Sports have always been an integral part of American culture for ages. If You are a follower of American sports history, we have ranked the most popular sports in America. The country’s sports history will also give you an idea of how the country went above the course to emerge as a sports superpower. The fun fact is that some significant sports being played globally are the adopted format of some of the most popular games of America. If your sports soul has suddenly aroused out of excitement about American sports, we are putting here the 15 most popular sports that are played in America.
Popularity is based on the different criteria when it comes to ranking the most popular sports in America. The most popular sports in the USA mentioned here in the list are based on the sports stats published in the media and magazine reports, the viewership of sports events on television and the sports streaming sites, and how the country has done in major sports events such as World Championships, Olympic and bilateral or trilateral sports series.
Have a walkover of the 15 most popular sports in America that are part of the American sports culture:
1. American Football
American football, by far, is the most popular sport in America. The game is played nationwide in America. The National Football League (NFL), one of the most popular sports events in the country, has garnered the highest rating among all major sports events in America. Those who follow sports in the country have become the routine audience of the NFL’s season. The Super Bowl Sunday is the highest-rated sports programme on TV among all-time favourite sports events in the Nielsen ratings.
Best Team: New England Patriots
Total Fans: 400 Million
2. Basketball
Basketball is ranked as the second most popular sport in America after football and is equally popular among American sports lovers. Americans like to play basketball more than any other sport. The National Basketball Association (NBA) ranks as the most valuable men’s professional sports league globally. Women’s NCAA Basketball is equally popular in the country. Isn’t it surprising that the national basketball team of America has won eight gold medals in Olympic games and secured ten FIBA world cups?
Best Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Total Fans: 400 Million
3. Baseball
Ranked the third most popular sport in America, baseball is one of the favourite sports among Americans. Shocking to know is that baseball, which is now a part of the sports landscape in America, wasn’t this popular once. But when the Major League Baseball (MLB) managed to secure around 72 million tickets in the 2017 baseball event, the sport suddenly got across the board, surpassing all other sports being played in the country except football.
Best Team: New York Yankees
Total Fans: 500 Million
4. Soccer
Soccer has gradually grown to be one of the most popular sports in America, and the statistics are testimony to it. A Gallup poll conducted in 2018 found 7% of Americans citing Soccer as their favourite sport after baseball. The Major League Soccer ( MLS ) experienced a rise in interest by 27% since 2012 if go by the figures published by the Nielsen Sports Sponsor. On the stats revealed by a major sports magazine in the USA based on the sports viewership, it is said that half of the American population stick to their TV sets or live streaming when there is any national or international soccer event going on anywhere in the world.
Best Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Total Fans: 25 Million
5. Ice Hockey
Ice hockey trains behind football, basketball, and soccer, among the top popular sports in America. However, it managed to hold the 5th rank among favourite sports in the country. How ice hockey became so popular in America is a matter of the past few decades. The game played between two teams of 6 players in each is the most exciting sport in the USA.
Best Team: Detroit Red Wings (In the US)/United StatesUSA (Worldwide)
Total Fans: 400 Million
6. Boxing
Boxing, the one-on-one fight game, has its roots in the 19th century when the game suddenly emerged as part of the American sports culture. That was the time when the country became the epitome of significant professional boxing events. Though boxing is famous worldwide, it’s more prevalent in America than in any other country.
Best Player: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Total Fans: 7 to 8 Million
7. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
In the first instance, mixed Martial Arts (MMA) looks like a boxing game is more challenging than boxing. The game includes hybrid combat sports incorporating techniques where the players need to be the best in their skills in boxing, judo, karate, wrestling, jujitsu, muay Thai and several other fighting disciplines. MMA, which holds the 7th spot among the most popular sports in America, is not played as much as it is watched in the country.
Best Player: Jon Jones
Total Fans: 450 Million
8. Track & Field
Though the track and field rank on the 8th spot in the list of the most popular sports in America, the game is globally popular among all major countries. The loyal fans of Track and Field in America feel like a niche group in the country. SA Track & Field (USATF), which manages the sports events in America, has secured around 130,000 members in the USA alone.
Best Players: Carl Lewis, Allyson Felix
Total Fans: 500 Million
9. Golf
Rare are those who have not heard about Golf, one of the most popular sports in America. Golf is a stroke play game played with a stick (Golf stick) and a ball. The participant has to shoot the ball with the stick in the 18 different holes to secure a win in their name. Despite being an expensive game, Golf is as popular in America as other sports.
Best Team: Oklahoma
Total Fans: 25 Million
10. Volleyball
Two opponents with 6 members in the team make the setting of this one of the most popular games in America. Though their country ranks higher in the worldwide Volleyball ranking, no country surpasses America when it comes to the popularity of Volleyball among youth. The American national volleyball team has managed to secure several Olympic medals since 1984.
Best Team: Texas in the USA and Brazil worldwide
Total Fans: 37 Million
11. Swimming
If you know about swimming, you must have known about Michael Phelps. Michael Phelps, the American professional swimmer, is the most successful and decorated olympian of all time. Americans are fond of swimming, which makes swimming hold a spot among the top most popular sports in America. People in the US do swimming majorly for the sake of fitness and some for fun.
Best Player: Michael Phelps
Total Fans: 28 Million
12. Snowboarding
With around 10.2 million participants in the 2018 season of the national snowboarding competitive events in America, the sports suddenly peaked in popularity. There are no reasons why snowboarding shouldn’t be among the most popular sports in America. Since major northern parts of the USA get covered with snow in the winter season, Americans turn the tough cold season into snowboarding fun time.
Best Player: Shaun White
Total Fans: 7.56 Million
13. Car & Auto Racing
Car racing or stock car racing, whatever you call it, auto racing is hands down the most popular sport in America. American auto racing has a century-long history, but traces of professional or competitive automobile racing in America are found in the late ’30s of the 19th century. Formula 1 car racing, one of the most popular sports car racing events worldwide, is the true deposition of the popularity of car racing in the country.
Best Player: Richard Lee Petty
Total Fans: 50 Million
14. Lacrosse
The team sport played with a game-specific lacrosse stick and a ball is the oldest organised sport in North America. Lacrosse has turned out to be the most popular sport in America. The sport is said to be the modern version of the North American Indian game of baggataway. Two teams with 10 players each use racket-like long-handled crosses to catch, carry, and throw the ball into the opponents’ goal.
Best Team: North Carolina
Total Fans: 10 Million
15. Skiing
We can not wrap up the list of the most popular sports in America without mentioning skiing. When the chilly winter season in the North American parts covers the whole landscape and mountains with snow, people either get back to snowboarding or prefer to go skiing to swoosh down the snowy mountain.
Youths in America have seemingly grown their interest in sports as the money and fame got parallelly hooked up with all major sports events worldwide. Sports that used to be the pastime fun activity have now switched over to be substantial career-shaping gigs. Needless to mention any specific sports or game, one can conclude the popularity of sports in America with American football players dominating the list of highest-paid athletes.
Best Player: Lindsey Vonn
Total Fans: 15 Million
Final Thought
Are you a kid with growing interests in Football or a teen with a liking for Soccer? We have wrapped up the list of the most popular sports in America. Find which sports will be your addiction when you grow up.
