What are the most popular sports in America? America has a very different taste when you compare it to the most most popular sports in the world. Let’s take a look below at the top five sports and find out what is the most popular sport in America.
Most Popular Sports in America?
America’s favorite sports has changed over the last few years. As it continues to evolve theres sure to be a change in the list in the future. For now, let’s take a look at the five most popular sports in America.
5. Ice Hockey
Ice hockey is the fifth most popular sport in America with 4% identifying it as their favorite sport. It’s Canada’s most popular sport and the seventh most popular sport in the world when combined with field hockey.
Amongst the younger generation ice hockey isn’t popular compared to other sports. Only 15 states in America sponsor ice hockey at high school level. In comparison American football and basketball are represented in all states, and baseball in all but two states.
A reason ice hockey isn’t popular compared to other sports is because it’s the hardest sport to play. ESPN Sports Science calculated that ice hockey body hits are 17% harder than in American football. Skating in itself is hard to master and one of the fundamentals of ice hockey is to skate at full speed while trying to handle the puck.
Trying to do that all while avoiding the hardest hits in all of sports? No wonder ice hockey is only the fifth most popular sport in America.
Find more statistics at Statista
4. Soccer
Soccer has five billion fans worldwide and is the fastest growing sport in America. It’s the favorite sport of 7% of Americans with soccers popularity almost doubling in the space of only four years. In 2008 ice hockey was more favoured over soccer by Americans. By 2013 that had changed and soccer was the more favoured sport.
Major League Soccer isn’t one of the four major sports in America but it’s fast become an integral part of North American sports culture. It’s also becoming one of the better leagues in world soccer and is the 8th most attended.
Between 2013 and 2018 MLS crowds increased 34%. The MLS continually looks at expansion and has so at a drastic rate, increasing from 12 teams in 2005 and up to 27 teams by 2021.
According to a survey done by @AmpereAnalysis, soccer is now the 4th most popular sport in the USA, passing hockey.
49% of US Sport fans claims to like watching soccer on TV, compared to 37% who said the same for hockey.
Soccer was now just 8 %-points behind baseball. pic.twitter.com/VmkLuHwAnn
— MLS Buzz (@MLS_Buzz) December 11, 2021
3. Baseball
Baseball is America’s national sport and national pastime, and its played a considerable role in shaping America’s history. The “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” jingle and eating hot dogs at a ballpark are symbols of America.
As much as baseball is one of the most popular sports in America it’s slowly dying. It’s the favorite sport of 9% of Americans but the younger generation find the sport boring. In baseball there are around 150 pitches thrown a game but individual players are only involved in a handful of them.
There is much mental strength required for players to stay tuned for every baseball play. Baseball requires the most hand eye-coordination of all sports in the world and batters have on average just 0.4 seconds to react to a pitch. The average human reaction is 0.75 seconds and there are different types of pitches and spin rates to factor in.
Baseball remains second for participation behind basketball with 23 million players nationally. Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota are the only states in America that don’t sanction high school baseball.
Gallup has asked Americans their favorite sport since 1937. Football has been on top for half a century but has declined a bit recently. Baseball has gone from the clear No. 1 to No. 3 and is in danger of falling to No. 4 behind soccer. https://t.co/n02efP9V5K pic.twitter.com/eZvXpcNS3v
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) January 10, 2018
2. Basketball
Basketball is the only major sport to be invented in America. It was invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891 and has since evolved into the second most popular sport in America.
More than 30 million Americans play basketball which makes it the most participated sport in the country. The barriers are low for playing basketball. All you need is a ball, to learn the fundamentals and unlike other sports like baseball, football or soccer, you don’t need much space.
Basketball is the favorite sport of 11% of Americans and 36% of Americans consider themselves to be fans of the NBA. The NBA continues to be a global cultural phenomenon and the league has more than 490 million fans in China alone.
Find more statistics at Statista
1. American Football
American football is the most popular sport in America and is the favorite sport of 37% of the country. The NFL is also the most popular league and is supported by 55% of Americans. The issue of CTE NFL players is however causing a big issue for the sport.
Although American football only has 9 million active players – far behind basketball’s 30 million – American football is still three times more popular than basketball.
American football culture such as tailgating and the Super Bowl are one of the most recognized parts of American culture. At a grassroots level high school football is an obsession with small town America and has been a popular pastime well before globalization.
High school football traditions also create special bonds in communities. The small town of West Monroe, Louisiana, has a population of only 13,065 but the West Monroe Rebels high school team regularly sells out stadium of 5,500 seats. College football is also considered by many to be the most important sports in America and is almost always prioritised over any other sport.
American football is the most popular sport in America, and it’s not even close.
Of course ESPN would prioritize college Football over the biggest regional World Cup Qualifier for the world’s most popular sport.
— 11 Yanks (@11Yanks) November 13, 2021
Sports Ranking America
Below is a table of the most popular sports in America. You can also view a table of the most popular sports in the world here.
| Rank | Sport | Favorite | Players |
| 1 | American Football | 37% | 5,160,000 |
| 2 | Basketball | 11% | 24,230,000 |
| 3 | Baseball | 9% | 15,640,000 |
| 4 | Soccer | 7% | 12,560,000 |
| 5 | Ice Hockey | 4% | 2,450,000 |
Sports Participation in America
American Football
Find more statistics at Statista
Basketball
Find more statistics at Statista
Baseball
Find more statistics at Statista
Soccer
Take a look at how many soccer players participate in America here.
Ice Hockey
Take a look at how many ice hockey players participate in America here.
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