Local Sports Teams in Winston-Salem

Did you know the city’s first sports team, the Winston-Salem Twins, was formed in 1905? Today, there are numerous local sports teams in Winston-Salem, including the Winston-Salem Dash, the Carolina Disco Turkeys, Salem City FC, and the Carolina Thunderbirds.

Keep reading to learn the history of these teams and when you can watch them compete!

Updated June 2024

Winston-Salem Dash

2024 Season | April 5 – Sept 8
Home Field | Truist Stadium

Going to a Dash home game is a Winston-Salem tradition! Weekly promos like Firework Friday and theme nights like Super Splash Day make each baseball game a unique experience for fans. If you’re lucky, you might even snag a picture with Bolt, the Dash’s loveable mascot.

Fun Facts:

• The Winston-Salem Dash is the longest-standing sports team in our city, first formed in 1905 as the Winston-Salem Twins.
• After numerous name changes over the years (including the Cardinals and the Warthogs), the team was renamed the Winston-Salem Dash beginning in its 2009 season.
• Well-known former players include Cecil Cooper, a 5x MLB All-Star, and Chris Sale, a 6x MLB All-Star.

Carolina Disco Turkeys

2024 Season | May 25 – July 20
Home Fields | Couch Ballpark, RJ Reynolds Field

The Carolina Disco Turkeys are a summer collegiate team that formed in 2021. You can catch them playing at Wake Forest University’s Couch Ballpark for weekend and holiday home games; midweek home games are held at Hanes Park’s RJ Reynolds Field.

Fun Facts:

• The team’s mascot, the “disco turkey,” is a peacock decked out in disco clothing.
• A summer collegiate team is an amateur baseball league featuring college players. The Disco Turkeys have players from nearly 30 different colleges and universities!

Salem City FC

2024 Season | May 11 – July 13
Home Field | Truist Sports Field

This is the Beasts’s inaugural season (2024). The team is part of the USL League Two, a semi-professional soccer league. Bring your kids to the home games for a fun inflatable zone!

Fun Facts:

• The team is a rebrand of the Carolina Dynamos, a Greensboro-based USL League Two team formed in 1993.
• The team’s mascot is based on the chimera, a hybrid creature from mythology made up of a lion, goat, and snake. It represents the diversity of the team’s players, who hail from various countries, including England, Brazil, and Liberia.

Carolina Thunderbirds

2024-2025 Season | TBA
Home Arena | Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena

Since 1973, locals have been watching hockey when the weather turns chilly. Our current team, the Carolina Thunderbirds, are the proud 2019 Commissioner’s Cup Champions!

Fun Facts:

• Winston-Salem has had many hockey teams over the years, including the Polar Twins, the Mammoths, and the Icehawks.
• This past season, the Carolina Thunderbirds made it to the Commissioner’s Cup Finals for the second year in a row.