Sports are an integral part of the culture in the United States. In recent decades, American football has become the most popular sport in terms of television viewership. Ice hockey originated in Canada, particularly in Montreal, in the late 1870s, before spreading to its neighboring countries, the United States. Soccer, commonly referred to as “soccer” in other parts of the world, is not a new sport in the United States.
Major League Soccer (MLS) was established in 1996 with only 10 teams and has since experienced its highs and lows. However, it is now profitable with 28 teams from the US and Canada. Although its origins are highly disputed, sports historians suggest that the sport was invented by an army general in the 18th century. In the 1980s, cable television saw a surge in basketball's popularity and interest through its major league, the NBA.
American football, or simply soccer as it is known in the United States, is by far the most popular sport in America and its major league, the NFL, is the most watched television sports league. It is an evolution and fusion of two existing sports, football and rugby, which began to gain traction in the US in the 1860s and became popular in the 1920s when the NFL was formed. American football has the highest number of participants with more than 9 million active players and 112 million viewers on television - making it truly America's favorite and most played sport. Basketball and baseball also deserve a mention among America's most popular sports with more than 25 million active participants for basketball and 23 million for baseball.
Volleyball is not as popular as it is in countries like China, Malaysia, Denmark and Indonesia but still ranks tenth on America's list of most popular sports. Basketball is one of America's most popular sports after football-26 (baseball). It is also one of the world's top ten most followed sports. Basketball competitions are organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA) which has produced some of basketball's greatest players such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
With an estimated attendance of 14,000 people per game, basketball is America's third most popular sport. Young Americans are also developing an interest in martial arts which explains why it has earned a place among America's top ten most popular sports. Could you have guessed that UFC or mixed martial arts would make it to this list?American football is not only America's favorite sport but also ranks ninth on the list of world's most popular sports. It is a team sport played between two teams and is also a professional form of sport played at universities.
The NBA has some of the highest player salaries in the world with each player earning an average of $8.32 million per year - 50% higher than all major leagues combined in Europe, Middle East and Africa making it one of the world's most lucrative sports markets. Mixed martial arts which has recently gained global recognition is relatively new but has already made its way into America's top ten most watched sports list. Even though volleyball isn't as well-known as some of the other sports on this list, California still remains a volleyball powerhouse. Sports are an essential part of American culture and being a successful sports personality earns a lot of respect along with an enormous amount of money - no wonder why rumors about NFL never die down! Motor sports including auto and motorcycle racing rank ninth on America's list of most watched sports.
To sum up, American football is by far America's favorite sport followed by basketball and baseball respectively while volleyball takes tenth place on this list. Mixed martial arts have also made their way into this list due to their increasing popularity among young Americans.