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[nOoblet16]

NBA is very popular in China which has a larger population than India. Also cricket is no where close to soccer which is also the most popular sport among the 1.3 billion in China.

1.3 billion don't follow NBA nearly to the same level as the entire population of south east asia and a fair portion of middle East (due to migrants) that follows cricket (which is more than the population of China). Even the poorest follow Cricket in South asia...that's how big of a sport it is there.

Then you add in other countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, The Caribbeans where it is highly popular. Followed by the associate countries where it is atleast somewhat popular.

 

[clockworkinyou]

Why isn't 'Doing Fitness' on the list?

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Yeah, no.

Cricket is #2 if not #1. More than 1.1 billion just from one country alone.

Cricket is bigger than basketball but it doesn't come close to football/soccer. There is absolutely no question over the top spot.

 

[Nosgotham]

I wonder whose gonna bring home the Athletics Championship this year?

 

[Deleted member 231381]

My educated guess would be the top three in order are football then cricket then tennis. I can't see basketball outweighing any of those. Cricket is essentially a religion in India/Pakistan, and while NBA has a following in China it doesn't come near to matching the fervour in the South Asia region (which is also, cumulatively, more populous than China). Tennis has incredibly diverse popularity and isn't really concentrated. The 2015 NBA finals only got just over 20 million viewers in the US; the 2013 Wimbledon final got 17 million in the UK alone which has a fifth of the population of the US and tennis has much stronger European following than basketball and is also increasingly competing in China anyway through the Shanghai and Beijing Opens and through Li Na.

 

[Addi]

Spectators.

Le Tour de France takes it with 12 million.

I was going to mention tour the France. Trying to google tv viewers, but they have numbers ranging from 1.4 to 3.5 billion. I have heard it's the biggest event after the football World Cup and the Olympics. It should definitely qualify for a top 10.

 

[turtle553]

I was thinking more viewers and attendances to games/tournaments

 

[perfectchaos007]

table tennis is up there. its the national sport of the worlds largest country

1. Soccer
2.Basketball
3. Tennis
4. Cricket
5. Baseball
6. American Football
7. Rugby
8. Golf
9. Table Tennis
10. Ice Hockey

 

[Switch Back 9]

Basketball as number two, really? That seems crazy to me.

 

[ryseing]

Basketball as number two, really? That seems crazy to me.

Two of the largest countries love basketball. Not really that crazy. Easily deserves the 2 spot. Not to mention its popularity in Europe and elsewhere.

 

[Stereogatari]

Does anyone play basketball outside of America?

In Turkey it is the 2nd sport after football (soccer) and widely followed and played.

In Turkey

1. Football (soccer) - Rarely any coverage of women's football

2. Basketball - Mainly about the men, but women get decent coverage too

3. Volleyball - Mainly women get coverage. This is the de facto sport for Turkish girls

 

[daviyoung]

Why isn't 'Doing Fitness' on the list?

not a sport

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Basketball as number two, really? That seems crazy to me.

I'm not convinced that's true; I think US posters heavily over-estimate the popularity of the NBA in China - I mean, not that it isn't popular, I just don't think it has the following they think. I would be willing to put very good money on it being cricket, although difficult to be sure as viewership figures aren't recorded so well in India/Pakistan.

 

[wachie]

Where is 2011 Cricket World Cup, should be easily 4 million plus.

 

[spyder_ur]

Golf's gotta be on there, right?

Either way, 1 and 2 are soccer and cricket, nothing else comes close.

Two of the largest countries love basketball. Not really that crazy. Easily deserves the 2 spot.

Yeah not just that but the popularity is growing in developing countries as well. In the NBA Draft this year, 6 of the top 10 and 15 of the first round were born internationally, including countries like Bahamas, Ghana, Sudan, Haiti, Greece, Cameroon, etc.

 

[ryseing]

Yeah not just that but the popularity is growing in developing countries as well. In the NBA Draft this year, 6 of the top 10 and 15 of the first round were born internationally, including countries like Bahamas, Ghana, Sudan, Haiti, Greece, Cameroon, etc.

Very true. Basketball is starting to be seen as a way out of poverty in these countries the same way soccer is.

 

[turtle553]

Where is 2011 Cricket World Cup, should be easily 4 million plus.

Apparently not as well attended as people thought it would be
http://espn.go.com/extra/cricket/columns/story?id=6232134&columnist=della_penna_peter

 

[wachie]

Apparently not as well attended as people thought it would be
http://espn.go.com/extra/cricket/columns/story?id=6232134&columnist=della_penna_peter

I don't see any figures there. Other examples are the recently concluded IPL or the BBL.

 

[KillGore]

Cricket? lol is this a serious answer? Or maybe they just dont play that here in Puerto Rico. Does Latin America even play cricket? I think baseball is bigger here.

Anyways soccer is #1 and basketball #2, the rest I'm not so sure.

People who are answering cricket, where are you guys from?

 

[kromeo]

Cricket? lol is this a serious answer? Ir maybe they just dont play that here in Puerto Rico. Does Latin America even play cricket? I think baseball is bigger here.

Anyways soccer is #1 and basketball #2, the rest I'm not so sure.

It's big in most of the ex British empire. I really am sorry that we inflicted that tedium on so many people

Spoiler

 

[KillGore]

It's big in most of the ex British empire. I really am sorry that we inflicted that tedium on so many people

Spoiler

Is it even big in the US? Never seen it in any show or movie so I would assume not ( that and the fact that the interest hasnt trickled down to PR), but maybe I'm wrong. What about Canada?

 

[Pndomo]

American Football is top 10 and it's only watched by one country consistently. The 🐐 sport.

 

[Cedric]

Does anyone play basketball outside of America?

Yes, pretty sure basketball is quite popular in eastern european countries such as Serbia and Croatia. Don't know this as a fact but I'm sure it's popular in countries such as China, Turkey, Spain etc...Of course, soccer dominates everything.

I'm not convinced that's true; I think US posters heavily over-estimate the popularity of the NBA in China - I mean, not that it isn't popular, I just don't think it has the following they think. I would be willing to put very good money on it being cricket, although difficult to be sure as viewership figures aren't recorded so well in India/Pakistan.

NBA not being popular doesn't necessarily mean basketball isn't though.

 

[Reverend Funk]

Cricket? lol is this a serious answer? Or maybe they just dont play that here in Puerto Rico. Does Latin America even play cricket? I think baseball is bigger here.

Anyways soccer is #1 and basketball #2, the rest I'm not so sure.

People who are answering cricket, where are you guys from?

cricket is ginormous in India which has a heck of a lot of people

 

[Lamel]

Cricket? lol is this a serious answer? Or maybe they just dont play that here in Puerto Rico. Does Latin America even play cricket? I think baseball is bigger here.

Anyways soccer is #1 and basketball #2, the rest I'm not so sure.

People who are answering cricket, where are you guys from?

Yeah cricket is for sure #2. Very popular in the Caribbean, but not much else in the Americas really.

 

[KillGore]

Yes, pretty sure basketball is quite popular in eastern european countries such as Serbia and Croatia. Don't know this as a fact but I'm sure it's popular in countries such as China, Turkey, Spain etc...Of course, soccer dominates everything.

Basketball is pretty big in Latin America too, though not as big as Football

 

[enanogrande]

... the 2013 Wimbledon final got 17 million in the UK alone which has a fifth of the population of the US

I agree with your point that Tennis is probably more popular worldwide than Baskeball is, but using the 2013 final as an example is unfair at best.

 

[kromeo]

Is it even big in the US? Never seen it in any show or movie so I would assume not ( that and the fact that the interest hasnt trickled down to PR), but maybe I'm wrong. What about Canada?

No, that's why I said most lol

 

[Shmuppers]

I wish boxing was higher.

:/

 

[KillGore]

Yeah cricket is for sure #2. Very popular in the Caribbean, but not much else in the Americas really.

Maybe with british Caribbean islands but not in Puerto Rico and I'm sure that neither in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Not sure about Haiti but I doubt it either. Baseball is huge though.

cricket is ginormous in India which has a heck of a lot of people

Ahh I see. Makes sense. Still, worldwide it isn't that big. That's like saying Mandarin is the world's most common language. Technically it's the most spoken but it's not a fair comparison when such a huge part of the population is concentrated in one country. Doesnt really represent the whole world in general.

 

[Confrontation]

World championships snooker were watched by like 250-300mil people. Thanks to China.

 

[turtle553]

I don't see any figures there. Other examples are the recently concluded IPL or the BBL.

I couldn't find any number for total attendance in a quick search.

 

[Chezzymann]

If I had to guess the top 4 would be

1. Soccer
2. Rugby
3. Cricket
4. Basketball

Not really sure about rugby, cricket, and basketball. Rugby has the biggest tournaments it seems, cricket has big ones too, and basketball is really popular in China and eastern Europe.

 

[therealist]

obviously sports that can play in large stadiums would have the advantage. TV ratings is a better barometer.

 

[cilonen]

I'm surprised at cricket. I love the game, but I'm fairly sure I read an article not so long ago about it being the only major sport whose grassroots participation numbers are actually on the decline.

Seems people like to watch but don't want to give it a try to play.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Soccer, cricket at the top

Then basketball, badminton, ping pong, baseball, rugby

 

[MIMIC]

OP's list looks good enough to me, I suppose. Except for "Athletics." WTF is that?

 

[DasPenguin]

Does anyone play basketball outside of America?

If you want to go by players or how many players each sport has worldwide, then:

1. Soccer
2. Basketball

Volleyball would be really high too. If I'm not mistaken, handball has way way way more players than ice hockey. It just doesn't have a professional league in North America.

Popularity or viewership it's hard to say. Basketball and Soccer are probably the two sports that are watched everywhere. Ice hockey is huge here in Finland (because we don't suck at it so people love it), but worldwide (if talking about the amount players it has) it's a miniature sport.

 

[Lamel]

Maybe with british Caribbean islands but not in Puerto Rico and I'm sure that neither in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Not sure about Haiti but I doubt it either. Baseball is huge though.



Ahh I see. Makes sense. Still, worldwide it isn't that big. That's like saying Mandarin is the world's most common language. Technically it's the most spoken but it's not a fair comparison when such a huge part of the population is concentrated in one country. Doesnt really represent the whole world in general.

India may be the most populous country but it is popular in many others throughout the world.

 

[SecretMoblin]

OP's list looks good enough to me, I suppose. Except for "Athletics." WTF is that?

in the U.S. we often call it "Track & Field" but Athletics also includes road running and things like speed walking

 

[Jezbollah]

I'm surprised at cricket. I love the game, but I'm fairly sure I read an article not so long ago about it being the only major sport whose grassroots participation numbers are actually on the decline.

Seems people like to watch but don't want to give it a try to play.

Cricket is huge in India, mainly. And a lot of it is to do with the T20 format of the game.

 

[A.edrerai]

In europe only one country dont play basketball and that is UK , all the other countries have it number 2 national sport .
Spain , Turkey , Greece , and in all other east block countries basketball is very very popullar and when you take together South America in to consideration with Chine then you can see why it is the Number 2 sport on Earth .

 

[Cyan]

Easy peasy:
1. college football
2. NFL football
3. college basketball
4. baseball
5. women's volleyball
6. table tennis
7. golf
8. actual tennis
9. Starcraft
10. ehhhhhh I guess soccer in a pinch

Source: I listed sports I personally like.

 

[Anoregon]

What is "athletics"? I thought that was just a general term.

It's essentially track and field type stuff.

 

[23qwerty]

I prefer to look at this question from Canada's perspective

ie. hockey is numero uno

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Easy peasy:
1. college football
2. NFL football
3. college basketball
4. baseball
5. women's volleyball
6. table tennis
7. golf
8. actual tennis
9. Starcraft
10. ehhhhhh I guess soccer in a pinch

Source: I listed sports I personally like.

I wish it was sports I liked, cricket is boring as fuuuuuuuuck.

 

[Stinkles]

Cricket is the worst. Makes baseball look thrilling.

 

[ctothej]

Who the fuck watches cricket

 

[Hypemaster]

Does anyone play basketball outside of America?

lmao

 

[Jezbollah]

I wish it was sports I liked, cricket is boring as fuuuuuuuuck.

It's a great sport to see in person and get drunk to.