What makes a sport global?

[HBK-aholic]

American football is widely classed as the best sport ever by Americans. Even only being on this forum, it's obvious that it's a big part of peoples lives surround this sport. There are regualr arguments on who is the best team, and controversy surrounding many decisions.

Football, or soccer, is a more global sport. It's the biggest sport in the world. Millions of people watch it, supporting a team and going to games etc. The World Cup is often one of the biggest tournaments that goes on, generated interest and money by the millions.

Then there are smaller sports, that are huge in different countries, e.g. Rugby League in Australia, Rugby Union in New Zealand, as well as Basketball and Baseball in other parts of the world.

In your opinion, what makes these so big? Why do certiain coutries love certain sports? Does it have anything to do with success of their teams?

 

[klunderbunker]

I think that sports become global because these teams can be all they have to depend on sometimes. There are times when countries are in extreme poverty, with little hope to see anything else turning around. But then they have a national team, be that in soccer rugby or whatever, and that team can compete on an international level against any other country. I remember reading something about hwo wrestling in Japan became what it is today due to Rikidozan being a national hero as he never lost to a foreigner after World War 2. Japan was destroyed, but one man was able to show that Japan still could win at something. WHen a sport is able to give a country hope like that, it can become not only a symbol, but a method of escape for a short period of time. A family's life may be falling down around them, but once you get inside the stadium, that all melts away. All that's left is the field and the team and the game. The sports become global because once these teams continue to climb up the ladder of success, they begin to think, how far can we really take this? It's a great thing that sports can do, as they can provide an escape from real life, as they do all over the world.

 

[kieran_devlin]

Sports become global if they are played all over the planet are popular and have proper competitions and leagues.

American Football didnt take over in Europe when they tried with the European NFL.

The big popular global sports are probly things such as F1 (formula one), Football, Rugby, Swimming, Athletics, Motorsport, Horse Racing other sports too.

Dunno about cricket because its popular in parts of the world but not everywhere. Again Ice hockey is popular in parts of the world but not others.

Basket ball is tricky because it is popular but it dosnt have big leagues as far as im aware in Europe and other places although a lot of people play it in the street.

Winter Sports like snowboarding and skiing are popular also.

EDIT: Golf is one of the biggest Global Sports in the world every nation i think has a good golfer.

 

[WinstonDeckard]

I grew up in Canada so naturally I love hockey although I myself never played it. However, hockey in terms of the amount of foreign players playing on a professional level in a major sports league in North America is definitely the most global. Popularity in other parts of the world still alludes hockey as it is one of the most expensive sports to play being a major reason (and the main reason why it has not succeeded in the states).

 

[FoleyIsGod]

1) Soccer. 3.3-3.5 Billion Fans. (Europe, Africa, Americas,etc) 2) Cricket 3-3.3 Billion Fans. (India,U.K,Pakistan,Asia,Australia,etc) 3) Field Hockey. 2-2.2 Bilion Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia) 4) Tennis. Around 1 Billion Fans. (Europe, Americas, Asia) 5) Volleyball Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Erope, Americas, Australia) 6) Table Tennis Around 900 Million Fans. (Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas) 7) Baseball Around 500 Million Fans. (U.S,Canada, Japan) 8) Golf Around 400 Million Fans. (U.S, Canada, Europe) 9) Football 390-410 Million Fans. (U.S, Canada mainly) 10) Basketball Not more than 400M Fans. (U.S, Canada mainly)

I just googled that, I would have said it was Football, then Cricket. Just ebcause its not popular in one country, dont automatically claim its the most popular and best sport in the world!

 

[X]

What's funny about that post above me is that every one of those European sports combined doesn't even generate a 1/3rd of the revenue from American sports.

ROFL

But yeah, soccer is obviously global. As is baseball, alot of people seem to ignore baseball, but it's hugely popular all over the globe from North America to the Caribbean to Japan. The only place it's not popular is the UK where they created it's bastard offspring of cricket. Apparently they decided to take everything good out of baseball, make the bat look ridiculious, give the players ludicrous uniforms then said "Okay, let's call this cricket!".

Golf is probably the most global sport. I can't think of a country on Earth where they don't play golf.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Not many know, but its an actual fact that the most globally played sport in the world, behind Soccer, is actually BASKETBALL. If you really think about it though, its not all that unbelivable. Europe alone has at least 5 pro leagues, as does asia, south america, and africa. Alongside that, their are various huge boarding schools in said contires that are almost entirely devoted to basketball, and training players to be good for their national teams.

 

[klunderbunker]

Not many know, but its an actual fact that the most globally played sport in the world, behind Soccer, is actually BASKETBALL. If you really think about it though, its not all that unbelivable. Europe alone has at least 5 pro leagues, as does asia, south america, and africa. Alongside that, their are various huge boarding schools in said contires that are almost entirely devoted to basketball, and training players to be good for their national teams.

I could easily believe this. It takes a lot less room to play basketball than it does to play soccer. Not to mention, look at all of the teams that USA, the alleged best team in the world loses to. Teams like Greece? These teams have to be good to be able to beat American teams, either pro or college level. It's a basic game, and you can play one on one or 5 on 5 or whatever you like. It's very believeable that it's the biggest sport. Look at all the foreign all stars in America. Nowitski, Parker, Ginobli, Ming, all foreign and some of the best players in the game today. In 15 years or so, who knows how big the game could be internationally.

 

[godaddybacks]

lol,bro, i have sent a message to you. please check it.

 

[Shadowmancer]

What's funny about that post above me is that every one of those European sports combined doesn't even generate a 1/3rd of the revenue from American sports.

ROFL

But yeah, soccer is obviously global. As is baseball, alot of people seem to ignore baseball, but it's hugely popular all over the globe from North America to the Caribbean to Japan. The only place it's not popular is the UK where they created it's bastard offspring of cricket. Apparently they decided to take everything good out of baseball, make the bat look ridiculious, give the players ludicrous uniforms then said "Okay, let's call this cricket!".

Golf is probably the most global sport. I can't think of a country on Earth where they don't play golf.

One problem there. Cricket has been around for far longer than Baseball or any form of Football (except for street Murderball which has been around since the Middle Ages) has been around. It is the true Gentleman's game. It all makes perfect sense really if you watch a Test match or even attempt to. The Third Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge looks set to be very good.

As for what makes a Sport Global, I think that it is when the International game is as important if not more so than domestic competitions. Ice Hockey is a Global Sport because of this, despite a large majority of the world not having Ice in which to play on. Rugby is a good example of this, You Have the World Cup, You have the Tri Nations and the Six Nations competitions at the International level and the top side of the world is an International squad rather than a club. Cricket is another example of this. So is Soccer as it is generally played almost everywhere.

 

[FoleyIsGod]

Actually, id say that Baseball was the bastard offspring of Rounders, you know, the game that the girls played in school because they were not allowed to play proper rugby.

And the comment about how none of those sports geenrate as much as American sports. What do you expect? You sacrifice tradition and honour so you can move your teams from city to city(hell, Wimbledon did this in the UK and got slaughtered for it) and generally ****e your teams out to make a fast buck. Hell, you offered Beckham 50 million dollers just to play football on a subleague level!

I always laugh the way Americans think because they watch a sport, it is automatically the best in the world and noone else must watch any other sports because thier sports are just so much more important.

 

[X]

Actually, id say that Baseball was the bastard offspring of Rounders, you know, the game that the girls played in school because they were not allowed to play proper rugby.

Baseball and rugby share nothing in common, what the hell are you talking about?

And the comment about how none of those sports geenrate as much as American sports. What do you expect? You sacrifice tradition and honour so you can move your teams from city to city(hell, Wimbledon did this in the UK and got slaughtered for it) and generally ****e your teams out to make a fast buck. Hell, you offered Beckham 50 million dollers just to play football on a subleague level!

ROFL look at this guy here trying to criticize something he knows nothing about. No honor and tradition in American sports? ROFL. Baseball is probably the sport that plays on it's tradition and history more then any other sport on Earth. Basketball and football as well have great tradition and honor, and for you to suggest otherwise isn't really even worth arguing with, because anyone with even the slightest knowledge of American sports would simply laugh at you.

I always laugh the way Americans think because they watch a sport, it is automatically the best in the world and noone else must watch any other sports because thier sports are just so much more important.

Maybe because no other sports stars on Planet Earth recieve more mainstream exposure then American sport stars? Are you really going to argue with me the global appeal of people like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, and Michael Jordan? How about Tiger Woods? Name me one British sports star with even a third of the global appeal as those last two sports figures.

It's also ironic that you sit here criticizing Americans for blindly thinking their sports are best, when you yourself are doing the exact same thing.

 

[FoleyIsGod]

It was a rib at the fact you seem to not accept the fact that there are sports out there more watched and better supported than American sports.

As for British stars, what about Beckham, Lampard and Michael Owen. Or that Lewis Hamilton fellow? Or Alex Fergeson(alright hes Scottish, but most people know who he is and what he does best). Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan are the only ones I have heard from that list(Michael Jordan because he was in Space Jam, Tiger Woods because he is, well Tiger Woods. Hell, only reason I have heard about Wayne Gretsky was the fact that Goldfinger wrote a song about him. So its hardly the sports themselves that gave them more recognition, least in my eyes)

In fact, Beckham is probably the one star in this world that every body has heard about. Even guys in the desert in Africa have heard about him(there was a thing a few years back where the newspapers hunted down the last few people who had never heard of him)