Americans are very passionate about watching and playing sports. Whether it has to do with screaming at the top of their lungs to encourage their favorite players or shouting at the TV during the Super Bowl, sports is the one thing that brings the Americans together.
Over the few decades, drastic technological advancements have increased the sporting television figures. Catching your favorite live show on your smartphone or laptop has become more accessible.
With its rich culture, games, and sports, let’s look at the 5 most prominent sports in the U.S.A.
Top 5 most popular sports in USA
American Football
According to Gallup, 37% of Americans have declared American Football as their favorite sport to watch. Undoubtedly, it is the most popular sport in the U.S. The NFL also has a jaw-dropping attendance of 67,591(average) of any sport in the world.
With 32 teams categorized into the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), American Football’s popularity cannot be overemphasized. It is a sport that those not from the country may not understand. However, in America, even little children hope to play in the NFL someday.
The Super Bowl is the most anticipated game in the U.S, where friends and families gather together for a night of fun and entertainment. It is also the biggest annual sporting event in the country, with an attendance of over 100 million every year. This makes it one of the most popular sports in America and the world.
Among all major sports in the world, the NFL has the highest TV ratings, and it has become part of the American culture. The Super Bowl itself has become an unofficial holiday where both lovers and non-lovers of football celebrate the day. In 2014, 167 million people were recorded to have watched the game.
Baseball
Even though the most-watched sport in the US is American Football, many Americans would state that baseball is the sport that perfectly captures what their country is all about. The fun is limitless, especially having to be part of the grand slam home run aside from attending the games with your loved ones and rivalries. The sport was founded in 1903 but with a history that goes as far back as 1876.
It is the most famous American sport when trying to pass the time and the most loved. MLB and Baseball have teams of all ages. The most popular and most followed team in the United States are the New York Yankees. The league consists of 30 teams, with one in Canada and 29 in the US. These teams are divided into the American League and the National League. Each team plays 162 games in the regular season while 5 teams in each league move to a postseason tournament that ends with the World Series.
Basketball
NBA and College basketball are the two sports that Americans love deeply. Most NBA stars are former American college students. With the likes of Michael Jordan, the NBA keeps growing every day. Currently, the most paid athletes in the world are NBA players. The sport has a number stars whose fame and popularity keep influencing the game’s popularity.
Kids can look up to the likes of Steph Curry, Lebron James, etc. Having said this, basketball is the third most popular sport in America with very high attendance. It is also the one that is mainly followed by fans who are outside the country.
Throughout the history of basketball, the sport has had its share of ups and downs. However, with the help of David Stern, NBA’s commissioner, and with stars like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and the rest, the sport rose to prominence in the 1990s, and it keeps growing every day.
The league is made up of 30 teams, with 1 in Canada and 29 in America. These teams are divided into the Western Conference and Eastern Conference. Each team has 82-regular season games, and the best ones move to the play-offs.
Soccer
After several years and many attempts, Soccer is finally gaining popularity in the US as evidenced by the popularity of soccer jerseys sold online. Currently, about 7 percent of Americans see Soccer as their favorite sport to watch. Record has it that when it comes to TV watching, Soccer is almost at the same level as Ice Hockey.
It was established in 1996, and since then, MLS has grown to engage more fans and to include more teams. In 2020, Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF joined the contest, and now, there are about 26 participating teams.
An average of twenty thousand fans attends the MLS matches. There are even numerous sports memorabilia stores springing up where lovers of the sports rush to get their soccer gifts and team memorabilia. After NFL and MLB, it is the third-highest attendance of any sports in the US.
Ice hockey
Traditionally, Ice hockey has been considered the fourth of the most-loved sports in the US. It is not as popularly known as Baseball and American Football. Notwithstanding, the game is widely known and followed in Canada and the northern US states.
The hits, punches, and falls that accompany the game have made it extremely popular in America, with most of its best players from Canada and North America.
The league is made up of 31 teams which are divided into Western and Conference. According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, the best teams get to fight for the Stanley Cup, which is the most important championship. About 4 percent of Americans regard Ice Hockey as their favorite sport to watch.
Story by Michael Black
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AFP
