NFL owners have voted to let the Rams move back to Los Angeles, a city they left two decades ago. (Actually, they were playing in Orange County for some years before that, but still called the LA Rams.) The Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles and then back to Oakland. Other then those two examples, are there any other teams that have returned to a city after leaving it?
The Cleveland Browns left Cleveland and came back, but when they came back they were a new team. But with all of the old team’s records. Technically an expansion team that happens to have a 70-year record book. With a gap in it.
There was a Washington Nationals baseball team in the MLB in 1886-89. There was also a team in DC called the Washington Senators “who were some times called the Nationals.” The current Washington Nationals, however, are not the Senators or the Nationals. Previous Washington teams are now the Rangers and the Twins. The Montreal Expos are now the Washington Nationals.
Neither are the same as the Rams or Raiders, but still kind of interesting.
The Winnipeg Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996. The Atlanta Thrashers then became the new Winnipeg Jets in 2011. However, the old Jets and the new Jets are considered by the NHL to be different teams in the record books.
The original Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans. The NBA put an expansion team in Charlotte, named the Bobcats. When the New Orleans Hornets changed their name to the Pelicans, the Bobcats obtained the previous Hornets name. Somewhat similar to the Cleveland Browns in that the history and records of the previous Hornets franchise have been transferred to the present-day Hornets.
The Brooklyn Nets began play as the New Jersey Americans in 1967. They moved to Long Island in 1968 and changed their name to the New York Nets. They moved back to New Jersey in 1977, then after 35 seasons, they moved to their present home in Brooklyn, back on Long Island.
I guess Brooklyn is technically on Long Island, but still …
Moved to the Game Room.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
It was only a temporary thing but when Yankee Stadium was being renovated, the New York football Giants played at the Yale Bowl in 1973-74. There were problems with it: too long a commute for many fans. no lights limited them to 1:00 games, no locker rooms in the stadium (who says Yalies are smart?). So in 1975 they moved back to New York for a year to play in Shea Stadium until their stadium in New Jersey was finished over Jimmy Hoffa’s reputed burial site.
NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. Started in Cleveland in 1970. Moved to Richfield, Ohio in 1974 (20 miles away). Back to Cleveland in 1994. May not count because they didn't change name.I see your point. Let’s say they moved from New Jersey back to the New York area twice. 
There are rumors the San Diego Chargers may also move to Los Angeles and if they do, they originally played in Los Angeles in 1960.
In American soccer, the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers played in the NASL from 1977 to 1983. In 1984 they moved to Minneapolis and became the Minnesota Strikers for the final season of the NASL, and continued on playing indoor soccer in the MISL for four more years. In 1988 they returned to Ft. Lauderdale and played in a new league called the ASL for two years and then in another league called the APSL for a few more years.
As if that’s not confusing enough, they are unrelated to the current day Ft. Lauderdale Strikers of the new NASL, who originated as Miami F.C. in 2006.
Wow thats a tough one. Only thing I can think of right now is the AHL Flyers affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, moved to Lake Placid to become the Adirondack Phantoms after the Spectrum was torn down; 2 years ago they moved to Allentown, PA to become the Lehigh Valley Phantoms; not the same city, but an hour away.
North American Soccer League:
Baltimore Comets 1974-1975
San Diego Jaws 1976
Las Vegas Quicksilver 1977 then . . . .
BACK TO SAN DIEGO as the San Diego Sockers, who would exist in the NASL and also win multiple indoor soccer titles in various circuits up until 1996
The convoluted history of the Indianapolis Colts has this.
Dayton Triangles --> Brooklyn Dodgers --> Brooklyn Tigers* --> (merged with) Boston Yanks --> (replaced with) New York Bulldogs --> New York Yanks* -->Dallas Texans --> Baltimore Colts --> Indianapolis Colts.
Since Brooklyn is part of New York (and was when the team played there), they fit.
*Name change only
This isn’t really one team at all. The Boston Yanks were formed in in 1944 as a separate team. They and the Brooklyn Tigers combined rosters in 1945 much as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia did in '43 and the Steelers and Cardinals did in '44 due to so many players being in the armed forces.
Dan Topping wanted to play his Tigers in Yankee Stadium rather than Ebbets Field, but the NY (football) Giants had area rights so he decided to join the new AAFC (as the New York Yankees). The NFL canceled his franchise and let the Boston Yanks keep the players except that most of them stayed with Toppings team in the new league.
After a couple of seasons, the Boston Yanks folded as a corporation (presumably to cancel debts) and were replaced by the NY Bulldogs in 1949 though the owner was the same guy (and I think he got to keep his players) so you might consider this change to be a continuation.
For the 1950 season, the NY Bulldogs technically became the the NY Yanks but the roster was mostly players from the AAFC NY Yanks. The AAFC had folded and absorbed the Cleveland Browns, the SF 49ers and the Baltimore Colts (a completely different team)
The NY Yanks franchise was canceled after one season. A new Franchise was given to the Dallas Texans. That team owner gave up the team and returned it to the NFL mid season (the team only played road games after that).
Meanwhile the Baltimore Colts team from teh AAFC had folded after a single season with a 1-11 record and the Texan franchise was sold to a new Baltimore group.
The Colts version of the Dallas Texans never actually played any home games in Dallas, from what I recall. All of their games were on the road.
No they played there first five home games in the Cotton Bowl (winning none). On Thanksgiving Day they played the Bears in Akron Ohio where they won their only game of the season. (Halas started his second stringers in contempt of the lowly Texans and paid the price when the Texans took a lead the Bears couldn’t overcome). Their final “home” game against Detroit, they played in Detroit.
And if they don’t, then it’s possible that the Raiders will move back to LA…after having moved back to Oakland.
Maybe they should just change the name of the team to the Golden State Raiders.
I think MLS did the same thing with the San Jose Earthquakes after they moved and then the league put a new team in San Jose.
Actually, the first time they wanted to move, there was talk of using the name California Raiders; in fact, somebody had trademarked the name (as well as “Los Angeles Raiders”) in an attempt to keep the team from moving.