The Ten Biggest Events in the Sports / Entertainment Year

[IrishCanadian25]

Every year, certain events occur that we all, as fans of both sports AND entertainment, look forward to. Below, I have listed and described my top 10 of the year, and I welcome each of you to do the same, or to just comment on mine.

1. The Super Bowl. Let's face it, there is no bigger event in the entertainment world each year than the NFL Championship game. Consistently the highest TV rated event in the US and the vessel for many companies to break out MILLIONS, even BILLIONS of advertising dollars to post their best commericals, the Super Bowl is the top event of the year. The glamour of the half time show is always off the charts.

2. The Masters. Love it or hate it, this is the Super Bowl of Golf, and with Tiger Woods in the running every time he steps on the course, and with the idea that Phil Mickleson COULD play with him, this event is something that attractes even the biggest anti-golf people.

3. The Daytona 500. I HATE auto racing. But lots of smelly, beer swilling, inbred midwest and southern hicks LOVE this shit, and let's face it, the Daytona 500 is HUGE. Racing fans "gear-up" for this race more than any other.

4. WrestleMania. A first choice for many of us, but when you look at how many times the WWF/E has shattered indoor and outdoor venue attendance records at this event - even up against Super Bowls - PLUS the pay per view buy rates, this annual spectatcle of sports entertainment is a significant one.

5. The Kentucky Derby. A combination of rich white people, horse enthusiasts, and degenerate gamblers help make this legendary and venerable horse race a HUGE attraction each year. The event takes all day, the build up takes months, and the race itself - less than 2 minutes. Remember when you lost your virginity? Yep - THAT'S the Kentucky Derby.

6. The NFL Draft. Baseball and Hockey hardly even televise their draft. The NFL gets TWO DAYS on ESPN! I remember watching poor Brady Quinn slip lower and lower and the pain on his face as he tried not to show how much it bothered him. More than any other non-competitive event, the NFL draft is high on the list of significance.

7. The Final Four. This is the only situation in which "just getting there" is almost like a championship in itself, even if you lose the title game. Getting to the semi-finals in any other sport is still falling short, but in College Basketball, people still remember teams from the 1960's "being a Final Four team that year." This tournament OWNS the month of March, hands down.

8. Wimbledon. I love tennis, and while it's not a huge sporting event in the US, let me say this - the Brits KNOW how to do tennis! Whether it's the calm, polite gentleman with the microphone referring to Martina Hingis simply as "Miss Hingis" before asking the crowd "quiet, please, thank you..." or the pristine courts on which the juggernauts of tennis duke it out, there's no questioning the size of this 128-player tournament.

9. NCAA / BCS National Title Game. College Football has the most significant regular season of any major sport, because only two teams are granted the right to play in the ONE game to determine the national champion. Sometimes set against BCS controversy, sometimes consensus, this game is intense and a fitting end to a rigorous bowl season.

10. Tour de France. Let me tell you, this event is tetering on the edge of greatness and obscurity. So many doping scandals create questions in everyones minds as far as whether or not the winner is legit, but thanks to Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullirich, we know the event by now.

Honorable Mention - Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, World Series of Poker Final Table, UEFA European Championship Final, Indy 500, Iditarod, America's Cup Sailing Championship, NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Home Run Derby, McDonalds All-America Game, Boston Marathon.

These are only single, annual events. I did not include "The Stanley Cup Playoffs" because that can be 4-7 games long, same with the World Series and NBA Championship. I also did not include the Olympics or World Cup because those do not occur annually.

 

[RKO Orton]

First off, great idea for a thread IC25. It had me thinking. Here are my 10 Biggest Events in the Sports/Entertainment year.

10. Indianapolis 500- If IRL is known for anything, it's this. I hate racing, but this has to be one of the top racing events in the sporting year. I couldn't tell you who won, but it is still a great race non-the-less.

9. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest- Who doesn't love guys shoving Hot Dogs in their mouths? If anyone thought eating wasn't a sport, look at these guys. I don't think you could eat a hot dog in 12 or so minutes. What Kobayashi did was pretty good, before Chestnut beat him.

8. Masters- The World Series of Golf, basically. This is where Tiger Woods won the fourth straight major and where it all begins.

7. Opening Day (Baseball)- While most may consider it to be another day in baseball, it starts open a new season for teams. New hopes, playoff dreams, World Series fantasies, all start here.

6. All Star Weekend (all sports)- This is the time where normal opponents can team up, defend their league/conference and bragging rights. It's also a time for some great events such as the Home Run Derby, Slam Dunk Contest, etc.

5. BCS National Championship Game- The BCS gets a lot of shit for their system, but it is usually a pretty good game, save for the past two. I personally like the BCS because it means you have to keep winning to win it all. I like that.

4. Daytona 500- As I said earlier, I am no fan of racing, but to see so many people at this event is amazing. There has been ups and downs here, but that's what makes an event. That's all I have to say on this, as I'm not a fan, as I've said earlier.

3. NCAA Tournament- I'm not sure if this is against the rules, but it is arguably one of the highest rated sporting events in the US. Over 3 million people filling out brackets, and probably 2.99 million of those people couldn't name all of the #1 seeds. All the drama, excitment, failure, that's what March Madness is about.

2. WrestleMania- The Super Bowl of Wrestling. Many memorable matches- Hogan vs. Giant, Warrior vs. Hogan, Austin vs. Michaels, Michaels vs. Hart, TLC II, Undertaker's 16-0. The greatest wrestling spectacle of all time.

1. Super Bowl- Easiest choice right here. Why do you think I called ___ the Super Bowl of ___? Because it's the highest rated event every year. Some people watch it for the commercials more then the actual game. That's how popular it is. The games have been pretty good to.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

With the majority of those being American, and me being a lowly Englishman I can really make 10. So I'll just add two.

Depending on the year. World Cup & European Championships.

Football might not be big in North America. But it is throughout South America & Europe. I'm unsure about Polar places.

The Euro championships is big. But the World Cup is huge. While something like the Super Bowl for example might be huge, but I imagine it's predominantly American. It's one match, once a year. The World Cup is every 4 years, over 30 matches, and watched over the globe.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

I absolutely LOVE the UEFA championship tornament. just the other day I watched Manchester United vs Roma. all I got to say is what an exciting game that was.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

With the majority of those being American, and me being a lowly Englishman I can really make 10. So I'll just add two.

Depending on the year. World Cup & European Championships.

Football might not be big in North America. But it is throughout South America & Europe. I'm unsure about Polar places.

The Euro championships is big. But the World Cup is huge. While something like the Super Bowl for example might be huge, but I imagine it's predominantly American. It's one match, once a year. The World Cup is every 4 years, over 30 matches, and watched over the globe.

I didn't include the World Cup for the same reason I didn't include the Olympics - it's not annual, it's quadrannual. If we accumulated the greatest sporting events overall, those two would be #1 and #2, with the Super Bowl #3.

Jake, with you and the UK contingent on the boards, I'd love to hear a top 5 or 10 of annual sporting events across the pond.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I would but I guess you have the Ashes. Which is cricket. That could be annual. I'm not sure, I've never watched any cricket.

I'm sure their is some Rugby in their somewhere.

When it comes to sport there is only Football for me. Other than a bit of late night Hockey. But I just watch, I don't follow it.

But if the World Cup & Euro championships aren't involved I'll go Champions league. Each year the best domestic teams from Europe compete in a big ass tournament. It's more important than the league to most of the clubs involved. I guess because being the best in Europe mean being the best in the world. Because teams like Barcalona, Real Madrid and the English 4 really are the best teams in the world. South America might be the place where the best players come from, but they all go to Europe to play.

 

[Shadowmancer]

The Ashes are Bi-Annual. The Next Ashes series is next year. In England. It is an Awesome site seeing the Barmy Army singing their hymns to the Cricketers. Including the cover of Sloop John B changing it into a song about Jesse Ryder and Him punching out a window in a Bar after getting Pissed After a Game where he was awesome in it. But He Went out the Night before the Game as Well. That gets my respect and a shit load of other guys I knows respect that he could get pissed the night before and then Play well.

But as for the Most Important Sporting Events on the yearly calender. Well there is the ANZAC test between Australia and New Zealand in the League. Then there is the Boxing Day One-Dayer in Cricket. Then there is other things like the Super 14 final. That is just the New Zealand events. Then adding in Australian Events that make the List for me. Well there is the Bathurst 1000. This is V8 Supercars at its best. I take a day off of work on the Sunday it is on in October just because it is a great Race. 1000 Km. This Map of the Layout doesn't do the Race any Justice it is one of the most deceptive Tracks to look at on TV.

Then after that is State of Origin. This is the Pinacle of Rugby League. Screw Everything else. This is the reason that Australia is still the most dominant country in World League. But this Rivalry is so awesome you have two sides going at each other 3 times to determine who wins the thing. and none of the Games are a waste even if the thing is one in the First two. As Neither Side has lost 3-0 in years.

And then there is the NRL Grand Final where you have the Best Two teams playing each other in one of the Best Games of the Year. I have yet to see a Bad Grand Final in all my time in watching League. And then you have great Half time entertainment like Billy Idol and a Power cut problem occuring that was great. Except the Warriors didn't win the game.

 

[Richard]

8. Wimbledon. I love tennis, and while it's not a huge sporting event in the US, let me say this - the Brits KNOW how to do tennis! Whether it's the calm, polite gentleman with the microphone referring to Martina Hingis simply as "Miss Hingis" before asking the crowd "quiet, please, thank you..." or the pristine courts on which the juggernauts of tennis duke it out, there's no questioning the size of this 128-player tournament.

Great choice. I love Tennis aswell, I'm quite the tennis player aswell if I do say so myself. Competed in some tournaments in Sydney and won one before I gave it up. Wimbledon is the WrestleMania of the tennis world and the Rafael Nadal match was definately one for the ages for us Tennis fans even though I'm not a fan of his, there's no doubt about Rafael Nadal's ability. It's always funny to watch Lleyton Hewitt yell at the lines men and umpire aswell. Ironic thing is, he yells at the umpire and linesmen, but his name backwards is notyell. Get it? Lame I know.

Of course, living in Australia, I do get excited about the Australian Open and I want to try to get to the pre-tournament tournament in Sydney.

I can't really give a top 10, more or less just a list of events I like.

Wimbledon: As IC has said the brits know Tennis, no doubt in that but as I said before aswell, to the tennis fans of the world, it is the equivalent of WrestleMania in the fact it's the biggest tennis event of the year.

NRL Grand Final: Despite the fact I'm not the biggest NRL fan, I still know the rules, some of the players and other stuff so I will watch it occasionally and go to some games and I usually watch the grand final because it's an important feature of the social culture around here, NRL that is.

Australian Open (Tennis): All the Tennis stars come to Australia for Australias Grand Slam event. Some great moments in Tennis history have happened here aswell such as Novak Djokovic taking Roger Federer to the limit and beating him in the semis this year. One day I will go to Melbourne to watch it. Probably in 2010.

WrestleMania: I suppose this goes without saying aswell. The event of the year for professional wrestling. Usually watch it at my mates place and you know that there is usually something special going to happen at the event. Well worth the money to order it.

That's it for me really, only real sport I care about is Tennis. Rugby League to a certain extent aswell.

 

[hotwater10]

quick simple list with no exclmation
1.NBA finals
2.super bowl
3.wrestlemaina
4.world series
5.final 4
6.mlb opening day
7.indianpouls 500
8.stanley cup
9.kentuckey derby
10. BCS game
10

 

[CENAtion]

1. Super Bowl....how can it not be. Its the time of the year all major companies put out new commercials. Two weeks of build up. The media attention cant be compared. My biggest knock on it is its usually a let down compared to the rest of the playoffs. Still its one of those events ppl will watch, even non fans.

2. Daytona 500....Not really a racing fan but this gets major media attention. I dont have the figures but check the attendance for that race and it beats out almost any other event you can think of.

3. Final Four...every year ppl fill out their brackets whether they are avid fans, gebneral sports fans, or someone picking solely on team colors or mascot. The tournament every year provides great drama and upsets.

4. Wrestlemania...the grand daddy of them alll. Not much can be said that people on this site dont know.

5. Masters...not a golf guy but this attracts people every year esp with a guy like Tiger Woods.

6. World Series...its not what it use to be most years but if you get a nationally popular team like the red sox or yankees in it, the event grows by leaps and bounds.

7. Kentucky Derby....see the Masters just minus Tiger.

8.NFL Draft...every football fan has interest to see who there team is gonna take andfootball is still the most popuar sport in america.

9. MLB Opening Day...something about baseball arriving again and bringing in spring. Every team starts clean with world series hopes. Plus the majority of stadiums are full this day which i wished happen more often.

10. Stanley Cup...not what it was or what it is currently in Canada but the nhl always has good playoffs and the cup usually delivers. I just wish more ppl watched cause it is really good sport at its best.

 

[Gutter Phenomenon]

10. NASCAR at Loudon, NH:
I have to watch Nascar when it's in NH. Not to mention the magic mile is always the first race in the chase.

9. AC Milan games:
I consider Kaka to be one of the top midfielders in all of soccer and try to see him play every chance I get.

8. NFL Draft:
It gives me a reason to pay attention to college football, and I like to make predictions.

7. Royal Rumble:
Ever since I was a kid I loved this PPV. You just never know who is going to come out next, or who will be the last man standing.

6. March Madness:
I just love seeing if those damn no name schools can get the job done.

5. Boston Celtics V. Los Angeles Lakers
I'm a sucker for rivalries and I don't think it gets better than this in the NBA.

4. New England Patriots opening game
I'm not a huge football fan, but I love seeing the Pats in early September with all the anticipation of a new season finally beginning.

3. Super Bowl
Everything about it is entertaining. Especially when the Pats are involved... I hate the Giants.

2. World Series
Baseball is my favorite sport and a good W.S. is hard to beat for drama.

1. Boston Red Sox V. New York Yankees:
Hands down the best rivalry sports. Anything can happen.