If you can’t find a sports team to root for in the Rio Grande Valley, you just aren’t looking hard enough. In fact, there are teams to cheer in football, baseball, basketball and hockey.

Basketball

The region is home to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a team that competes in the National Basketball Association Development League. The Vipers play a 50-game schedule from late November to early April, and their home games take place at Dodge Arena.

The team is an affiliate of the NBA Houston Rockets, and the Rockets held a portion of their 2009 pre-season training camp – including an exhibition game – in the Rio Grande Valley at Dodge Arena.

Hockey

Meanwhile, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees is also a popular sports franchise in the region, participating in the Central Hockey League. The Killer Bees play their games from mid-October through March, with most of their contests scheduled on the weekend so that fans can conveniently attend the games.

The team also plays its home games at the 5,500-seat Dodge Arena, against opponents that include the Amarillo Gorillas, Bossier City Mudbugs, Odessa Jackalopes and Texas Brahmas.

Football

In addition, Dodge Arena is also home to the Rio Grande Valley Dorados, an arena football team that competes in the af2 League. The Dorados play a 16-game schedule that runs from April through July, against teams such as the Corpus Christi Sharks, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and the Tulsa Talons.

Baseball

And for baseball fans, the Edinburg Roadrunners are a member of the United Baseball League, an independent professional league that is based in Texas. The Roadrunners – formerly the Edinburg Coyotes – play their home games throughout the spring and summer months at Edinburg Stadium.

Read about more recreation in McAllen, TX.