Dynasty (sports)
In sports, a dynasty is a team or individual that dominates their sport or league for an extended length of time. Some leagues maintain official lists of dynasties, often as part of a hall of fame, but in many cases, whether a team or individual has achieved a dynasty is subjective. This can result in frequent topic of debate among sports fans due to lack of consensus and agreement in the many different variables and criteria that fans may use to define a sports dynasty. Merriam-Webster describes a dynasty as a "sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons". Within the same sport, or even the same league, dynasties may be concurrent with each other.
Auto racing
NASCAR
- Chevrolet since 1958 won 35 of 54 NASCAR manufacturer championships.
- Hendrick Motorsports has had two streaks of four or more consecutive championships and has 15 NASCAR championships overall. The combined operations of the works and satellite teams have won six consecutive championships, since 2006.
- Lee Petty Won three championships 1954, 1958, and 1959.
- Richard Petty Won seven championships 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979. Plus winning a record of 200 races.
- David Pearson Won three championships 1966, 1968, and 1969.
- Cale Yarborough Won three consecutive championships 1976, 1977, and 1978.
- Dale Earnhardt Sr. Won seven championships 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994.
- Darrell Waltrip Won three championships 1981, 1982, and 1985.
- Jeff Gordon Won four championships 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001.
- Jimmie Johnson Won seven championships, including five consecutive 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016.
World Rally Championship
Drivers
- Sébastien Loeb from 2004 to 2012 won nine consecutive drivers’ championships; 78 race wins from 2002 to 2013.
24 Hours of Le Mans
Drivers
- Tom Kristensen won nine 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1997 and 2013, including six consecutive from 2000 to 2005.
Formula 1
Drivers
- Juan Manuel Fangio won five Formula One World Drivers' Championships between 1951 and 1957, including four consecutive from 1954 to 1957.
- Michael Schumacher won seven championships between 1994 and 2004, including five consecutive with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.
- Sebastian Vettel won four consecutive championships between 2010 and 2013.
- Lewis Hamilton won six Formula One championships from 2008 to 2019, including 5 in 6 years from 2014 to 2019. Hamilton additionally served as a runner-up twice in the eleven season span.
Baja 1000
- Honda motorcycles have won seventeen consecutive Baja 1000 races from 1997 to 2013.
Dakar Rally
- KTM motorcycles have won seventeen consecutive Dakar Rallies from 2001 to 2018.
[Baseball]
[Major League Baseball]
- Boston Red Sox from 1903 to 1918; dominated the sport for sixteen seasons during the "dead-ball era", with five World Series titles in 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918, and six American League pennants in 1903, 1904, 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918.
- Philadelphia Athletics from 1910 to 1914; The Athletics won 3 World Series titles in 4 years in 1910, 1911, and 1913. The Athletics also won an additional pennant in 1914. They were known for their "$100,000 Infield".
- New York Yankees: From 1921 to 1964, the Yankees played in 29 of the 44 World Series, winning 20 of them. During this 44-year period, the Yankees had two dominant stretches:
- *From 1936 to 1943 the Yankees dominated baseball for eight years, capturing seven American League pennants and six World Series Championships, including four World Series in a row from 1936 to 1939.
- * From 1947 to 1964 the Yankees won 15 of 18 AL pennants and 10 World Series, including five in a row from 1949 to 1953. This is the MLB record for most consecutive championships.
- St. Louis Cardinals from 1942 to 1946, led by superstars Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, and Enos Slaughter. They won four NL Pennants and three World Series titles in five-year span.
- Cincinnati Reds from 1970 to 1976. Known as The Big Red Machine, they dominated the sport for 7 years.
- Oakland Athletics: From 1971 to 1975, known as The Mustache Gang..
- New York Yankees: From 1996 to 2003. Led by manager Joe Torre, and The Core Four, the Yankees dominated the sport for 8 years. The Yankees also added another World series title in 2009 to make 5 championships won by the Core Four.
Negro leagues">Negro league baseball">Negro leagues
- Homestead Grays, 1937–1945
[Nippon Professional Baseball]
- Yomiuri Giants: From 1961 to 1973. The Giants won 9 consecutive Japan Series titles between 1965 and 1973.
- Saitama Seibu Lions: From 1982 to 1992. The Lions won 8 Japan Series titles over 11 seasons.
- Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks: From 2011 to the present. The Hawks won 6 Japan Series titles over 9 seasons.
[Basketball]
[National Basketball Association]
- Minneapolis Lakers 1948 to 1954 led by George Mikan. The Lakers officially won 5 NBA championships in 6 years between the 1948–49 BAA season and 1953–54 NBA season. Minneapolis also achieved the NBA's first set of three consecutive championships winning the 1952 NBA Finals, the 1953 NBA Finals, and the 1954 NBA Finals. Minneapolis also won the 1948 NBL Championship, which is not recognized by the NBA. When including the 1948 NBL title, the championship count rises to a spectacular 6 championships in 7 years and also gives the Lakers another three-peat as they won the 1948 NBL Title, the 1949 BAA Championship, and the 1950 NBA Championship.
- Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969 led by superstar Bill Russell and head coach Red Auerbach. Boston won 11 NBA championships in the 13-year span of 1957-1969. Boston won an unprecedented eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966. Boston also has the distinction of having played in 10 straight NBA Finals from 1957-1966.
- Los Angeles Lakers of 1979 to 1991 led by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and head coach Pat Riley. They were known as Showtime Lakers for the highly entertaining flashy brand of basketball they played. The Lakers won 5 NBA championships in 9 years, 10 Division titles, and advanced to the NBA Finals 9 times between 1980 and 1991 including 4 straight appearances from 1982-1985. In the 1988 NBA Finals the Lakers became the first team since the Boston Celtics of the 1960s to win back-to-back NBA titles, having beaten the Celtics the previous year.
- Boston Celtics of 1980 to 1987 led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish and head coach K.C. Jones. The Celtics won 3 NBA Championships in 6 years. The Celtics also advanced to the NBA Finals 5 times in between 1981 and 1987. The 1986 Boston Celtics also set the record for best home winning percentage going 40–1.
- Chicago Bulls of 1990 to 1998 led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman and head coach Phil Jackson. Chicago won 6 NBA championships in 8 seasons, including 2 sets of three consecutive championships, winning championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993, then subsequently winning the 1996, 1997, and 1998 titles. Also won 6 Eastern Conference titles and 6 division titles in 8 seasons. The Bulls set the best combined regular and postseason record in NBA history during the 1995-96 season.
- San Antonio Spurs of 1999 to 2014 led by Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, Kawhi Leonard and head coach Gregg Popovich. San Antonio has won 5 NBA championships in 16 seasons, 6 Western Conference titles, 11 division championships, and 22 consecutive playoff appearances from 1998 to 2019. The Spurs were able to sustain a high level of consistency in Duncan's tenure with the team. The Spurs won 50+ games every season from 1997–98 through 2015–16.
- Los Angeles Lakers of 2000 to 2010 led by Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and head coach Phil Jackson. Won 7 Western Conference titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2010, accomplishing a three-peat in the process by winning championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. The 2001 team went 15–1 in the playoffs, setting the record for the highest win percentage in single playoffs.
- Golden State Warriors of 2015 to present led by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and head coach Steve Kerr. Three NBA titles, and five straight Western Conference titles from 2015 to 2019. The Warriors set NBA records with a 73–9 record in the 2015–16 regular season and a 16–1 record in the 2017 postseason.
[American Basketball Association]
- Indiana Pacers from 1969 to 1975 led by star players such as Freddie Lewis, Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and George McGinnis. The Pacers won 5 ABA Conference Championships in 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, and 1975 and won the ABA Championship in 1970, 1972, and 1973. Other noteworthy accomplishments include 3 consecutive ABA division titles in 1969, 1970, and 1971, their playoff berths in every year of the ABA's existence, as well as their place as the winningest franchise in ABA history.
[Women's National Basketball Association]
- Houston Comets from 1997 to 2000
- Detroit Shock from 2003 to 2008
- Minnesota Lynx from 2011 to 2017
NCAA basketball
Division I Men
- UCLA Bruins men's basketball from 1964 to 1975 under John Wooden.
Division I Women
- University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball under Pat Summitt from 1987 to 1998, including three consecutive championships from 1996 to 1998, one undefeated season setting the most wins ever with 39, and an overall record of 314–38.
- University of Connecticut under Geno Auriemma from 1995 thru present (11 championships in 17 seasons, including three consecutive championships from 2002 to 2004 and four consecutive from 2013 to 2016; five undefeated seasons in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2016. The Huskies set a record with a 90-game winning streak from November 2008 to December 2010, and would later break that record with a 111-game winning streak from November 2014 to March 2017.
Canadian University basketball
- University of Victoria Vikes under Ken Shields won 7 consecutive CIAU national basketball championships from 1980 through 1986,.
[Collegiate wrestling]
- Oklahoma State University Cowboys On the national level, the Cowboys have won 34 NCAA team titles, crowned 141 NCAA individual champions and earned 450 All-America honors. No other program even comes close to those astounding numbers. It's a similar story on the conference level, with OSU winning 51 league titles as a team and Cowboy wrestlers combining to win 277 individual conference championships.
- University of Iowa Hawkeyes have 23 total NCAA championships. The dynasty runs from 1975 to 1986, from 1991 to 2000 and three consecutive national championships from 2008 to 2010. Iowa also had a dynasty run of 25 straight Big Ten conference tournament championships from 1974 to 1998.
- Penn State University Nittany Lions won four consecutive NCAA team championships from 2011 to 2014 and then won four consecutive again from 2016 to 2019 to make it eight titles in nine years. They were led by head coach Cael Sanderson, three-time champion Ed Ruth, and two-time champion plus two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner David Taylor.
Swimming
NCAA
- Indiana University won six consecutive NCAA championships from 1968 to 1973 in men's swimming and diving. The Hoosiers also finished second at the NCAA's five times in 1964–66 and 1974–75, third in 1967, and fourth in 1976–77. This totals 14 straight years that Indiana finished in the top four teams in the nation. From 1961 to 1985 the Hoosiers won 23 out of 25 Big Ten Championships including 20 straight from 1961 to 1980. Olympian Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals and set seven world records at the 1972 Olympics, was a member of the 1969–72 NCAA Championship teams.
- Auburn University earned 13 total NCAA championships in swimming and diving, eight by the men's team and five by the women's team during a 13-year period from 1997 to 2009. During that stretch, the Auburn Tigers men won five consecutive national championships and the women won three consecutive national championships. In the Southeastern Conference, Auburn men earned 16 consecutive team titles between 1997 and 2012 while the women took five non-consecutive SEC championships. Auburn swimmers won 18 medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics, more than many countries.
High school
- The Carmel, Indiana girls swim team has won a national record 33 state team titles, including one that was made in 1982, and also 32 straight state team titles from 1985 to 2017, making them the all-time best high school sports program in the country. Their 2015 win broke the tie with the Honolulu Punahou boys swimming team, who had won 29 straight from 1958 to 1986.
[Cricket]
- Australian national cricket team from 1945 through 1953.
- England cricket team in the 1950s.
- The West Indian cricket team dominated test cricket through the 1980s and early 1990s. The West Indian team was not beaten in a test series between March 1980 and May 1995, a fifteen-year span including twenty series wins and nine drawn series.
- Pakistan National Cricket Team from 1989 to 1999 were the dominant force in Cricket winning the 1989 MRF World Series in India, winning Austral-Asia Cup in 1990 and 1994, 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, 1996-97 Carlton & United Series in Australia, winning the 1999 Asian Test Championship as well as finishing up as Runners-up in 1999 World Cup in England. From 1989 to 1999 Pakistan Cricket Team won 44 Series/Tournaments in Tests and ODIs, the most by any team. Furthermore, Pakistan defeated arch rival India in many series around the world to maintain a healthy head to head margin as well as regional supremacy. Pakistan produced the most prolific cricketers the world has ever seen in this decade who flourished under iconic leadership of Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram. 1990s Pakistan contributed massively in the cricketing world producing stars such as Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, Aamer Sohail, Inzamam ul Haq, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan.
- Australian national cricket team from 1996 through 2007. The Australian cricket team is the only team to win the World Cup three consecutive times and they remain undefeated since their last defeat in group stages in 1999 World Cup against Pakistan. Their first loss in World Cup came 2011 World Cup group stage against Pakistan.
[Handball]
International
Women
- The Soviet Union women's national handball team was the first to dominate handball, doing so for fourteen years between 1976 and 1990. They won 63% of the gold medals in the process, 71% of entered tournaments considering the 1984 Summer Olympics boycott, including three consecutive world championships and being the first-ever to win back to back Olympic gold in 1980.
- The Denmark women's national handball team became the first team, in 1997, to hold all three major titles: world, Olympic and continental. Led by coach Jan Pytlick Denmark won its third Olympic gold medal in a row in 2004, for the first time in the history of handball. From 1996 to 2004 the team had won 50% of all major titles including 56% of major tournament wins from 1996 to 2002.
- Led by line player Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk and goalkeeper Katrine Lunde Haraldsen, the Norway women's national handball team became the only team in handball history, on the women's and men's side, to have won the Euro championship in handball four times in a row. They have won a total of six European championship gold medals, an all-time record. In 2011 they became the third team in the world to have held all three titles at the same time. In 2015 they are back to back Olympic and European champions. From 2004 to present they have won 53% of major titles including 58% between 2004 and 2012.
Men
- In the 1950s/1960s, the men's Sweden national handball team was unbeaten for 10 years, becoming the first-ever team to win back to back world championships and collecting consecutive medals for 24 years. At the time the world championship was the only major competition being played.
- For thirteen years the Romania men's national handball team was virtually unbeatable, led by Gheorghe Gruia they won four out of five world championships between 1961 and 1974, first ever team to land two back to back championships. Recorded an all-time best 80% of wins in major tournaments for a period of ten plus years.
- The Sweden national handball team dominated the game of handball in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Led by coach Bengt Johansson and key players Magnus Wislander and Staffan Olsson, they have won three European championships in a row from 1998 to 2002, winning 60% of the major tournaments held in this period of time, clinching silver or gold medals in eight consecutive major tournaments between 1996 and 2002.
- Led by coach Claude Onesta, goalie Thierry Omeyer and key playmaker Nikola Karabatić, the men's France national handball team was the first-ever to win five world championships in 2015, five out of ten world championships between 1995 and 2015. France is also the first men's team to have won back to back Olympic titles. In 2010 it became the first men's team to simultaneously hold Olympic, world and continental titles. In 2011 after another world championship title France men's team also clinched four consecutive major titles for the first time in the history of the game, women's included. In 2015 France holds all major titles for the third time in 5 years, three of the last five European championships and three of the last four world championships in play whilst being back to back Olympic champion. From 2008 to 2015 they have won seven out of nine major titles as well as 67% of wins for 9 years from 2006 to present.
Clubs
- The HC Spartak Kyiv, Kiev women's handball team, won thirteen out of 18 Champions' league titles from 1970 to 1988 including two lines of four titles in a row.
- FC Barcelona Handbol, the men's Barcelona professional handball team, won an all-time best five consecutive Champions' League from 1995 to 2000.
[Association football]
Professional
American Major League Soccer
- D.C. United, 1996 to 1999. In addition to the MLS Championships DC United won other American and regional titles during this time. In 1996 DC United won the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and in 1998 DC United won the CONCACAF Champions Cup as the best team in North America and later in the same year won the InterAmerican Cup against the champions of South America.
- LA Galaxy, 2009 to 2015 (three MLS championships in four years and two Supporters Shields as first place team in the regular season. Additionally, the team has four Western Conference titles and has had great players such as David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane.
Argentine Primera División
- Boca Juniors, 1998 to 2008. In their "Golden Era", the Xeneizes, led by Riquelme, Palermo, Tevez, among others, won seven domestic championships, four Copa Libertadores, two Copa Sudamericana, three Recopa Sudamericana, and two Intercontinental Cup
Brazilian Campeonato Brasileiro
- Santos of the late 1950s, the whole of the 1960s and early 1970s. During that period, the team, led by the likes of Pelé, Pepe, Zito and Gilmar, became known as Os Santásticos. They won the Taça Brasil and the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa six times in eight seasons between 1961 and 1968, back-to-back Copas Libertadores and Intercontinental Cups in 1962 and 1963 and 12 São Paulo state championships between 1955 and 1973. The club was also a major contributor of players to the Brazilian squads that won three World Cup titles won in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
- Cruzeiro of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The club won one Brazilian championship and one Copa Libertadores, appearing on three straight Libertadores semifinals and four national championship finals, also winning nine Minas Gerais state championships.
- Flamengo of the 1980s. Led by Zico and featuring players such as Júnior, Andrade and Leandro, the team won four Brazilian Championships, one Copa Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup between 1980 and 1987.
- Palmeiras of the 1960s and early 1970s. During that period, the club became known as "The Football Academy", for the two great squads it assembled. The First Academy, in the 1960s, won four Brazilian Championships, three São Paulo state championships, one Rio-São Paulo regional championship and became the first Brazilian side to reach a Copa Libertadores final, in 1961. Aside from that, São Paulo qualified for the Libertadores through the Brazilian Championship for seven straight seasons, also a national record. During that period, the team was captained by goalkeeper Rogério Ceni and featured players such as Diego Lugano, Miranda and Hernanes.
- Internacional of the 1970s. The team won the Brazilian Championship in 1975, 1976 and 1979, the latter without a single defeat – the first and, so far, only unbeaten season in the Brazilian Championship era. The club also reached the 1980 Copa Libertadores final and won 13 of 16 Rio Grande do Sul state championships between 1969 and 1984. Great players from that period included Paulo Roberto Falcão, Elías Figueroa, Paulo César Carpegiani and Valdomiro.
Colombian Categoría Primera A
- Millonarios of the 1950s won four league championships three of which were back to back. They also won four back to back in the 1960s, and a Copa Colombia in 1962 and 1963. One of the World's greatest footballers Alfredo Di Stéfano won three league titles, 1949–1952. A Copa Bodas de Oro del Real Madrid in 1952, as well as a Copa Colombia, Pequeña Copa del Mundo in 1953.
- América de Cali Between 1979 and 1986 won six league championships, five of them being back to back from 1982 to 1986. During these years they fielded Willington Ortiz, Alexander Escobar Gañán, Antony de Ávila, Roberto Cabañas, Ricardo Gareca, and Julio César Falcioni. In the early 2000s they won three more league championships back to back from 2000 to 2002, a Copa Ciudad Viña del Mar in 2000, and a Copa Sky in 2001. During these years they had some of the best young Colombian talent on their team, which included, Fabián Andrés Vargas, Róbinson Zapata, David Ferreira, Jersson González, and Jairo Castillo. In 2008 they won their latest league championship and a Copa Cafam. Internationally, they were the runner-up of the Copa Libertadores for three consecutive years from 1985 to 1987. In 1996 IFFHS ranked América de Cali as the second best club side in international football, only beaten by then world champions Juventus.
- Atlético Nacional Between 2005 and 2007, after the league decided to split the year into two semesters, Atlético Nacional won three championships. Two of them being back to back in 2007.
English Football League
- Liverpool between 1972 and 1990. During those eighteen years, the club became English champions on eleven occasions, under the successive guidance of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish. Other domestic honours won during the period were the FA Cup in 1974, 1986 and 1989 and the Football League Cup, won on four consecutive occasions from 1981 to 1984. This dominance was extended to the European continent starting in 1972–73 when the club won the UEFA Cup. Further success in this competition arrived in 1975–76, before Liverpool embarked on a run of four European Cup wins between 1976 and 1977 and 1983–84. No other English club has since then achieved such success in the premier club competition of European football. The Reds reached their finest hour in 1983–84 when, with Joe Fagan at the helm, they became English champions while also winning the Football League Cup and the European Cup against Roma.
- Manchester United from the start of the Premier League to 2012–13. After six seasons of Sir Alex Ferguson rebuilding the club, the team won the first-ever Premier League title, which was also their eighth top-tier league title. This victory was only the beginning of dominance as the club won the league title 12 more times, setting a new English record of 20 top-tier titles for one club. Manchester United also lifted the FA Cup during this period with victories in 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99 and 2003–04. They have also won the UEFA Champions League in 1998–99, and another in 2007–08. During this time, the club finished no lower than third in the Premier League.
French Ligue 1
- Olympique Lyonnais from 2001 to 2002 to the 2007–08 seasons in Ligue 1. Lyon became the first French club to win a national record-breaking streak of seven successive titles, including six consecutive Trophée des Champions. It also managed to win a Coupe de France in 2008.
- Paris Saint-Germain from 2012 to present in Ligue 1. PSG won seven Ligue 1 championships in eight seasons. They also won four straight Coupe de France titles from 2015 to 2018 with another in 2020, as well as 5 straight Coupe de la Ligue titles from 2014 to 2018.
German Bundesliga
- Bayern Munich from 1971 to present. Bayern have won the Bundesliga a record 30 times, more than twice its closest Bundesliga contender. Bayern also won the European Cup three times in a row from 1974 to 1976, and won the Champions League a fourth time in 2001 and a fifth time in 2013. Bayern became the first German club to win the quadruple in the 2012–13 season, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, Champions League and DFL-Supercup. They have won the last eight Bundesliga titles, from 2013 to 2020.
- Borussia Mönchengladbach from 1969–70 to 1976–77. Borussia Mönchengladbach became Bundesliga champions in 5 of 8 seasons. This has been achieved against strong opposition from Bayern Munich and notably in all three seasons in which Bayern won the European Cup in a row.
Greek Superleague
- Olympiacos are the most successful club in Greek football history, with 45 Greek League titles and 27 Greek Cups.
Italian Football Championship and Serie A league
- Genoa from 1898 to 1904 in Italian football having won six Italian championship titles in seven years.
- Pro Vercelli from 1908 to 1913 in Italian football having won five Italian championship titles in six years. Also, the Vercelli's club players during that period constituted the backbone of the nascent national team.
- Juventus from 1930–31 to 1934–35 in Italian football. With the technical guidance of Carlo Carcano, the club dominated the 1930s getting a record of five consecutive national championships titles won, which allowed it to form the core of the Italy national team during the Vittorio Pozzo's era, including the 1933–1935 Central European International Cup winner team and the 1934 world champion squad.
- Torino during the 1940s in Italian football due of their success in the league championships in 1942–43 and from 1945–46 to 1948–49. This team notably won a historic five consecutive league titles and were given the moniker Grande Torino by the press.
- A.C. Milan in the second mid of the 1950s, having won three league titles in five years, and from the 1987–88 to the 1993–94 seasons in the Italian league Milan were able to win four Serie A titles. Also they were able to secure four Supercoppa Italiana in 1988, 1992, 1993 and 1994. In the international spotlight Milan added three UEFA Champions Leagues in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1993–94 seasons, three UEFA Super Cup titles and two Intercontinental Cups.
- Inter Milan During the Grande Inter era of the mid-1960s, Inter, managed by Helenio Herrera, won three Serie A titles, 1962–63, 1964–65 and 1965–66, as well as back-to-back European Cups and Intercontinental Cups.
Japanese J.League
- Kashima Antlers from 1996 to 2002, won the J.League title four times, the J.League Cup three times and the Emperor's Cup two times. In 2000, Kashima became the first J.League team to achieve the "treble", by winning all three major titles: J.League, J.League Cup, and Emperor's Cup in the same year.
- Kashima Antlers from 2007 to 2012, won the 2007 J.League title they became the first and only team in Japan to have won ten domestic titles in the professional era. In 2008 they became the first and only club to successfully defend the J.League title on two separate occasions. In 2009 they became the first and only club to win three consecutive J.League titles. With victories in back to back J.League Cups in 2011, 2012 and most recently followed by their 2015 victory, Kashima extended their unmatched record of major domestic titles in the professional era to seventeen.
Korean K League 1
- Ilhwa Chunma from 1992 to 1996, led by Park Jong-hwan, reigned as the champions in the K League for three consecutive seasons and won the Korean League Cup in 1992. The club also won the Asian Club Championship in 1995. In 1996, the club won the now defunct Asian Super Cup and the Afro-Asian Club Championship.
- Seonnam Ilhwa Chunma from 2001 to 2004, led by Cha Kyung-bok, once again dominated the K League for three consecutive seasons and won two Korean League Cup titles in 2002 and 2004. The club won the Korean Super Cup in 2002 and the A3 Champions Cup in 2004.
Scottish Football League
- Celtic—eleven titles from 1966 to 1979 and the first British European champions in 1967 as part of a quadruple of trophies. Celtic also won eight Scottish Cups and six League Cups, besides losing the 1970 European Cup final. A second Celtic dynasty has emerged from 2012 to present; in that time frame the club has won nine consecutive league titles, as well as three consecutive Scottish Cups and four consecutive League Cups. These titles include three consecutive domestic trebles from 2017 to 2019.
- Rangers—eighteen titles from 1987 to 2011, including nine in a row from 1989 to 1997.
Spanish La Liga
- Real Madrid from the 1953–54 to the 1971–72 seasons in La Liga and the European Cup. Real Madrid won six European Cups, including five in a row from 1956 to 1960, and 13 La Liga titles, including five in a row from 1961 to 1965.
- Barcelona from the 2004–05 season to present. Barcelona won ten La Liga championships, four Champions League titles, six Copa del Rey titles, eight Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. Barcelona won an unprecedented six major trophies in 2009, and became the first Spanish team to win the treble and the first European treble-winning team to also capture the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. They also became the first team to win the treble twice in European football in the 2014–15 season.
NCAA
Division I (Women)
- North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer, 1979–2012 This also includes 9 consecutive NCAA Tournament Championships from 1986 to 1994, and 15 consecutive ACC Tournament Championships from 1989 to 2003. Also, they boast a 90% win rate, having won 704 games and lost or tied only 78 games.
Gridiron football
[American football]
[National Football League]
- Green Bay Packers 1929–1944 led by head coach Earl "Curly" Lambeau won
- Chicago Bears of the 1940s
- Cleveland Browns of the early 1950s
- Green Bay Packers of the 1960s. Led by head coach Vince Lombardi, and star QB Bart Starr won
- Pittsburgh Steelers 1972-1979. Led by Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and the Steel Curtain defense. The Steelers won four Super Bowl titles in six years, becoming the first and to date only team in NFL history to do so. Eight straight playoff appearances and seven division titles from 1972 to 1979.
- San Francisco 49ers 1981-1994. Led by Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young and head coaches Bill Walsh and George Seifert. This dynasty is usually considered to cover 1981 through 1989, a period in which the team won four Super Bowl championships and 8 division titles, but sometimes the 1994 Super Bowl championship is also included.
- Dallas Cowboys 1991–1997 Led by head coaches Jimmy Johnson, and Barry Switzer and players Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin aka "The Triplets." First team to win three Super Bowls in four years, 3 conference championships in 4 straight appearances, 5 straight division titles, 6 total.
- New England Patriots 2001-2019 Led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Six Super Bowl titles in 19 years including becoming only the second team to three Super Bowls in four years, three other Super Bowl appearances, thirteen AFC title game appearances, and 17 AFC East Division titles. The 2007 season also saw the Patriots become only the second team in NFL history to record a perfect regular season and the first to do so in a 16-game season. During this time, the Patriots recorded the NFL's two longest winning streaks; 21 from 2003 to 2004, and 18 from 2007 to 2008. From 2001 to 2017 the Patriots have averaged over 12 wins per season and a.766 win percentage, the highest in any of the four major American sports.
[American Football League]
- Houston Oilers, 3 straight AFL Championship game appearances and two titles from 1960 to 1962.
- Buffalo Bills of the mid-1960s, three straight AFL Championship game appearances and two titles from 1964 to 1966.
[All-America Football Conference]
- Cleveland Browns of the late 1940s. Won the AAFC championship in all four years of its existence including an undefeated season in 1948.
NCAA Football
Division I
Football Bowl Subdivision (Formerly I-A)
The problems inherent in identifying sports dynasties are exacerbated in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, where the national champion is determined, at least in part, by poll rather than through a tournament. These polls, however, are largely based on win-loss records, thereby relying on minimal subjectivity. When fans of a sport cannot agree on which team within a league or other organization should be considered as holding that organization's championship, discussing whether a team has become a dynasty is more difficult. Because of these problems, teams that consistently win their conference championship and are frequently in contention for national championships are termed dynasties more often than a similarly performing team in another sport or division might.- Yale – nineteen championships between 1874 and 1909
- Michigan – four championships in four years, 5 straight undefeated seasons between 1901 and 1905.
- Pittsburgh, 1910–1918 – five championships in nine seasons
- Notre Dame, 1919–1930. Led by head coach Knute Rockne. He won three national championships in 1924, 1929-1930 and an.892 winning percentage over 12 years.
- Pittsburgh, 1925–1938 – nine championships in fourteen seasons
- Minnesota, 1934–1941. Led by head coach Bernie Bierman. He led Minnesota to five championships in eight seasons.
- Army, 1944–46
- Notre Dame 1941-1943, 1946-1953. Led by head coach Frank Leahy. He led Notre Dame to four national championships 1943, 1946-1947, and 1949.
- Oklahoma, 1948–1958. Led by head coach Bud Wilkinson. The Sooners won 3 national championships in 1950, 1955-1956. The centerpiece of this run was his 47-game win streak from 1953-1957.
- Alabama, 1961–66 Led by Bear Bryant, Joe Namath, and Ken Stabler– three national championships. In '61, '64' and 65 and going unbeaten in '66, and had a record of 60-5-1 over six-year span.
- University of Southern California, 1962–1979 Led by John McKay and John Robinson. 5 national championships in '62, '67, '72, '74, and '78.
- Michigan State, 1951–66, Won 6 national championships in years '51, '52, '55, '57, '65, and '66 under coaches Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty.
- Texas, 1963–1970 led by Darrell Royal. Winning 3 national championships in 1963, 1969 and 1970.
- Nebraska, 1969–72 . Led by head coach Bob Devaney and capturing consecutive national titles in '70, '71. Nebraska's 1971 team remains the only champion ever to defeat the teams that finished second, third, and fourth in the final rankings.
- Oklahoma, 1971–75. Led by Barry Switzer winning back to back championships in '74, '75.
- Alabama, 1973–80 Led by Bear Bryant winning national titles in '73, '78, and '79
- Miami, 1983–94 – Led by head coaches Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, and Dennis Erickson. In 12 seasons, Miami won four national championships, played for 7 national championships, finished in the top 3 of the AP Poll for 7 consecutive seasons, and set an NCAA-record with 58 straight home victories. They also had 2 Heisman Trophy winners in Vinny Testaverde in 1986 and Gino Torretta in 1992.
- Florida State, 1987–2000 – At the height of Bobby Bowden's dominance, the Florida State Seminoles went 152–19–1, won nine ACC championships, two national championships, played for three more national championships, were ranked #1 in the pre-season AP poll 5 times, never lost the #1 AP ranking during 1999, produced 20 1st round NFL draft picks, won at least 10 games every year, and never finished a season ranked lower than fourth in the AP poll. Quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke won Heisman Trophies.
- Nebraska, 1993–97 – Led by head coach Tom Osborne, defensive coordinator Charlie McBride, and players Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost, Ahman Green, Grant Wistrom and Jason Peter and the Blackshirts. They played for 4 national championships in '93, '94, '95, and '97. They won 3 national championships in four years, 60–3 cumulative record and went unbeaten in '94, '95, and '97 and won the national title in the same years. They won 26 straight games from 1994 to 1996.
- USC from 2002 to 2005. Led by head coach Pete Carroll, and players Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and LenDale White. They won two consecutive AP national championships, appearance in the 2005 National Championship Game, seven straight Pac-10 titles, six major bowl wins in seven years, and maintained a 34-game winning streak from 2003 to 2005. They also produced 3 Heisman Trophy winners in Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush in 2002, 2004, and 2005 respectively.
- Alabama, 2008–present. Led by head coach Nick Saban, Alabama won five National Championships in nine years and two national runner-up finishes. Alabama appeared in the first five College Football Playoffs from 2014 to 2018. Since the 2008 season, Alabama has averaged 12 wins per season and have a record of 139–15. Alabama is known for their more traditional style of play with hard hitting, and relentless attacks under Saban. Alabama running backs Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy in 2009 and 2015, respectively.
Football Championship Subdivision (Formerly Division I-AA)
- Youngstown State 1991–1999. Led by head coach Jim Tressel. YSU won four national championships and appeared in six National Championship Games in nine years.
- North Dakota State 2011–present. Led by coaches Craig Bohl, Chris Klieman, and Matt Entz, North Dakota State has won 8 National Championships in the past 9 years and 9 consecutive MVFC titles. During this period they've accumulated a record of 128–8 which has included a 36–2 playoff record, a 17, 33, and ongoing 37 game winning streaks. The eight championships in 9 years is a feat not accomplished at any other level in collegiate american football history. The 2019 NDSU team went 16-0, the first team to do that since Yale in 1894. The 2014–15 senior class graduated with more National Championships than losses over their 4-year period. The Bison are known for having one of the top stout defenses in the FCS each year, owning the time of possession, and running the ball very physically. Sometimes referred to as the 'Alabama of the FCS', referencing FBS's Alabama's dominance throughout the same period of time and similar style of play.
Division II
- Northwest Missouri State from 1996–2016 Led by coaches Mel Tjeerdsma and coach Adam Dorrel. They went to the playoffs every year and played in 10 NCAA Division II national football championship games in '98, '99, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '13 '15 and '16. They won 6 National Championships in '98, '99, '09, '13, '15, and '16. They are one of the most successful Division II programs in the country sending numerous players to professional football leagues that are NFL, CFL, and Arena Football Leagues.
- Grand Valley State University, 2001–2009, led by coaches Brian Kelly and Chuck Martin; Champions in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, runners up in 2001 and 2009, 102–8 record over this span.
Division III
- Augustana, 1983–1986 – Augustana won 4 consecutive titles from 1983 to 1986
- Mount Union, 1993–present – Mount Union won 110 consecutive regular-season games between 1994 and 2005, posted 14 undefeated regular seasons, won 16 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, and had the best overall record in the 1990s. They won Division III championships in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2015 and have appeared in 19 national championship games since 1993.
- Wisconsin–Whitewater, 2005–2014 – Led by coach Lance Leipold, UW–Whitewater appeared in seven consecutive Division III championship games between 2005 and 2011. They won Division III championships in 2007, 2009, 2010 2011, 2013, and 2014. The team has remained a championship contender since Leipold's departure but has not won another championship since.
NAIA Football
- Carroll College of the 2000s – 8 straight Frontier Conference Championships, six straight national semi-final appearances, and six NAIA National Football Championships in nine years.
- Texas A&I 7 NAIA National Championships in 11 years, 1968–1979. 3 consecutive and 5 in the decade of the 1970s: 1970-74-75-76-70. Lost only 1 NAIA Playoff Game 3 NAIA National Championships in 8 years, 1970–78; winning it in 1970-77-78. Also was NAIA Champions in 1988-89-94.
[Canadian football]
- Toronto Argonauts from 1945 to 1952
- Edmonton Eskimos from 1954 to 1956
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1958 to 1962
- Edmonton Eskimos from 1975 to 1982
[Indoor American football]
- Detroit Drive from 1988 to 1993
- Sioux Falls Storm from 2004 to 2017
- Arizona Rattlers from 2011 to 2017
Horseshoes
- Alan Francis, 1993–present; won 14 out of 17 world championships, only player to pitch over 90%
Horse racing
Thoroughbred racing
- Calumet Farm, 1941–1958. Bred and raced two Triple Crown winners and five other Kentucky Derby winners.
- AP McCoy, 1996–2015. 20-time Champion Jockey in Britain. Two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Won Grand National in 2010 aboard Don't Push It. In 2010, he became the only jockey to ever be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Ice hockey
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League and the Hockey Hall of Fame officially recognize nine dynasty teams:- Ottawa Senators of 1919–27 1920, 1921, 1923, 1927
- Toronto Maple Leafs of 1946–51 1947–1949, 1951
- Detroit Red Wings of 1949–55 1950, 1952, 1954–1955
- Montreal Canadiens of 1955–60 1956–1960
- Toronto Maple Leafs of 1962–67 1962–1964, 1967
- Montreal Canadiens of 1964–69 1965–1966, 1968–1969
- Montreal Canadiens of 1975–79 1976–1979
- New York Islanders of 1980–84 1980–1984
- Edmonton Oilers of 1983–90 1984–1985, 1987–1988, 1990
World Hockey Association
- Winnipeg Jets of 1976-79 1976, 1978-1979
Men's Ice Hockey World Championships
- Canada 1920–1962. Canada won 19 of the 29 International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championships from 1920 to 1962 and were silver medalists at another 6 during the same time period. Canada won a medal at 90% of all world championship and Olympic tournaments during this stretch. Canada withdrew from competition against the "pseudo-amateur" players of the Soviet Union for.
- Soviet Union 1963–1990. This stretch is the most dominant stretch of all-time in international play, with the Soviets winning nearly every world championship and Olympic tournament between 1963 and 1990 and never failing to medal in any IIHF tournament they competed. However, their dominance is marred by controversy over their use of state-funded players, circumventing the amateur rules that were in place at the time.
- Czechoslovakia 1976–1985. The Czechoslovakians won 3 gold and 4 silver medals in 8 tournaments.
- Sweden 1986–1998. Sweden won 4 gold and 5 silver medals in 12 tournaments.
- Czech Republic 1999–2001. Three consecutive world championships.
- Canada 2003–2009. Canada had another dynasty stretch from 2003 to 2009 having won 3 gold and 3 silver medals in 7 tournaments.
- Russia 2008–2015. Russia is recognized by the IIHF as the successor to the Soviet Union and have passed its ranking on to Russia, which began competing internationally in 1993. Russia's "latest" dynasty stretch saw them win 4 golds and 2 silvers in 8 tournaments.
Women's Ice Hockey World Championships
- Canada 1990-2007. Canada won gold in 9 of the first 10 tournaments including the first 8 in a row.
- United States 2008–Present. The United States have won gold in 8 of the last 9 tournaments including the last 5 in a row.
Kontinental Hockey League
- HC CSKA Moscow: 32 Soviet Championship League titles from 1946 to 1947 to 1988–89, including all but six from 1955 to 1989 and 13 in a row from 1977 to 1989.
- HC Dynamo Moscow: 1990–1993. Four consecutive championships.
NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey
- Michigan Wolverines: 1948–1957, 6 championships and 1 runner-up in 10 tournaments.
- Denver Pioneers: 1958–1964, 3 championships and 2 runners-up in 7 tournaments.
- Minnesota Golden Gophers: 1974–1981, 3 championships and 2 runners-up in 8 tournaments. The majority of players during this stretch hailed from the state of Minnesota and eight players were members of the 1980 U.S. Miracle on Ice team.
- Boston College Eagles: 2006–2012, 3 championships and 2 runners-up in 7 tournaments.
- Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs: 2011-Current, 3 championships and 1 runners-up in 7 tournaments. This dynasty is currently ongoing with Minnesota-Duluth winning back-to-back National Championships in 2018, and 2019; the first back-to-back men's ice hockey National Champions since Denver University Pioneers won in 2004, and 2005.
Olympics
- Canada women's national ice hockey team: 2002–2014, four Straight Gold Medals in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014.
Ice skating
- Russian pairs skaters, 1965–1999
Lacrosse
[National Lacrosse League]
- Toronto Rock of 1999–2005 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005
- Rochester Knighthawks of 2012–2014 2012, 2013, 2014
- Saskatchewan Rush/Edmonton Rush of 2015 to present 2015, 2016, 2018
NCAA Men
- Hobart Statesmen won thirteen national titles from 1980 to 1993, including twelve straight titles from 1980 to 1991.
NCAA Women
- Maryland Terrapins won eight national titles from 1992 to 2001, capturing seven consecutive titles from 1995 to 2001 and completing four undefeated seasons.
- Northwestern Wildcats won seven national titles from 2005 to 2012, capturing five consecutive titles from 2005 to 2009, national runner-up in 2010, and two more titles in 2011 and 2012. Northwestern completed two undefeated seasons in 2005 and 2009.
Rugby league
International
- Australia national rugby league team, 1972–2005. Rugby League World Cup champions in 7 consecutive tournaments from 1975 to 2000, never lost a test series for 33 consecutive years.
[State of Origin]
- Queensland from 2006 to 2017 won 11 series including 8 consecutive series from 2006 to 2013.
[National Rugby League]
- Balmain from 1915 to 1920
- South Sydney from 1923 to 1932
- Eastern Suburbs from 1934 to 1938
- South Sydney from 1949 to 1955
- St. George from 1956 to 1966
English Rugby League">Rugby league in England">English Rugby League and [Super League]
- Leeds from 2007 to 2012
- Wigan from 1984 to 1985 to 1995–96
Rugby union
- Toulouse 1994-2005, they won 6 Top 14 between 1994 and 2001 and won the very first Heineken Cup in 1996. Toulouse won two more European titles in 2003 and 2005 becoming the most successful European team with four titles.
- Crusaders 1998–2006, they reached eight Super Rugby finals, of which they won 6.
- Leinster 2008-2012, Heineken Cup Champions 2009, 2011, 2012
- New Zealand All Blacks 2010–present, ranked #1 in the world, won the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, won 6 Rugby Championships in 8 years.
- Toulon, first club ever to win three consecutive European club championships—the last two Heineken Cups in 2013 and 2014, and the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup in 2015.
- England 1991-2003, 7 Five/Six Nations Championships, 4 Grand Slams, 8 Triple Crowns, 2003 World Cup.
College Rugby Union
- Bowling Green State University Men's Rugby Team has won 34 consecutive Mid-American Conference championship since 1982
- California Golden Bears rugby, 1980-2017. The Golden Bears have won 33 championships since the national collegiate championship for rugby began in 1980. Current head coach and Cal alumnus Jack Clark took over the team in 1984, and has achieved prolonged success, leading the Bears to 28 national titles, including twelve consecutive championships from 1991 to 2002, five more consecutive titles from 2004 to 2008, and back-to-back titles in 2010 to 2011 and 2016 to 2017.
Tennis
- Australian Davis Cup team, 1950–1967
- Kalamazoo College men's tennis team has won 77 consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships with a record of 426–2 in the MIAA from 1935 to 2007. Kalamazoo has won seven NCAA Division III national championships and has made 25 consecutive NCAA III tournament appearances.
- Roger Federer, 2004–2007, Spent 237 consecutive weeks as the World Number 1. Won 11 of 20 Major titles during the period.
Track and Cross Country
- United States Men's Olympic 4 × 100 meter team, 1916–1992
- Kenyan runners, 1968–1999
- University High School Normal Illinois 2010–2015 Men's and Women's Intercity Cross Country Championships
Collegiate Volleyball
- The NCAA Division I Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball team won four consecutive National Championships from 2007 to 2010, including two perfect seasons in 2008 and 2009, and then the Nittany Lions repeated in 2013 & 2014, to make it six Championships in eight years and seven overall titles with the first title coming in 1999; and Big Ten Conference Championships from 2003 to 2010, 2013 and 2014.
- The Concordia University women's volleyball team have captured NCAA Division II Championships in seven consecutive seasons – the only NCAA volleyball program to accomplish the feat at the Division I or II levels. Their seven total volleyball titles is more than any program as well, with the sport dating back to 1980, at the women's Division II level. Their head coach, Brady Starkey, boasts a 306–26 overall record making him the winningest active NCAA volleyball coach in any division by overall percentage. They have also mounted 9 consecutive conference Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships including 6-undefeated conference campaigns.
- The NCAA Division III Washington University in St. Louis women's volleyball team were the first volleyball team to win six consecutive national championships, from 1991 to 1996. They have won a total of 10 NCAA championships, including 26 consecutive appearances in the championship tournament dating back to 1987, the most of any program at any level.
Dynasties in question
- Atlanta Braves Won 14 straight division titles from 1991 to 2005, and won 5 NL pennants during the 1990s, but could only win one World Series in 1995.
- Buffalo Bills won 4 AFC Championships in a row from 1990 to 1993, the only team ever to do so, and for this they are sometimes considered a dynasty. However, they went on to lose the Super Bowl all four times; the Bills' AFC dominance partially overlapped with the Dallas Cowboys dynasty.
- Boise State Broncos football from 1998 to 2008. At 113–26, their 81.29% win rate was the highest in the nation. Won ten of twelve conference championships from 1999 to 2009, undefeated in conference play in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009, perfect seasons in 2006 and 2009, but has never been selected to play in the Division I-A national championship.
- Detroit Red Wings of the mid-1990s through the late 2000s. Although not officially listed by the NHL as a dynasty, the Red Wings won 4 Stanley Cups in 11 seasons and went to the Stanley Cup Finals six times in fourteen seasons. The Red Wings had the best team record during both the 1990s and 2000s, accumulating the most points of any franchise during each decade. Detroit won the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular season record in the NHL in 1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, in all winning their division thirteen times during this span. The Red Wings qualified for the playoffs in 25 consecutive seasons from 1991 through 2016.
- San Antonio Spurs of 1999 to 2014 led by Tim Duncan. are considered a dynasty by some, but not by others because they did not win consecutive titles.
- San Francisco Giants: From 2010 to 2014. Led by manager Bruce Bochy, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence. The Giants won three World Series Championships in a 5-year span. They are only the second NL team ever, since the 1940s St. Louis Cardinals, to do so. However, despite winning three championships, many do not consider the Giants a dynasty because they did not win consecutive titles nor did they win their division or make the playoffs in the years between. In 2013, they were below 500.
- University of Southern California football, 2002–2005 – two consecutive AP national championships, appearance in the 2005 National Championship Game, seven straight Pac-10 titles, six major bowl wins in seven years, and maintained a 34-game winning streak from 2003 to 2005. However, USC was forced to vacate two wins from the 2004 season including the Orange Bowl win and BCS national Championship, all wins from the 2005 season, and the Pac-10 titles from both of those seasons as the result of rules violations involving star running back Reggie Bush.