Guide to Keeping Sports Trophies

NFL
Lombardi Trophy
A new Lombardi trophy is made every year. The winning team keeps the trophy.

(This means that while there are lots of replicas, the number of official Lombardi trophies should always equal the number of Super Bowls. The Chiefs have one Lombardi Trophy. There are pictures of it in the Hall of Honor, so that will be something I'll have to look for. So when Gronk dented the Lombardi, it was the one from Super Bowl 53.)


NHL
Stanley Cup
The winning team does not get to keep the trophy. They get to celebrate for a few months and then give it back.

(There is one official Stanley Cup that teams get to hold and celebrate with. There are two other official versions. One is the original 1892 bowl. The other a 1993 "Permanent Cup" that stays at the Hockey Hall of Fame. So when teams dent the Stanley Cup, it's the same one that will be presented next year and they have to fix it. Three bands have been retired—removed from the Cup and placed in the Hall of Fame. First ring to be retired: 1927–1939. Second ring to be retired: 1940–1952. Third ring to be retired: 1953–1964. Based on the current structure a team gets to stay on the cup for 53 to 64 years.)


NBA
Larry O'Brien Trophy
A new trophy is made every year. The winning team keeps the trophy.

(This tradition only started in 1977. Before there was only one championship trophy and a team got to keep it all year and then hand it off to the next champion.)


MLB
Commissioner's Trophy
A new trophy is made every year. The winning team keeps the trophy.

(It was first awarded in 1967. So the Yankees have 27 titles but only 7 trophies. Interesting that in football, fans really focus only on Super Bowl wins, not pre-SB NFL Championships, while there's no distinction for MLB titles before the trophy was created. It is only presented on the field if the home team won.)

I wasn't going to include MLS, but their tradition is unique so here it is.


MLS
Philip F. Anschutz Trophy
The winning team does not get to keep the trophy. They keep it for the offseason then return it to the league. They club is then awarded a duplicate they get to keep.

(Although it's the least iconic trophy, the system isn't bad. There's only one official trophy but teams still get something to keep.)



(Cue comment from Mark about how the Stanley Cup is the best trophy.)