The current generation in the US shares an optimum passion for sports. Starting from the college level to the professional level games, you can see thousands of fans gather to support their favorite teams. As per a recent study, almost 63% of the total population has one or more favorite sports.
Wonder which sports are most popular in America? If so, then sit tight and explore the most loved games in the United States of America.
Top 10 Most Popular Sports In America 2023
now we will summarize the most popular sports in us. And we believe that will help to choose your career or you just have fun from your favorite game. let’s start then.
1. American Football
Even if you have the slightest knowledge about America’s top sports, then you should already know about the popularity of American Football. Sports are not that popular in the outside world but American citizens are crazy about the game. That is why it is the ninth most popular game in the world currently. Starting from the school level to the National Football League, the game is capable of gathering the highest number of viewers.
In 2020, the average stadium attendance of the game was around 67,000 per game. When considered with the other popular games in the world, it is the highest. Nowadays, almost all the kid dreams of being an American Football star as it is an excellent source of popularity and fame. That is why in the list of top-paid players in the world, American Football has the most players.
2. Basketball
Basketball is the fourth most famous sport in American. People in the country not only love to watch the game but also love to play it. That is why it is the most played sports in the USA with about 27 million players. The game is extremely popular at school and college level as NBA sources players from there. In case you don’t know, the game is played under the supervision of the NBA or National Basketball Association.
NBA is the highest paying sports association in the country. The NBA superstars are also the most popular in the country than any other sports. Some of the well-known names in the list of NBA players may include Kobe Bryant, Micheal Jordan, Lebron James, and Magic Johnson.
3. Baseball
Baseball is the second most widespread sport in America after American Football. However, the game is historically rich as it was invented in America around 150 years ago. With a rich history and culture, some sources also find sports as the most loved game in the USA. Now, the game Baseball has become the seventh most popular games around the globe.
Usually, there are two parts of the game in Baseball, which include Major League Basketball (MLB) and Minor League Basketball (MLB). Amongst them, the Major League Basketball is most popular.
4. Ice Hockey
The game Ice Hockey is typically known as Hockey in the USA though it is known as Ice Hockey in the other countries. Whether you call it, the game is one of the most popular games in the country, ranked right after Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Â Hockey is most played and viewed, especially in the northern part of the United States, Canada, and Europe. Though extremely popular in the USA, the Canada team dominates mostly in the Hockey. In the USA, the most famous hockey team is the New York rangers.
The ice hockey is played under National Hockey League in America. What makes the game unique is it is played indoor when the other popular games in the USA are mostly outdoor games. Though there are multiple divisions of the game, the highest division and also the most popular division is the Men’s Hockey.
5. Soccer
Though the game is known as Football in the rest of the world, it is called Soccer in America. Though it is the most popular game all over the world with approximately four billion fans, it is not that big in America. However, nowadays, people in America are becoming more attracted to the game after the countries appearance in the FIFA world cup 2014.
Major League Soccer or MLS plays a significant role in making Soccer a favorite game in the USA. The highest level league in the country has some of the well-known players like Kaka, David Beckham, Zlatan, Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, etc. The national team is also gathering talents like Tim Howard and Christian Pulisic.
6. Golf
Golf is another loved game in America. People in the country love to both play and watch it. Around 25 million of the citizens of the USA play this game. The greatest player in America Golf History is Tiger Wood, who brought the game at a new height. Though the game gets exposure in the country in the back ’80s and ’70s when players like John McEnroe, Billie Jean King, and Walter Hagen.
The country USA still dominates in the Golf game globally with the most number of players in the top ten. The ranked number one player, Dustin Johnson, and number three player Jordan Spieth are also from the USA. Every year the countries organize top Golf events like the US Open, US Senior Open, and US Women Open. These events are globally recognized and got a lot of viewers from different countries.
7. Tennis
Tennis is one of the fast-growing games in America. One unique thing about the game is it is more played by the women than the men. Though tennis is not as popular as Football and Basketball, it has a long history in the country. The first tennis match was played in 1874 there with the first national tournament in 1880. The American Tennis Association is also formed in the meantime. Some of the famous names in this sport include Jimmy Connors, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, etc.
Once upon a time, over half of the top 100 men’s player was from America. Currently, they only have Jack Sock on that list. However, the women are doing great in this sport with big names like Serena Williams and Venus William. Tennis is still one of the top popular games in the country due to its rich history.
8. Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
America produced the best every boxer player ever, Mohammad Ali. The legendary player is still memorized and praised all over the world for his contribution to the game. Though Mohammad Ali pulled the momentum, the game is still one of the most popular games in the country. Most of the top boxing superstars like Mike Tyson, Mayweather, Marvin Hagler, and Sugar Ray Robinson are from the USA. However, people prefer MMA or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) more than the usual boxing.
The game MMA is operated under the Ultimate Fighting Championships, which is based on America. Though there is not a lot of American Superstar in this track, it is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. Players like Conor McGregor, Khabib, Deontay Wilder, Ronda Rousey are adding significant value in the promotion of the game. In the last year, UFC managed to priced up to four billion of revenue, which is highest in the history of sports.
9. Motor Racing Sports
Motor Racing is one of the most watched sports in America. The game is capable of gathering up to 20 million fans averagely with NASCAR auto racing championships. NASCAR organizes races like Indy 500 and Daytona 500, which are amongst the most prestigious car races in the globe. America also gets footsteps in the F1 championship with players like Phil Hill and Mario Andretti.
However, in the NASCAR racing, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are some of the biggest names. However, one thing about car racing is the fans are fonder of the cars and speed than the players. NASCAR organizes many racing events throughout the year, including NASCAR Cup, Pinty Series, World Track Camping Series, and others.
10. Badminton
Last but not least, Badminton is amongst the top ten most popular games in America. Though there are no big names in this sport from the USA, peoples, love to play and enjoy the game. You will often found individuals playing the game at University, College, and other places. People usually like the game as it is easier to play at anywhere than the other games. One of the main reasons behind Badminton’s backwardness in America is the low wage.
A participant may earn around 15,000 USD for becoming champion when the average salary of a Football Player is approximately 2.7 million USD. Though not that popular as a sport, the first badminton club was formed long ago, in 1878 in New York. The Badminton Association of the US was established in 1936 and get massive success around the ’50s and ’60s. In that period, the country won around 23 championship trophy.
As we said earlier, American shares a great passion and spirit for games. That is why you will often find their stadium entirely filled with audience. The parents also encourage the kids to take part in sports as it is beneficial for them in every way. The country is also spending the highest amount of money on games, which is around 56 billion USD.
