This past year greater Harrisburg was ranked by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal as the second-best minor league sports market in the country. Surprised? Even if you were aware of the plethora of minor league teams in the area, I guarantee you’ll be amazed to learn about the long list of other sports teams and clubs that exist under the radar here in Harrisburg.
Take for instance the Nuclear Knockouts, Harrisburg’s own Roller Derby team, or the Harrisburg Lunatics, our professional Roller Hockey team. Looking for something even harder hitting yet? Try the Harrisburg Rugby Football Club, the nationally ranked Central Penn Piranha minor league football club, or even harder still; the full contact semi-pro women’s football team the Central PA Vipers. These teams are of course in addition to the well known Harrisburg Senators double A baseball team, the Harrisburg City Islanders second division pro soccer team, the Harrisburg Horizon, a pro basketball team in the Eastern Basketball Alliance league, and the Hershey Bears, a pro ice hockey team in the AHL.
In addition to these teams, Harrisburg also is home to a number of great sports clubs and organizations such as the Harrisburg Area Road Runners Club, the Harrisburg Bicycle Club, the Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, and the Susquehanna Ski and Snowboard Club. The Harrisburg Scuba Center also facilitates some fantastic Scuba trips for those who enjoy venturing into the deep. And there is more to come! the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center will be the new home of a pro indoor football team for Harrisburg!!
So you thought you knew a little something about sports around Harrisburg eh? Don’t worry, I’m still learning myself and most likely am still unaware of a few clubs and teams. The point is there’s really an incredible variety of sports and clubs both for watching and participating in for just about anyone in Harrisburg – so join up with or buy some tickets for a sport you’ve never seen and support your local teams!
*If you know of a team or club that I’ve missed in this post please let me know, I’m aggregating a list on a Facebook group all about Harrisburg.
MidStateMantra (little more than mindless chatter) 