Editing Albany, New York (section)

==Sports==
{{Main|Sports in New York's Capital District}}

[[File:Siena Saints BBall 2010.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Siena Saints men's basketball|Siena]] [[Guard (basketball)|guard]] Ronald Moore [[Basketball moves|dribbles]] toward the basket in a game against [[Loyola Greyhounds men's basketball|Loyola]] in January 2010.<ref name="sienayearbook">{{cite web |title=2009–2010 Siena Saints Yearbook |publisher=Siena College |year=2010 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |url=http://content.yudu.com/A1i64y/09-10MBBYearbook/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=McGuire, Mark |date=January 22, 2010 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=9321018 |title=Streaking Siena |work=Times Union (Albany) |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |page=B1 |url-status=dead  |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711125750/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=9321018 }}</ref>|alt=A man in a white jersey with green "SIENA" and "25" on front dribbles a basketball past another man in a forest-green jersey with white "LOYOLA" and "31" on front.]]
Albany has teams in three top-level professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada ([[Albany FireWolves]], [[New York Atlas (lacrosse)|New York Atlas]], and [[Albany Firebirds (2023)|Albany Firebirds]]), and several minor-league sports teams with varying levels of support.<ref>{{cite news |title=Area Fans Are Hard to Please |author=Campbell, Steve |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=October 22, 2002 |page=C1 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6140212 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430030107/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6140212 }}</ref>

The [[Albany Devils]] were a minor league [[ice hockey]] team that moved to the city for the [[2010–11 AHL season|2010–11 season]]. They played in the [[American Hockey League]] and were affiliated with the [[New Jersey Devils]] of the [[National Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite news |title=AHL Hockey Back in Albany |author=Dougherty, Peter |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=June 11, 2010 |page=B1 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10919719 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430030133/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10919719 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=AHL Devils Lose Debut |author=Dougherty, Peter |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=October 10, 2010 |page=C1 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=12333217 |url-status=dead |access-date=November 20, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430030157/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=12333217 }}</ref> The Devils replaced the [[Albany River Rats]], who played in the Capital Region from 1990 to 2010, when they relocated to [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], North Carolina. The Albany Devils moved to [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]], New York in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schott |first1=Ken |title=It's official: Albany Devils moving to Binghamton |url=https://dailygazette.com/2017/01/31/it-s-official-albany-devils-moving-to-binghamton/#:~:text=New%20Jersey%20Devils%20president%20Hugh,moving%20from%20Albany%20to%20Binghamton. |website=dailygazette.com |date=January 31, 2017 |publisher=The Daily Gazette |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

The [[Times Union Center]] has previously hosted [[arena football]] teams including the [[Albany Firebirds]] in the [[Arena Football League]] (AFL) from 1990 to 2000 and then a team originally known as the [[Albany Conquest]] and later the Firebirds in the [[af2]], the AFL's developmental league, from 2002 to 2009. The [[Albany Empire (AFL)|Albany Empire]] played in the AFL from 2018 through the 2019 season when the league folded. A new [[Albany Empire (NAL)|Albany Empire]] was relaunched in the [[National Arena League]] for the 2021 season.  In 2023, [[Antonio Brown]] bought the team; after a series of problems with payments and personnel, the NAL suspended the franchise in the middle of the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singelais |first1=Mark |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Albany Empire kicked out of National Arena League |work=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]] |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/national-arena-league-terminates-albany-empire-s-18154225.php |access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref> A [[Albany Firebirds (2023)|relaunched Albany Firebirds]] franchise began playing in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singelais |first=Mark |date=September 28, 2023 |title=Firebirds back? Arena football returning to MVP Arena in 2024 |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/arena-football-returning-mvp-arena-2024-18394410.php |access-date=September 29, 2023 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Tri-City ValleyCats]] [[short season]] [[minor league baseball]] team have played at the [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]] on the [[Hudson Valley Community College]] campus in [[North Greenbush, New York|North Greenbush]] since 2002. Prior to the ValleyCats' arrival, the [[Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs]] (1995–2002) played at [[Heritage Park (Colonie, New York)|Heritage Park]] in [[Colonie, New York|Colonie]]; due to financial pressures, and facing impending competition from the ValleyCats, the franchise folded in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dogs' Only Sellout Was Political |author=LeBrun, Fred |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=October 25, 2002 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6140783 |url-status=dead |page=B1 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025938/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6140783 }}</ref>

The [[Albany Legends]] ([[International Basketball League]]), played in the [[Washington Avenue Armory]] from 2010 to 2014 before moving to [[Schenectady]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.iblhoopsonline.com/albany_legends/documents/New_professional_basketball_team_in_Albany.pdf |title=International Basketball League Expands to Albany (NY) |first=Mikal |last=Duilio |publisher=International Basketball League |date=October 27, 2009 |access-date=June 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102103343/http://iblhoopsonline.com/albany_legends/documents/New_professional_basketball_team_in_Albany.pdf |archive-date=November 2, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Albany Patroons]] have played at the Armory on and off since 1982 and currently play in [[The Basketball League]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Wilkin, Tim |title=Legends See Success |publisher=Hearst Corporation |work=Times Union (Albany) |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10966455 |url-status=dead |page=C1 |date=June 14, 2010 |access-date=June 28, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025928/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10966455 }}</ref>

With the large number of local colleges and universities around Albany, college sports are popular. The [[University at Albany]]'s [[Albany Great Danes|Great Danes]] play at the [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I level]] in all sports. The football team is a member of the [[Coastal Athletic Association]] while all other sports teams play as members of the [[America East Conference]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=UAlbany & the America East Conference |publisher=University at Albany |date=January 31, 2001 |url=http://www.ualbanysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15800&KEY=&ATCLID=838922&SPID=9797&SPSID=82634 |access-date=June 22, 2010}}</ref> In 2006, UAlbany became the first [[State University of New York|SUNY]]-affiliated school to send a team to the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Welcome to the Party |author=Iorizzo, Pete |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=March 12, 2006 |page=A1 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6388342 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430030017/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6388342 }}</ref> The [[Siena Saints]] saw a rise in popularity after their [[Siena Saints men's basketball|men's basketball team]] made it to the NCAA Tournament in [[2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2008]], [[2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2009]], and [[2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2010]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=Saints Heading to Spokane |publisher=Siena College |date=March 14, 2010 |access-date=June 22, 2010 |url=http://www.sienasaints.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031410aaa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513142110/http://www.sienasaints.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031410aaa.html |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> All 18 Saints teams are Division I and play in the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FAQs for Athletics |publisher=Siena College |url=http://www.siena.edu/pages/414.asp |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504001324/http://www.siena.edu/pages/414.asp |archive-date=May 4, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although Siena's campus is in nearby Colonie, the men's basketball team plays at the Times Union Center.<ref name="sienayearbook" />

UAlbany hosted the [[New York Giants]] training camp from 1996 to 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilkin |first1=Tim |title=Giants take a pass on keeping camp in Albany |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Giants-take-a-pass-on-keeping-camp-in-Albany-4167956.php |website=timesunion.com |date=January 4, 2013 |publisher=Hearst |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Giants Keeping Camp at UAlbany |author=Singelais, Mark |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |work=Times Union (Albany) |date=June 9, 2010 |page=C1 |url=http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10889881 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 22, 2010 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025852/http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=10889881 }}</ref>

On February 23, 2021, it was announced that the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL) would return to the city with the relocation of the [[New England Black Wolves]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://vancouverwarriors.com/news/nll-relocates-new-england-to-albany/|title=NLL relocates New England to Albany|date=February 23, 2021|publisher=[[Vancouver Warriors]]|access-date=September 27, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927214102/https://vancouverwarriors.com/news/nll-relocates-new-england-to-albany/|archive-date=September 27, 2021}}</ref> The team was named the [[Albany FireWolves]] on April 15, 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://albanyfirewolves.com/news/new-albany-nll-name-and-logo-revealed/|title=New Albany NLL name and logo revealed|publisher=[[Albany FireWolves]]|date=April 15, 2021|access-date=September 27, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415213009/https://albanyfirewolves.com/news/new-albany-nll-name-and-logo-revealed/|archive-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> This is the second NLL team to be based in the area; the first, the [[Albany Attack]], played in the city from 2000 to 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Albany Attack lacrosse Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com |url=https://www.statscrew.com/lacrosse/t-ALB |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=www.statscrew.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2023, the [[Premier Lacrosse League]] (PLL) selected cities for their 8 franchises, and Albany was chosen as the primary home for the [[New York Atlas (lacrosse)|New York Atlas]].{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 2024, the [[Albany Firebirds (2023)|Albany Firebirds]] began playing in the [[Arena Football League (2024)|AFL]] at the [[MVP Arena]]. After one season in the AFL, the team moved to the [[Arena Football One (2025)|AF1]].{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

The 518 Ballers ([[American Basketball Association (2000–present)|American Basketball Association]]) have played at Our Savior's Christian School since 2023.<ref name="518ballers d621">{{cite web | title=518ballers | website=518ballers | url=https://www.518ballers.com/ | access-date=November 15, 2023}}</ref>