Most Popular Sport in America is an intriguing issue for sports fans at home and abroad. Sports in the United States are an important part of the nation’s culture. Historically, the national sport has been baseball. However, in more recent decades, American football has been the most popular sport in terms of broadcast viewership audience. Basketball has grown into the mainstream American sports scene since the 1980s, with ice hockey and soccer doing the same around the turn of the 21st century. These sports comprise the “Big Five”.
American football, indoor American football, baseball, softball, and indoor soccer evolved out of older British (Rugby football, British baseball, Rounders, and association football) sports. However, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, racquetball, pickleball, skateboarding, snowboarding, Ultimate, wind-surfing, and Water Skiing are fully American inventions, some of which have become popular in other countries and worldwide.
Up until the American Civil War, cricket was a somewhat popular sport in the United States, with presidents such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln having played or watched the game. However, cricket at the time was a sport played over several days, and during the Civil War, troops preferred to play the newly rising game of baseball, which was much shorter in duration and did not require a special playing surface to be played.
This blog selects and analyzed top 5 most popular sport in America and benefits, helping you have a better understanding of biggest ports in the US.
Top 5 Most Popular Sport in America
The most popular team sports in the United States are American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer. All five of these team sports are popular with fans, are widely watched on television, have a fully professional league, are played by millions of Americans, enjoy varsity status at many Division I colleges, and are played in high schools throughout the country. Here is a table about top 5 most popular sport in America. The column titled “States (HS)” represents the number of states that sponsor the sport at the high school level. For the purpose of this table, Washington, D.C. is counted as a state. If you want to go to the United States to watch the game live, uhomes.com will provide you with affordable, reliable and comfortable student apartments in USA, helping you having a great viewing experience.
| Sport | Favorite Sport | TV Viewing Record | Major Professional League | Participants(Million) | NCAA DI Teams(Men+Women) | States(HS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | 37% | 114.4 million | NFL | 8.9 million | 249 (249M + 0W) | 51 |
| Ice hockey | 4% | 43.6 million | NHL | 3.1 million | 102 (61M + 41W) | 20 |
| Baseball | 9% | 40.0 million | MLB | 19.1 million | 589 (298M + 291W) | 49 |
| Basketball | 11% | 30.8 million | NBA | 30.3 million | 698 (351M + 349W) | 51 |
| Soccer | 7% | 29.3 million | MLS | 19.6 million | 531 (205M + 332W) | 51 |
Top 1. American football
- Popularity: 74.5%
- Governing Body: National Football League (NFL) & National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
- Notable Athletes: Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, Tom Brady, Deion Sanders, Walter Payton, Joe Montana
- Favourite Sport Declared: 37%
Football has the most participants of any sport at both high school and college levels, the vast majority of its participants being male. It is the most popular American sports in the U.S. and best physical game each state has played. American football is a form of gridiron football and the most popular sport in the United States. In the United States, the game is most often referred to as simply “football”. Football is played in leagues of different size, age and quality, in all regions of the country. There is no single national governing body for American football in the United States or a continental governing body for North America. There is an international governing body, the International Federation of American Football, or IFAF. The National Football League has the highest revenue and average attendance of any sports league in the world.
The 32-team National Football League (NFL) is currently the only major American football league in the United States. There have been numerous attempts over the past several decades to create a second major or high-level professional league, most of which failed within a few years or, in the cases of the All-America Football Conference and 1960s American Football League, merged with the NFL. The National Football League has the highest revenue and average attendance of any sports league in the world.
The NFL has not operated any developmental minor leagues since the folding of the NFL Europe League in 2007. There are some “independent” leagues operating in the US, but they are not overseen by the NFL and the teams has no affiliation to NFL franchises.
College football is also popular throughout North America. Most of college football in the United States is governed by the NCAA. Many colleges and universities have football teams, often with dedicated football stadiums. These teams mostly play other similarly sized schools, through the NCAA’s divisional system, which divides collegiate sports teams into four divisions (I-FBS, I-FCS, II and III). The largest, most popular collegiate teams routinely fill stadiums larger than 75,000. Eight college football stadiums – the University of Michigan’s Michigan Stadium, Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, Ohio State’s Ohio Stadium, Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium, LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Alabama’s Bryant – Denny Stadium, and Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin – seat more than 100,000 fans and usually sell out.
2025 American Football Matches
| Date | Matches | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Jan 2025 | Rose Bowl | Rose Bowl Stadium1001 Rose Bowl Dr, Pasadena, CA 91103, United States |
| 20th Jan 2025 | College Football Playoff National Championship | Mercedes-Benz Stadium1 AMB Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, United States |
| 9th Feb 2025 | Super Bowl | Caesars Superdome1500 Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States |
Top 2. Basketball
- Popularity: 56.6%
- Governing Body: National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Notable Athletes: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal
- Favourite Sport Declared: 11%
Of those Americans citing their favorite sport, basketball is ranked second (counting amateur levels) behind football. It is the second most popular sports in USA and most watched sporting event. However, in regards to revenue the NBA is ranked third in popularity. More Americans play basketball than any other team sport, according to the National Sporting Goods Association, with over 26 million Americans playing basketball. Basketball was invented in 1891 by Canadian physical education teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the world’s premier men’s professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America. It contains 30 teams (29 teams in the U.S. and 1 in Canada) that play an 82-game season from October to June. After the regular season, eight teams from each conference compete in the playoffs for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy The NBA gets high ratings on television.
Since the 1992 Summer Olympics, NBA players have represented the United States in international competition and won numerous important tournaments. The Dream Team was the unofficial nickname of the United States men’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. The Women’s national team has won eight gold medals at the Olympics.
Key Dates for 2024 - 25 NBA Season
| Date | Events |
|---|---|
| 18th Oct 2024 | NBA Preseason ends |
| 21st Oct 2024 | NBA Jersey Day |
| 22nd Oct 2024 | Start of the 2024-25 NBA regular season |
| 2nd Nov 2024 | NBA Mexico City Game 2024 |
| 5th Nov 2024 | Election Day |
| 14th Feb 2025 – 16th Feb 2025 | NBA All-Star 2025 |
Top 3. Baseball
- Popularity: 50.5%
- Governing Body: MLB
- Notable Athletes: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Bo Jackson, Ted Williams
- Favourite Sport Declared: 9%
Baseball and a variant, softball, are popular participatory sports in the U.S. It is the third most popular sports in USA and most watched sport in the US. It is one of big five sports near me. Baseball was the first professional sport in the United States. Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of baseball in the United States. The sport is one of the most popular sports in the U.S. for both participants and spectators. MLB’s World Series is the culmination of professional American baseball’s postseason each October. It is played between the winners of MLB’s two leagues, the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Prior to the World Series, the winner of each league is determined in a best-of-seven playoff called the League Championship Series (LCS), in which one team in each league comes away with their league’s pennant; the winner of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) receives the American League Pennant, and the winner of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) receives the National League Pennant. Six teams from each league compete in the postseason. After a champion is crowned from each league, the winner of the World Series is determined through a best-of-seven playoff.
College baseball is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional players, as baseball’s professional minor leagues are more extensive. Moving directly from high school to the professional level is more common in baseball than in football or basketball. However, if players enroll at a four-year college, they must complete three years to regain eligibility, unless they reach age 21 before starting their third year of attendance. Players who enroll at junior colleges (i.e., two-year institutions) regain eligibility after one year at that level, Bryce Harper being a notable example. In 2013, there are 298 NCAA Division I teams in the United States.
Players seeking a professional career in baseball after college typically continue playing by way of collegiate summer baseball during the summer months after each college season ends. Dozens of collegiate summer baseball leagues, all of them independent from each other and from any other baseball organization, exist, each varying widely in level of talent, ranging from the elite Cape Cod League down to leagues that draw primarily from regional colleges. The one feature common to all collegiate summer baseball leagues is the use of wooden baseball bats like those used in the professional game; college baseball uses metal bats.
Key Events for MLB 2024 - 2025
| Date | Events | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st October 2024 – 2nd November 2024 | MLB Postseason | / |
| 13rd November 2024 – 17th November 2024 | All-MLB Weekend presented by MGM Rewards | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 9th December 2024 – 12nd December 2024 | MLB Winter Meetings | Dallas, Texas |
| 13rd March 2024 – 16th March 2024 | MLB Spring Breakout | Florida & Arizona |
Top 4. Boxing
- Popularity: 23.4%
- Governing Body: National Boxing Association (NBA)
- Notable Athletes: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano, Marvelous Marvin Hagler
- Favourite Sport Declared: 7%
Boxing, as, a form of martial art and solo sport, has been around for centuries. It is the fourth most popular sport in America and most watched sport in the US. Some people practice it as a form of self-defence while doing it as a part of their workout regime. The United States became the center of professional boxing in the early 20th century. The National Boxing Association was founded in 1921 and began to sanction title fights.
Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time. Louis is widely regarded as the first person of African-American descent to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II. Since the late 1990s, boxing has declined in popularity. As of 2021, boxing participation in the United States reached approximately 6.7 million people, indicating a robust growth in the sport’s popularity.
Boxing used to be a popular staple viewing on American television due to its low costs and production values and was broadcast on all the major networks. Since the 1970s, it is mostly broadcast on pay-per-view and pay television channels, like HBO and Showtime. However, this and a myriad of factors resulted the sport’s decline in popularity beginning in the late 1990s. One noted factor was the sport’s exclusivity to these premium outlets, while mixed martial arts events were eventually broadcast on major television networks and more accessible platforms, drawing in a younger demographic and more mainstream coverage.
Key Boxing Events
| Date | Events | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 26th Oct 2024 – 2nd Nov 2024 | 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships | Pueblo, Colorado |
| 16th Dec 2024 – 21st Dec 2024 | 2024 USA Boxing National Championships | Richmond, Virginia |
Top 5. Ice hockey
- Popularity: 22.1%
- Governing Body: National Hockey League (NHL)
- Notable Athletes: Patrick Kane, Mike Mandano, Chris Chelios, Brian Leetch, Auston Matthews
- Favourite Sport Declared: 4%
Ice hockey, referred to in the US simply as “hockey”, is one of most popular sport in America. Hockey in the US began in 1894 when the first artificial ice rink was built in Baltimore, Maryland. Now hockey is most popular in regions of the US with cold winter climates, such as the northeast and the upper Midwest. However, since the 1990s, ice hockey has become increasingly popular in the Sun Belt due in large part to the expansion of the National Hockey League to the southeast and southwest US, coupled with the mass relocation of many residents from northern cities with strong hockey support to these Sun Belt locations.
The NHL is the major professional hockey league in North America, with 25 US – based teams and 7 Canadian – based teams competing for the Stanley Cup. While NHL stars are still not as readily familiar to the general American public as are stars of the NFL, MLB, and the NBA, average attendance for NHL games in the US has surpassed average NBA attendance in recent seasons, buoyed in part by the NHL Winter Classic being played in large outdoor stadiums.
Minor league professional hockey leagues in the US include the American Hockey League and the ECHL. Additionally, nine US – based teams compete in the three member leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. USA Hockey is the official governing body for amateur hockey in the US The United States Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Eveleth, Minnesota.
The United States ice hockey structure includes elements from traditional American scholastic high school and college athletics, affiliated and independent minor leagues, and the unique “Major Junior” leagues. The hierarchy of the ice hockey league system forms a pyramid with a large number of regional minor and development leagues making up the base of the pyramid and a linear progression through the professional minor leagues leading to the National Hockey League at the top of the pyramid.
The US now has more youth hockey players than all other countries, excluding Canada, combined. The legacy of the Miracle on Ice is believed to be influential in popularizing the sport from a regional sport to a mainstream sport.
Key Ice hockey Events 2024 - 2025
| Date | Events | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8th Nov 2024 – 11st Nov 2024 | 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration | Toronto, Canada |
| 31st December 2024 | Discover NHL Winter Classic | Wrigley Field, Chicago |
| 1st March 2025 | 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series | Ohio Stadium, Columbus |
Benefits of Doing Most Popular Sport in America
- Physical Health Benefits
Sports can help you reach your fitness goals and maintain a healthy weight.
- Do Better Academically
Sports require memorization, repetition and learning — skillsets that are directly relevant to class work.
- Teamwork and Problem-Solving Skills
Fighting for a common goal with a group of players and coaches teaches you how to build teamwork and effectively communicate to solve problems.
- Boost Self-esteem
Achieving a sport or fitness goal encourages you to achieve other goals you set. This is a rewarding and exciting learning process.
- Reduce Pressure
Exercising is a natural way to loosen up and let go of stress.
Conclusion
Top 5 most popular sport in America are listed there. In conclusion, the diverse array of sports showcased in the USA reflects not only the nation’s passion for athletics but also its rich cultural heritage. Each sport offers a unique blend of excitement, skill, and tradition that resonates with fans across the country. Whether it’s the roar of the crowd at a baseball game, the camaraderie of a American football match, or the serenity of camping under the stars, sports serve as a powerful unifying force, bringing people together and forging lasting memories.
FAQ
Soccer. With 3.5 billion fans worldwide, soccer is the sport that almost everyone agrees is the most viewed sport in the world. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, most watched sports in the world and most favorite sports in the world. It is also the most viewed sports in the world and most famous sport in the world.
What is the most favorite sport in America? It must be American football. Football has been the most popular sport in America since 1972, according to public opinion polls by Gallup.
Most-watched US Sporting Events Ever
Super Bowl 57, 2023. Viewers: 115.1 million.
Super Bowl 49, 2015. Viewers: 114.4 million.
Super Bowl 56, 2022. Viewers: 112.3 million.
After that, baseball has shown a steady decline, with football surpassing it to occupy the No. 1 position in 1972 – a position football has not relinquished. Baseball as Americans’ favorite sport to watch dropped below 20% in 1995, and it has been closer to 10% since 2000, with an all-time low of 9% in 2017.
Swimming leads the medal count as US’s best sport with 11 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze. This adds to 30 medals awarded, 10 more than the event’s second-place Australia.
The Biggest Sporting Event, Even Bigger Than the Super Bowl
Let’s set the stage with the Super Bowl, an event that commands an American audience like no other. With over 115 million viewers tuning in annually, it’s a blend of sports spectacle, musical extravaganza, and commercial powerhouse. The Super Bowl is an annual tradition that gets bigger every year.
Swimming, lacrosse, wrestling, cheerleading and gymnastics experienced significant declines for core participation. Soccer was the only team sport with a significant increase among kids 6 – 12 coming out of the pandemic.
Take, for example, badminton, a sport the U.S. is seemingly bad at when it comes to Olympic play. The game has been around since the late 1800s and officially became part of the Olympic program during the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
