Editing Columbus, Ohio (section)

==Sports==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|+Columbus professional and major NCAA D1 teams
|-
! Club
! League
! Sport
! Venue (capacity)
! When <br/>founded
! Titles
! Average <br /> attendance
|-
| [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State Buckeyes]]
| align=center | [[NCAA Division I|NCAA]]
| Football
| [[Ohio Stadium]] (104,851)
| align=center | 1890
| align=center |  9
| align=center |  105,261
|-
| [[Columbus Crew SC|Columbus Crew]]
| align=center | [[Major League Soccer|MLS]]
| [[Soccer]]
| [[Lower.com Field]] (20,371)
| align=center | 1996
| align=center | 3
| align=center | 20,646
|-
| [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State Buckeyes]]
| align=center | [[NCAA Division I|NCAA]]
| Basketball
| [[Value City Arena]] (19,000)
| align=center | 1892
| align=center |  1
| align=center |  16,511
|-
| [[Columbus Blue Jackets]]
| align=center | [[National Hockey League|NHL]]
| [[Ice hockey]]
| [[Nationwide Arena]] (18,500)
| align=center | 2000
| align=center | 0
| align=center | 16,659
|-
| [[Columbus Clippers]]
| align=center | [[International League|IL]]
| [[Baseball]]
| [[Huntington Park (Columbus, Ohio)|Huntington Park]] (10,100)
| align=center | 1977
| align=center | 11
| align=center | 9,212
|-
| [[Columbus Crew 2]]
| align=center | [[MLS Next Pro]]
| [[Soccer]]
| [[Historic Crew Stadium]] (19,968)
| align=center | 2022
| align=center | 1
| align=center | N/A
|-
|}
[[File:Ohio Stadium, Columbus.jpg|thumb|[[Ohio Stadium]], on the campus of [[Ohio State University]], is the 5th-largest non-racing stadium in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top Ten Biggest Sports Stadiums In The World &#124; Top 10 Land|url=https://www.top10land.com/top-ten-biggest-sports-stadiums-in-the-world.html|access-date=December 26, 2022|website=www.top10land.com|archive-date=December 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226181135/https://www.top10land.com/top-ten-biggest-sports-stadiums-in-the-world.html|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
[[File:Nationwide Arena exterior.jpg|thumb|[[Nationwide Arena]], home of the NHL's [[Columbus Blue Jackets]]]]
[[File:Pre-match before USMNT v Costa Rica during 2022 World Cup qualifying.jpeg|thumb|[[Lower.com Field]], the current home of the [[Columbus Crew]]]]

===Professional teams===
Columbus hosts two major league professional sports teams: the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL), which play at [[Nationwide Arena]], and the [[Columbus Crew]] of [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS), which play at [[Lower.com Field]]. The Crew previously played at [[Historic Crew Stadium]], the first [[soccer-specific stadium]] built in the United States for a Major League Soccer team. The Crew were one of the original members of MLS and won their first [[MLS Cup]] in [[MLS Cup 2008|2008]], a second title in [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]], and a third title in [[MLS Cup 2023|2023]]. The Columbus Crew moved into [[Lower.com Field]] in the summer of 2021, which will also feature a mixed-use development site named Confluence Village.<ref>{{cite news|title=Columbus Crew SC Resumes Season July 8|work=Columbus Underground|url=https://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-crew-sc-resume-season-july-8-sp1|date=June 10, 2020|access-date=June 15, 2020|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613211313/https://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-crew-sc-resume-season-july-8-sp1|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Columbus Clippers]], the [[International League]] affiliate of the [[Cleveland Guardians]], play in [[Huntington Park (Columbus, Ohio)|Huntington Park]], which opened in 2009.

The city was home to the [[Columbus Panhandles|Panhandles/Tigers]] football team from 1901 to 1926; they are credited with playing in the first NFL game against another NFL opponent.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wong|first=Glenn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ku_fPqc4aM8C|title=The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports|date=June 7, 2011|publisher=Jones & Bartlett Learning|isbn=978-0-7637-2884-7|language=en}}</ref> In the late 1990s, the [[Columbus Quest]] won the only two championships during [[American Basketball League (1996–1998)|American Basketball League]]'s two-and-a-half season existence.

The [[Ohio Aviators (rugby union)|Ohio Aviators]] were based in [[Obetz, Ohio]], and began play in the only [[2016 PRO Rugby season|PRO Rugby season]] before the league folded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2016/02/10/pro-rugby-obetz.html|title=Professional rugby team to begin play in Obetz in April|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=March 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316075903/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2016/02/10/pro-rugby-obetz.html|archive-date=March 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since 2023, Columbus has been home to the [[Columbus Fury]] women's professional [[volleyball]] team, one of seven teams to launch with the [[Pro Volleyball Federation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pro Volleyball Federation to bring professional women's volleyball to Columbus in 2024 |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/pro/2023/02/17/columbus-to-get-professional-womens-volleyball-team-pro-volleyball-federation-league-2024/69914366007/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLaughlin |first=Jack |date=April 13, 2023 |title=The name and logo of Columbus' newest professional sports team has finally been revealed |url=https://614now.com/2023/explore-columbus/the-name-of-columbus-newest-professional-sports-team-has-finally-been-revealed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424044623/https://614now.com/2023/explore-columbus/the-name-of-columbus-newest-professional-sports-team-has-finally-been-revealed |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=614NOW |language=en-US}}</ref> The team plays home games at [[Nationwide Arena]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Columbus' pro volleyball team the Fury earn first win in home debut |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/pro/2024/02/21/columbus-fury-earns-first-win-in-home-debut-vs-omaha-supernovas/72682929007/ |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Ohio State Buckeyes===
Columbus is home to one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate programs, the [[Ohio State Buckeyes]] of [[Ohio State University]]. The program has placed in the top 10 final standings of the [[NACDA Directors' Cup|Director's Cup]] five times since 2000–2001, including No. 3 for the 2002–2003 season and No. 4 for the 2003–2004 season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 23, 2010|title=Stanford has built the nation's most successful athletics program |first=John |last=Reid |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/06/22/stanford-has-built-the-nations-most-successful-athletics-program/|access-date=December 26, 2022|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US|archive-date=December 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226181135/https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/06/22/stanford-has-built-the-nations-most-successful-athletics-program/|url-status=live}}</ref> The university funds 36 varsity teams, consisting of 17 male, 16 female and three co-educational teams.{{Update inline|inaccurate=yes|date=April 2025}}  In 2007–2008 and 2008–2009, the program generated the second-most revenue for college programs behind the [[Texas Longhorns]] of [[University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas at Austin]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Report: OSU No. 2 for sports revenue|newspaper=Columbus Business First|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/06/15/daily6.html|date=June 15, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2022|archive-date=May 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531110810/http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/06/15/daily6.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html "Big Ten expansion: E-mails hint eyes are upon Texas"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819151429/http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html |date=August 19, 2010 }}, Bill Rabinowitz. [[Columbus Dispatch]]. June 4, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2010.</ref>

The Ohio State Buckeyes are a member of the [[NCAA]]'s [[Big Ten Conference]], and their [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|football team]] plays home games at [[Ohio Stadium]]. The Ohio State–[[University of Michigan|Michigan]] football game (known colloquially as "The Game") is the final game of the regular season and is played in November each year, alternating between Columbus and [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]. In 2000, [[ESPN]] ranked the Ohio State–Michigan game as the greatest rivalry in North American sports.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/endofcentury/s/other/bestrivalries.html |title=ESPN.go.com |publisher=ESPN.go.com |access-date=March 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025044126/http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/s/other/bestrivalries.html |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moreover, "Buckeye fever" permeates Columbus culture year-round and forms a major part of Columbus's cultural identity. Former New York Yankees owner [[George Steinbrenner]], an Ohio native who received a master's degree from Ohio State and coached in Columbus, was an Ohio State football fan and major donor to the university who contributed to the construction of the band facility at the renovated Ohio Stadium, which bears his family's name.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Clippers alert: Steinbrenner is on his way|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2002/02/04/tidbits.html|access-date=December 26, 2022|website=www.bizjournals.com|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609175203/https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2002/02/04/tidbits.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
During the winter months, the Buckeyes [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|basketball]] and [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's ice hockey|hockey]] teams are also major sporting attractions.

===Other sports===
Columbus has a long history in motorsports, hosting the world's first 24-hour car race at the Columbus Driving Park in 1905, which was organized by the Columbus Auto Club.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=179231&FS=ROADRACING |title=Motor Sports, 24 Hour Race, Columbus Driving Park |publisher=Motorsport.com |date=March 15, 2005 |access-date=March 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116180612/http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=179231&FS=ROADRACING |archive-date=November 16, 2008  }}</ref> The [[Columbus Motor Speedway]] was built in 1945 and held its first motorcycle race in 1946. In 2010, the [[Ohio State University]] student-built [[Buckeye Bullet 2]], a fuel-cell vehicle, set an FIA world speed record for electric vehicles in reaching 303.025&nbsp;mph, eclipsing the previous record of 302.877&nbsp;mph.<ref>[http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/cars/2979-the-buckeye-bullet-2.html "The Buckeye Bullet 2"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904041829/http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/cars/2979-the-buckeye-bullet-2.html |date=September 4, 2010 }}, Green Muze. August 31, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.</ref>

The annual [[All American Quarter Horse Congress]], the world's largest single-breed horse show,<ref>[http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event-detail.cfm?id=21705 "All American Quarter Horse Congress"]{{dead link|date=September 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}, Experience Columbus. 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2010.</ref> attracts approximately 500,000 visitors to the Ohio Expo Center each October.

Columbus hosts the annual [[Arnold Sports Festival]]. Hosted by [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], the event has grown to eight [[Olympic sports]] and 22,000 athletes competing in 80 events.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Krasniewicz|first1=Louise|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhqIhq5SS8YC&pg=PA105|title=Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Biography|last2=Blitz|first2=Michael|date=2006|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-08128-6|language=en|access-date=September 6, 2015|archive-date=September 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920170503/https://books.google.com/books?id=nhqIhq5SS8YC&pg=PA105|url-status=live}}</ref>

Westside Barbell, a world-renowned powerlifting gym, is located in Columbus. Its founder, [[Louie Simmons]], is known for his popularization of the "Conjugate Method," while he is also credited with inventing training machines for reverse hyper-extensions and belt squats. Westside Barbell is known for producing multiple world record holders in powerlifting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Westside Barbell® |url=https://www.westside-barbell.com/ |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=www.westside-barbell.com |language=en-US |archive-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103235741/https://www.westside-barbell.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Columbus Bullies]] were two-time champions of the American Football League (1940–1941). The Columbus Thunderbolts were formed in 1991 for the Arena Football League, and then relocated to Cleveland as the Cleveland Thunderbolts; the [[Columbus Destroyers]] were the next team of the AFL, playing from 2004 until the league's demise in 2008 and returned for single season in 2019 until the league folded a second time.

[[Ohio Roller Derby]] (formerly Ohio Roller Girls) was founded in Columbus in 2005 and still competes internationally in Women's Flat Track Derby Association play. The team is regularly ranked in the top 60 internationally.