It is fascinating to see where different sports rank in popularity, especially when they are all competing for advertising and investment.
Popularity can be measured by attendance figures, TV audience and revenue earner. Which sport is the most popular in the world? After examining all the criteria, it is obvious that soccer is the king. What is the second most popular sport in the world? This honor goes to basketball, followed by cricket.
1) SOCCER
It is the most popular game in the world, with fans ranging from young and old to the wealthy. It is Chinese-based and was created by the English.
It is played in 208 countries and has a huge fan base. It is the number one sport in 93 countries, with a combined population that is 2 billion people. It is the most popular casino online sport in the world and can be enjoyed by both rich and poor. The European domestic leagues are worth more than $30 billion, while the other leagues add another $10 billion. The soccer World Cup can increase the economy of the host country by as much as $10 billion (except for developing countries). (Bleacher Report – Most Popular Team Sport: Soccer & Cricket; by Amrit Dley, May 7, 2009).
There are many types of soccer. These include indoor, futsal, and beach soccer. They all help to increase the game’s appeal. There is also women’s soccer, which has grown in popularity since the 1990s. It also features World Cup competitions.
2) CRICKET
This is the second most popular sport worldwide.
It is the most loved sport in 20 countries, with a combined population of 1.6bn people. It also ranks among the top 3 in 10 countries with more than 200 million people. With a combined TV audience of over 5 billion, the cricket World Cup is second in terms of sporting events. The Board of Control of Cricket in India, which is valued at more than $2 billion, is the most valuable sporting organization in the globe. (Bleacher Report – Most Popular Team Sports etc).
Twenty 20 is the three-hour 20 over a team format of cricket, as well as One Day Internationals 50 over one side and Test matches (the more traditional form) lasting up to five days.
It was developed in England in the 17th century. The colonists then exported it to the colonies in the 18th.
There are many things to be proud about for cricket controllers. It is second despite the fact that it is only played in British Commonwealth countries, namely West Indies, England and Australia, India and Pakistan, South Africa, South Africa, South Africa, South Africa, South Africa, South Africa, New Zealand, and (2) some players were expelled from certain countries for their race or class.
Yet, cricket managed to survive and become the second most loved sport. The development of the game in these countries is a good example of this:
(a) England
English cricket has always been a game of class. In the beginning, teams consisted of gentlemen (amateurs) who belonged in the upper and middle classes, and professionals (players) from the working class.
Since the days of gentlemen dominating the game, cricket has advanced. Twenty 20 cricket, programs to promote cricket in state schools such as “Chance to Shine”, and other initiatives have all contributed to the game’s popularity.
However, cricket is still a middle-class sport in England (still called the “Gentleman’s game”).
Many schoolchildren are prevented from playing cricket because of lingering prejudices or preconceptions. Only 10% of English schools offer cricket regularly and it is the sixth most-popular sport. However, almost all private schools offer regular cricket and have excellent facilities and coaches. It is evident that many young people are not getting the opportunity to play in state schools, as only 93 percent of the children in the UK attend them up to age 16. This lack of opportunity has reached the national team. Today, more than 3/4 of Test team members were educated in independent schools (English Cricket & The Class Barrier, April 9, 2013, Andrew Thorpe-Apps).
(b) West Indies
The English colonists introduced cricket in 17th-century England. They played the game with each other, while the slaves watched from the cane fields.
The slaves will retrieve the ball if it is hit into the cane field. To impress his master, the slave will try to throw it back as accurately and quickly as possible.
Sometimes, a master would notice a slave and invite him to play near the boundary line to retrieve any balls that had been hit close to the boundary.
Blacks were occasionally invited to participate in limited roles as fast bowlers, where they could use their physical strength. This was the situation until Learie Constantine, later Sir Learie Constantine, arrived in 1920.
Learie Constantine was a pioneer because he was a black all rounder who could bowl, bat, and field, as well as having a deep understanding of the game. He proved that blacks can play with their head and not their physical strength. This led to the inclusion of more Africans in the West Indies team, and Frank Worrell (later Sir Frank Worrell), was appointed in 1960 as the first West Indian captain.
The arrival of blacks to West Indian cricket helped boost the fortunes of the national team, which went on the become world champions in 1980 and 1990. This also increased the appeal of the game.
(c) South Africa
Apartheid banned blacks and other coloreds from the game. Non-white tour teams were also exempted. In 1970, South Africa cancelled an England tour because it included Basil D’Oliveira (a South African colored player). South Africa was therefore banned from test cricket in 1970. It was reinstated in 1991 after the fall of apartheid, and South Africa’s racial barriers were lifted.
(d) India
The British colonists brought cricket to India in 18th century. It was then controlled by princes under the British Raj (colonial India), especially after 1880’s.
The princes competed to be the best and wanted to establish indigenous power by beating colonial masters at their game. So they gave patronage to the most skilled cricketers, regardless of caste, creed, or social background.
After 1947 independence, princely patronage was replaced with corporate control over the game. Companies favored educated players from upper classes because they wouldn’t be a burden to the company in retirement.
This shift in patronage was furthered by an increase in stadium ticket prices and a decrease of government funding for cricket in poor areas. The working class shifted away from cricket to more affordable soccer and hockey.
The national team was affected by the transformation. In 1978, it had only 2 players that were not upper-caste Hindus, and in 1982, all but 1 were brahmans (Cricket India: Representative playing field to be restricted preserve by Boria Majundar. Ethnicity. Sport, Identity: Struggles For Status 2006).
The game is still the most loved in India, despite being exempted from cricket for the poor. This is due in large part to the recent production by India of some of world’s top players such as Gavaskar or Tendulkar, and the development of limited-overs cricket and the immense success of the national team over thirty years.
The popularity of cricket in India and Pakistan, which together make up more than 1/5 the world’s population, has made it the second most popular sport after soccer.
BASKETBALL
Basketball, an American invention, is the most loved sport in the Philippines. It is also among the top 3 most beloved sports in more than 10 other countries. The combined population of the Philippines is 1.8 billion. The USA is home to 90% of basketball’s revenue, with the NBA teams earning more than $3.3 billion. International players have made the sport more popular across the globe. (Bleacher Report: Most Popular Team Sports etc).
Because the criteria used to rank them differs, it is hard to rank the places that follow.
It is difficult to analyze the popularity of different sports. Technology has made it easier to increase the popularity of different sports. People enjoy sports for many reasons, whether they are players or viewers. Popularity will continue to rise, making it even more difficult.