The 2024 Chicago White Sox find themselves on the wrong side of history.
While there are a number of advanced statistics that illustrate the futility of the franchise, the most glaring number is found in the loss column. This year’s White Sox team lost more games than any other team in the modern era of MLB. Chicago tied the previous record of 120 losses with one week remaining in the season.
The most fascinating aspect of the White Sox season is how they got to this point. Unlike other downtrodden professional sports franchises, Chicago’s fall from grace was rather sudden: Its historically poor campaign comes three years after its last playoff appearance and two years after finishing at .500.
After a brutal free fall, Chicago is in the doldrums alongside other professional sports franchises experiencing massive failure in North America. When looking at a snapshot of the past year in professional sports, the White Sox season was one of the worst, even though some franchises struggled even more.
In the wake of Chicago’s historic poor season, take a closer look at where it ranks among some of the other struggling franchises in North America. When you consider the winning percentage and the extent of the team’s success, you may quickly realize that the White Sox situation isn’t as bad as it seems.
Worst records in North American professional sports in 2024
The White Sox are having a historically poor MLB season, but a few North American teams have had worse performances over the past calendar year. The Carolina Panthers, who have won just two of 17 games during the 2023 NFL season, posted a paltry .118 winning percentage.
The NBA’s Pistons and Wizards have also posted winning percentages below .200, which is the mark of unhappiness. Here are the worst seasons of the past year, including records for the White Sox and MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes, who have yet to complete their respective seasons.
| Team | League | Season | Save | Earn% |
| Carolina Panthers | NFL | 2023 | 2-15 | .118 |
| Detroit Pistons | NBA | 2023-24 | 14-68 | .171 |
| Wizards of Washington | NBA | 2023-24 | 15-67 | .183 |
| The Sparks of Los Angeles | WNBA | 2024 | 8-32 | .200 |
| Earthquakes in San José* | MLS | 2024 | 5-22-3 | .217 |
| Chicago White Sox* | MLB | 2024 | 37-120 | .236 |
| San Jose Sharks | NHL | 2023-24 | 19-54-9 | .287 |
*Active seasons
1. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers’ futility seemingly hit rock bottom in 2023, as they became the first NFL franchise to lose 15 or more games in the league’s new 17-game format. To add insult to injury, Carolina traded its 2024 first-round pick for the 2023 No. 1 pick used to select Bryce Young, who was benched three games into his sophomore season.
Without a first-round pick in 2024, the Panthers had a historically bad season in the NFL only to send the No. 1 pick to the Bears.
Carolina’s lack of success resonates on a much larger scale. The franchise has never recorded back-to-back winning seasons, hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since going 11-5 in 2017, and has gone 26-68 since a 6-2 start to the season 2018 NFL. The Panthers won the NFC twice but lost two Super Bowls in heartbreaking fashion. When you consider the five head coaches over the past three seasons, it’s hard to find a more dire situation.
2. Detroit Pistons
Detroit last qualified for the playoffs in 2019, but has not won a playoff game since advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008. Since their last playoff appearance, the Pistons have posted a record of 94-280, including a record of 31-133 in 2022. -24.
Despite posting the league’s worst record in each of the last two seasons, the Pistons fell in the lottery both years, going fifth in the 2023 and 2024 NBA drafts after being one of three teams to have a chance at the first pick.
Add in the lack of luck, and Detroit feels like it’s getting hit repeatedly while it’s down.
3. Chicago White Sox
In 2021, the White Sox won their division with a 93-69 record. In 2022, they broke even by going 81-81. After a 61-101 record in 2023, Chicago has now rewritten the history books with its lack of success in 2024.
Even though things have been moving in this direction, it’s hard to predict that any team will perform at as bad a level as ever. Fans are frustrated, their social media administrator it’s overand we don’t know how long it will take for things to turn around.
The apathy element of it all makes this a far more dire situation than most teams three years removed from a division title.
4. Wizards of Washington
Washington is in the midst of a rebuild, seeing its win total drop from 35 in 2022-23 to 15 in 2023-24. The Wizards parted ways with franchise pillars, made coaching changes and took on unwanted contracts as part of an overall plan.
Wizards have been bad, but their overall problems are more about mediocrity than futility.
5. San Jose Sharks
Things have gone downhill for the Sharks since falling two wins short of winning the Western Conference Finals in 2019. This would ultimately be the franchise’s most recent playoff appearance, as their drought lasted five seasons in 2024.
San Jose looks to a future headlined by 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini, who can, at the very least, spark hope for a return to relevance.
6. Los Angeles Sparks
There is a rebuild in Los Angeles, and two standout rookies, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, stand at the forefront. After losing the great Nneka Ogwumike to free agency, Los Angeles has gone all out to rebuild and will be able to cash in more chips in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Despite winning eight of 40 games in 2024, Los Angeles can turn things around to become a playoff team if things shake up in 2025.
7. Earthquakes in San José
Given the nature of football, it is a little more difficult to locate earthquakes. Despite being one of the worst teams in 2024, the franchise is only a year away from a 2023 wild-card appearance.
Longest playoff droughts in North American professional sports
Let the big picture remind us that things could be worse for the White Sox, who won the AL Central as recently as 2021. The New York Jets and Buffalo Sabers currently own the longest droughts in the playoffs in North American professional sports.
In MLB, the Los Angeles Angels’ drought officially reached 10 years in 2024, while the Detroit Tigers have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
| Team | League | Last appearance | Drought |
| New York Jets | NFL | 2010 | 13 seasons |
| Buffalo swords | NHL | 2010-11 | 13 seasons |
| Los Angeles Angels | MLB | 2014 | 10 seasons |
| Detroit Tigers | MLB | 2014 | 9 seasons* |
| Charlotte Frelons | NBA | 2015-16 | 8 seasons |
*The Tigers were not eliminated from the playoffs in 2024.
