Here’s one thing that can’t be argued: The 2024 Chicago White Sox are the worst MLB team of the modern era after losing their 121st game on Friday night.
But are they worse than the worst NHL team of all time? What about the NFL or NBA?
Let’s take a look at those legendarily awful teams and see how they stack up against the 2024 White Sox, who are now the losingest team in modern MLB history.
NFL: Detroit Lions 2008, 0-16; Cleveland Browns 2017, 0-16
Winning zero games is surprisingly difficult in the NFL, despite the relatively small number of games in a season. Only two teams in the 16-game era (1978-2020) finished their seasons with zero wins and zero ties: the 2008 Lions and the 2017 Cleveland Browns. While it’s hard to be a fan of a baseball team that repeatedly loses more than 162 games, does that make it harder to be a fan of a team that wins zero out of sixteen games with a full week between most games?
NBA: Charlotte Bobcats 2011-2012, 7-59, .106 winning percentage; 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, 9-73, .110 winning percentage
There are two teams that can technically claim to be the worst NBA team of all time: the 2011-2012 Bobcats and the 1972-1973 76ers. That Bobcats team has the worst winning percentage in NBA history, even though they did so in a lockout-shortened 66-game season. The ’72-’73 Sixers team has the worst record in an 82-game regular season. Despite playing fourteen games shorter than normal in a season, the Bobcats deserve to be here because they ended their season on a terrible 23-game losing streak.
NHL: Washington Capitals 1974–75, 8–67–5, .131 winning percentage
Of any team on this list, the 1974-75 Capitals deserve the most sympathy. That was their first season as an expansion team. And unlike teams in the MLB and NBA, NHL teams have a third possible match outcome: a tie! (Ties are possible, but rare in the NFL.) At the very least, a tie is a change from losing, and when your favorite team loses 67 games in a season, any change is welcome.
MLB: 2024 White Sox, 39-121 (2 to play), .244 winning percentage
Due to the sheer number of games, it is difficult to compare baseball with other sports. The 2024 White Sox have more wins than every other team on this list combined, and none of those teams have lost more than 121 games in a single season. That’s what makes the MLB season so tough. It takes as long as the other three major sports (about six months), but they are played much more often.
Given the differences between all sports, is it really possible to determine which of these is the worst? Ask the fans of any of these teams and they will give you a compelling reason why their team deserves to be considered the worst team of all time. And honestly, there is no wrong answer.
But the White Sox have been so bad this season that the surviving members of the 1962 New York Mets, the previous record holders for worst team, have expressed sympathy for the 2024 White Sox squad. When something like this happens, it’s time to end the match.
