1. SOCCER OR FOOTBALL
Soccer, the world’s most popular game, has the largest fan following on the planet. Its origin is Chinese, where it was discovered by the English and is now the de facto sport in 93 countries - home to two billion people. It has 208 member nations and thus is easily the world’s richest sport. It also has the largest contingent of diehard fans, players and professional leagues in the world’s largest economy, Europe. The English Premier League and the Champions League are the most popular football leagues, with the matches shown live to half a billion people in 202 countries. Manchester United is the richest club in the world with a valuation of $1.87 billion. The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most lucrative sporting event in the world. The 2006 tournament, with 64 matches featuring 32 nations and television coverage in 214 countries, had a cumulative television audience of 26 billion people. The final between defending champions Italy and France was watched by 700 million viewers... http://www.sportingo.com
WPS Kicks Off This Weekend
Exciting world class soccer and a nationally-televised match highlight opening weekend festivities as Women's Professional Soccer kicks off its third season of competition this weekend.
In 2011, WPS will feature a six-team league playing 18-games each from April through August for the chance to qualify for the WPS Playoffs. The top team in the regular season will earn the right to host the WPS Championship presented by Citi as the top seed on August 27.
Teams vying for the 2011 crown include Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, magic Jack (Palm Beach, FL), Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC (New Jersey) and making their debut in WPS, 2011 expansion team Western New York Flash, who will make their home at Sahlen Stadium in Rochester, NY.
WPS has once again seen an increase in national sponsorships, opening the 2011 season with seven national partners, up from six at this point a year ago. The increase in sponsorship revenue translates to a projected profitable year at the league level, which will directly benefit teams.
Its good to know that WPS has ever done this things for the love of soccer. But I just hope that soon enough here in my own country a group of sports enthusiast could ever make a national competition that has the same excellent and fantastic works like the things mention above...
via..soccer365.com
2. CRICKET
Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world. The English gentleman’s game is the most popular sport in the Indian subcontinent, which has a 1.5 billion population... http://www.sportingo.com/all-sports/a11587_worlds-top-most-popular-team-sports
India's Cricket Victory: Can It Lead to Success in Other Sports?
One highlight of watching India's victory over Sri Lanka in the Cricket World Cup final last week was the time when the TV cameras focused on several tribals at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. They were relatives and friends of Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. When Dhoni was growing up, his father, a tribal wage laborer-turned-electrician at the government-run Mecon (formerly Metallurgical & Engineering Consultants) in Ranchi, could barely afford to feed his children a good meal. Dhoni had no formal coaching and his supporters had to ask for free bats for him from suppliers. So his 91 runs not out and calm focus as captain, which also earned him the Man of the Match award in the final, was the ultimate reward for his parents, relatives and other early supporters in the small Jharkhand town...
3. BASKETBALL
Amongst the most popular sports in the USA, China, Russia, the Philippines, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and Puerto Rico. The National Basketball Association (NBA), with 30 teams and an average attendance of 17,500, is the richest and most popular basketball league and arguably the most viewed American sporting action in the world, attracting an accumulative television audience in excess of a billion. Induction of players of different nationalities to the NBA has ignited the general population to take up and follow the sport in a big way across various nations. The FIBA world championship and Olympics are the major international events, with Spain and the United States is the respective current gold medalists...
.http://www.sportingo.com/all-sports/a11587_worlds-top-most-popular-team-sports
Gores signs agreement to purchase Detroit Pistons
California billionaire Tom Gores and his investment firm, Platinum Equity, reached an agreement to buy the Detroit Pistons from Karen Davidson, the two sides announced Friday.
Terms of the deal, which also includes sale of the Palace of Auburn Hills (the Pistons' arena), DTE Energy Music Theater and the operating rights to Meadow Brook Music Festival, were not disclosed. In January, Forbes magazine said the Pistons were worth $360 million in its annual team valuations.
4. BASEBALL
The national pastime of the United States is the most popular sport in Japan, Taiwan, Cuba, Venezuela and South Korea. It is amongst the most popular in the USA, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Colombia, Panama, the Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic . With 117 member nations, it has passionate fans nearing the half-a-billion mark and is arguably the richest bat-and-ball game. Major League Baseball is the premier baseball league and attracts the highest attendance (79.5 million in 2,430 matches). New York Yankees are the most valued and popular club, and after the preamble of the not-so-popular baseball World Cup, the international think-tank initiated the successful World Baseball Classic - a 16-nation tournament with MLB players, where Japan are the multiple defending champions.
5. RUGBY
The most popular sports in New Zealand is also very popular in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Italy, Madagascar, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Romania, Samoa, Tonga and Argentina . It is also played in the USA, Japan, Georgia, Belgium, Germany, Chile, Paraguay, Malaysia, Russia, Canada and Spain. The 16-nation Rugby World Cup is the third largest single sporting event, achieving an average attendance of more than 45,000 and an estimated television audience in excess of two billion. The Six-Nations championship, British Lions tours and Tri-Nation series are the major tournaments outside the World Cup, followed by millions of passionate rugby fans. The International Rugby Board has 103 member nations spanning every continent. South Africa are the defending world champions. via. sportingo.com
News relates to the No. 5 Sports Fan Love to Watch
Huddersfield Giants become first rugby league club to appoint a town crier
HAVE any of you noticed the Giants now have a town crier at home games?
The Giants are the first rugby league club to have an official town crier in place.
And Giants marketing manager James Brammer is delighted to offer the fans something different...
6. FIELD HOCKEY
The national sport of India and Pakistan is amongst the top five sports in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Germany, Holland (the six-time world champions), Australia (three Olympics golds), South Korea, Japan, Argentina, Malaysia and England. The Olympics and the World Cup, the most prominent events, have been dominated by India, with eight Olympics golds, and Pakistan, winners of four World Cups. The Champions Trophy and the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament are other prominent events. The International Hockey Federation comprises more than 100 countries. Germany are the current World and Olympic champions. via.sportingo.com
PSU Field Hockey Continues Spring Season At Home on Saturday
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team returns to Happy Valley for the first time since hosting the NCAA Tournament as the Nittany Lions will battle Lock Haven and Bucknell during a pair of spring games on Saturday, April 9 at the PSU Field Hockey Complex.
During the afternoon action, Penn State will open up play against Lock Haven at 11 a.m. before facing Bucknell at 12:30 p.m.
The Nittany Lions have gotten off to a strong start during their spring season after upending Old Dominion before falling to perennial power Virginia in penalty strokes.
Hannah Allison led the way during the two games hosted by UVA after scoring a pair of goals for Penn State.
Jessica Longstreth also converted both of her stroke attempts, while
Brittany Grzywacz and
Kelsey Amy also found the back of the cage.
Following this weekend's action, the Lions will remain at home when they host their annual alumni game on Blue-White Weekend. That contest will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16.
The three games will mark the first time the field hockey team defends its home turf since hosting the first round of the NCAA Tournament last fall. That playoff appearance capped off an outstanding 2010 campaign that saw the squad post a 14-6 record. Returning standouts Longstreth, Amy, and
Ayla Halus all garnered All-American honors for their efforts during the year.
7. VOLLEYBALL
The national sport of Sri Lanka is a very
popular participant sports in almost all countries and amongst the top six in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands , Japan, China, India, Philippines and Poland. Volleyball is also a popular sport in the south of India, North America, Eastern Europe and Brazil, enjoying a surge in popularity in schools and colleges. The most important tournament is the Olympics where the USSR, Brazil and the USA are multiple gold medallists. FIVB is the international governing body with more than 150 volleyball-playing nations. The United States are the current Olympic champions and Brazil the defending world champions. Another hugely popular version is beach volleyball, which often rivals even the main sport.
8. ICE HOCKEY
A winter sport boosted by the advent of artificial turf, Ice Hockey enjoys popularity throughout the seasons and is amongst the top four sports in the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway , Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Slovakia. The National Hockey League is the most popular league and captures the lion’s share among all the hockey leagues, pulling in average crowds of 40,000 to the stadiums in the US and watched by millions on TV across Europe and America. The International Ice Hockey Federation, with 66 members, stages the World Championship where Russia are the defending champions. via.sportingo.com
9. AMERICAN FOOTBALL
The most popular sport in the United States has its roots in English soccer and rugby football. It is loved by more than half the nation’s population of 306 million. With more than 200 million passionate fans residing across the US, Canada, Japan, the Caribbean and Europe, it has mass appeal and glamour. The National Football League (NFL) is the richest sporting league in the world, netting $6.2 billion annually and attracting a world-record average attendance of around 67,700. IFAF, with 45 members, is the international governing body that oversees the sport’s World Cup, where the United States are the defending champions. Outside the US and Canada, American football is also played domestically in the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria, Mexico and Japan, the multiple world champions in 1999 and 2003.
via.sportingo.com
10. RUGBY LEAGUE
The other version of rugby football is played extensively in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Wales, France, England and Papua New Guinea, where it is considered a national sport. It is played in more the 30 nations, growing in popularity particularly in Europe and in New Zealand, after being crowned world champions in 2007. Passionate rugby league fans dwell mainly in northern parts of England, Australia and New Zealand. National Rugby League, with 16 teams, is the most prominent domestic league and probably the most popular rugby football club competition in the world. It draws huge crowds across the grounds of Australia and New Zealand. via.sportingo.com
Share this to others for them to know more about the sports that the world fans love to watch. For if whoever never love the game, they can't say it is a bias. And if you are a coach or player, you must be reminded that you are in the right track of choosing your sport. Because with our cooperation, love and the skills of the game. The combination of these will surely leads to make our chosen sports more more popular.
