North Dakota does not have any teams in the major professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB). However, it does host several professional and semi-professional teams, primarily in minor leagues:
Baseball:
- Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (American Association of Professional Baseball – an MLB Partner League)
- Bismarck Larks (Northwoods League – a collegiate summer baseball league)
- Badlands Big Sticks (Expedition League – a collegiate summer baseball league)
- Minot Hot Tots (Northwoods League – a collegiate summer baseball league)
Hockey:
- Bismarck Bobcats (North American Hockey League – a Tier II junior league)
- Fargo Force (United States Hockey League – a Tier I junior league)
- Minot Minotauros (North American Hockey League – a Tier II junior league)
Indoor Football:
- Bismarck Bucks (ceased operations, but previously played in the Champions Indoor Football league)
It’s worth noting that while these leagues are “professional” in that players are compensated, they are typically minor league or junior league levels, not the top-tier major professional leagues. North Dakota also has a strong college sports presence, particularly with NCAA Division I teams like the North Dakota State Bison and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks.