teams from the National Football League. San Diego has two major league teams, and Sacramento has two.

• National Football League
  • Oakland Raiders
  • San Diego Chargers
  • San Francisco 49ers
• National Basketball Association
  • Golden State Warriors – Based in Oakland
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Sacramento Kings
• National Hockey League
  • Anaheim Ducks
  • Los Angeles Kings
  • San Jose Sharks
• Major League Baseball
  • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – based in Anaheim
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Oakland Athletics
  • San Diego Padres
  • San Francisco Giants
• Major League Soccer
  • Chivas USA – based in Carson
  • Los Angeles Galaxy – also based in Carson
  • San Jose Earthquakes – based in Santa Clara
• Women's National Basketball Association
  • Los Angeles Sparks
• Women's Professional Soccer
  • FC Gold Pride (Bay Area) – based in Hayward