Texas

===Sports===
{{main|Sports in Texas}}
{{further|List of University Interscholastic League events}}
[[File:Cowboys Stadium full view.jpg|thumb|[[AT&T Stadium]], home of the [[Dallas Cowboys]], who are commonly known as [[America's Team]]]]
[[File:Spurs vs Lakers.jpg|thumb|Playoff game between the [[San Antonio Spurs]] (led by [[Tim Duncan]], #21) and the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]]; the Spurs won the [[2007 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] that year.]]
[[File:Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers July 2019 19.jpg|thumb|Texan baseball fans attending a game between the state's two [[MLB]] teams ([[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] and [[Houston Astros]]) at [[Globe Life Field]] in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]]]]

Within the [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|"Big Four" professional leagues]], Texas has two [[National Football League|NFL]] teams (the [[Dallas Cowboys]] and the [[Houston Texans]]), two [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] teams (the [[Houston Astros]] and the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]),<ref>{{cite web |date=April 1, 1994 |title=Rangers Ballpark in Arlington|url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tex/ballpark/index.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517153830/http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tex/ballpark/index.jsp |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |access-date=May 11, 2013 |website=Texas.rangers.mlb.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 1, 1994 |title=Rangers Ballpark in Arlington|url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/tex/ballpark/index.jsp |accessdate=May 11, 2013 |website=Texas.rangers.mlb.com}}</ref> three [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] teams (the [[San Antonio Spurs]], the [[Houston Rockets]], and the [[Dallas Mavericks]]), and one [[National Hockey League|NHL]] team (the [[Dallas Stars]]). The [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]] is one of only [[U.S. cities with teams from four major league sports|thirteen American metropolitan areas that host sports teams from all the "Big Four" professional leagues]]. Outside of the "Big Four", Texas also has a [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] team (the [[Dallas Wings]]), three [[Major League Soccer]] teams ([[Austin FC]], [[Houston Dynamo FC]] and [[FC Dallas]]), and one [[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]] team (the [[Houston Dash]]).{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

[[College athletics|Collegiate athletics]] have deep significance in Texas culture, especially [[American football|football]]. The state has twelve [[Division I-FBS]] schools, the most in the nation. Four of the state's schools claim at least one national championship in football: the Texas Longhorns, the Texas A&M Aggies, the TCU Horned Frogs, and the SMU Mustangs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Texas Longhorns Four-Time Football National Champions Bobblehead Unveiled|date=August 27, 2019 |url=https://www.bobbleheadhall.com/texas-longhorns-four-time-football-national-champions-bobblehead-unveiled/|access-date=December 28, 2020|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Texas A&M Picked Up Two National Championships, Two Conference Titles Over The Summer|url=https://deadspin.com/texas-a-m-picked-up-two-national-championships-two-con-5941380|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Deadspin|date=September 7, 2012 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=National Champions!!! TCU Earns Third Title In Program History|url=https://gofrogs.com/news/2019/3/9/womens-rifle-national-champions-tcu-earns-third-title-in-program-history.aspx|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=TCU Athletics|date=March 9, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dymeck|first=Pete|title=National Treasure: SMU's Forgotten, Yet Glorious Football History|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/47192-national-treasure-smus-forgotten-yet-glorious-football-history|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=Bleacher Report}}</ref> According to a survey of Division I-A coaches, the [[College rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[University of Oklahoma]] and the University of Texas at Austin, the [[Red River Shootout]], ranks the third-best in the nation.<ref name="RRShootout">{{cite news |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/redrivershootout/texas/stories/100705dnspofbwnewrivalrylede.1c8619ce.html |title=UT-OU : Best Rivalry? |work=The Dallas Morning News |last=Davis |first=Brian |date=October 7, 2005 |access-date=July 11, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031446/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/redrivershootout/texas/stories/100705dnspofbwnewrivalrylede.1c8619ce.html |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The TCU Horned Frogs and SMU Mustangs also share a rivalry and compete annually in the [[Battle for the Iron Skillet]]. A fierce rivalry, the [[Lone Star Showdown]], also exists between the state's two largest universities, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin. The athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry has been put on hold after the Texas A&M Aggies joined the Southeastern Conference.<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork denies Lone Star Showdown renewal claims|url=https://247sports.com/Article/Texas-AM-AD-Ross-Bjork-denies-Lone-Star-Showdown-renewal-claims-Texas-Longhorns-Tom-Herman-Jimbo-Fisher-Sam-Ehlinger-149643578/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=247Sports|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[University Interscholastic League]] (UIL) organizes most primary and secondary school competitions. Events organized by UIL include contests in athletics (the most popular being [[high school football]]) as well as artistic and academic subjects.<ref name="UIL">{{cite web |title=University Interscholastic League |publisher=University of Texas at Austin |url=http://www.uil.utexas.edu/ |access-date=September 28, 2008 |archive-date=February 21, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060221153929/http://www.uil.utexas.edu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Rodeo competition at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, produced by Rodeo Austin in Austin, Texas LCCN2015630182.tif|thumb|[[Rodeo]] (the state sport) in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]]]]
Texans also enjoy [[rodeo]]. The world's first rodeo was hosted in [[Pecos, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5389005909&site_name=World's+First+Rodeo&class=5000 |title=View Atlas Data |website=Atlas.thc.state.tx.us |access-date=April 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904022847/http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5389005909&site_name=World%27s+First+Rodeo&class=5000 |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The annual [[Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo]] is the largest rodeo in the world. The [[Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show]] in Fort Worth is the oldest continuously running rodeo incorporating many of the state's most historic traditions into its annual events. Dallas hosts the [[State Fair of Texas]] each year at [[Fair Park]].<ref name="statefair">{{cite web|title=Fair Park, Texas |publisher=City of Dallas |access-date=May 22, 2008 |url=http://www.dallascityhall.com/FairPark/art_architectural.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514155643/http://www.dallascityhall.com/FairPark/art_architectural.html |archive-date=May 14, 2008 }}</ref>

[[Texas Motor Speedway]] hosts annual [[NASCAR Cup Series]] and [[IndyCar Series]] auto races since 1997. Since 2012, Austin's [[Circuit of the Americas]] plays host to a round of the [[Formula 1]] World Championship.<ref name="f1">{{cite web |title=Formula One returns to the United States |publisher=Formula 1 Administration Ltd |access-date=May 25, 2010 |url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/5/10824.html}}</ref>