The Most Popular Sports in the United States

The United States is sports-crazed. Each year, hundreds of millions of Americans tune in to watch their sport of choice. Whereas much of the world has fallen deeply in love with soccer (football), the United States has dozens of sports, some of which Americans originally invented, that all see significant viewership.

By a large margin, the most popular sport in the United States is American Football, with over 188.4 million fans in the United States. Baseball comes in second place with 171.1 million fans, and basketball comes in third place with 155.9 million fans.

Most Popular Sports In The USA By Total Fans

Playfly Fanscore, using studies by Vision Insights, estimated these US fan totals.

1. American Football - 188.4 Million Fans

American football is by far the most popular sport in the United States. American football originally merged from the two sports of soccer (football) and rugby. In the late 19th century, early forms of the game were traditionally played between colleges and universities. It is largely agreed that the first-ever game of American football was played in 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton.

In the 20th century, American football took off in popularity along with many other sports. It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that American football reached the heights it enjoys today. The 1958 NFL Championship is largely credited with captivating the mainstream American audience. Since 1967, the Super Bowl has replaced the NFL Championship and now serves as one of the largest cultural events in the United States each year.

2. Baseball - 171.1 Million Fans

Often referred to as "America's pastime," baseball has always been a cornerstone of American culture. While there are some disputes over the exact details, it is largely accepted by historians that baseball was first invented in 1845 by a group of New Yorkers who called themselves the New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club.

Alexander Joy Cartwright, one of the members, created many of the rules that we still see in baseball today. Although early versions of the sport had many similarities to English games such as cricket, modern baseball is distinctly American. Even though its once unrivaled popularity has since faded in favor of basketball and football it still remains a popular pastime.

3. Basketball - 155.9 Million Fans

Basketball was first invented by James Naismith, a Canadian physical educator, while he was teaching at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The game was originally created as an alternative to American football that involved less injury and could be played without having to worry about bad weather.

The game has changed quite radically since its inception. It was first played with peach baskets instead of nets, and it lacked some of the trademark features that we recognize today, such as a three-point line and a key. Not only is basketball incredibly popular in the United States, but across the globe as well.

4. Ice Hockey - 136.2 Million

Despite being a core component of the Canadian identity, ice hockey is still quite popular in the United States. While the exact origins of hockey are not exactly clear, the sport first began to take shape when the National Hockey League was first formed in 1917. At first, it only consisted of four Canadian teams, later adding the Boston Bruins in 1923 as its first American team.

The NHL went through many ups and downs and in 1943 only had six teams remaining. Often referred to as the "original six," the surviving teams of the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadians laid the groundwork for the modern NHL. Today the NHL now has 32 teams, most of which are located in the United States.

5. Golf - 123 Million Fans

Golf first originated in the Highlands of Scotland in the 15th century. First played by nobility, early versions of the game involved players hitting a small stone with a stick across a sand dune. The game grew in popularity across Europe and was introduced in the United States during British colonization.

The United States Golf Association was formed in 1894 to regulate the game more thoroughly and to establish a codified ruleset. The United States has since produced some of the best golfers in history. Tiger Woods for instance was arguably the first golf megastar to emerge from the sport with various sponsorships and a media buzz that was unprecedented at the time.

6. NASCAR - 71 Million Fans

NASCAR's origins can be found during the era of Prohibition and bootlegging in the United States. These bootleggers, especially those from the Appalachian region, were infamous for evading the police using cars that were modified for speed and handling. Once alcohol was once again made legal in 1933, these types of cars were used in various local races.

This eventually developed further until the first-ever NASCAR race was held in 1948. NASCAR has been one of America's fastest-growing sports and has seen a particularly loyal following in the South. There are now more than 100 tracks in the United States and Nascar has even held race series in Canada, Mexico, and Europe.

7. Soccer - MLS Cup - 1,560,000 Average Views

Despite much of the world debating over the word "soccer" instead of "football," the beautiful game is still enjoyed by millions of Americans. Soccer grew in the United States in parallel to its popularity in the United Kingdom in the 19th century. However, whereas it became the game of choice for the British and much of the world, Americans often passed up soccer for other games like American football and baseball.

Soccer has experienced a steady level of growth since the 1990s in the United States. With the founding of the MLS in the 1990s, more American cities have adopted teams of their own which have each developed loyal fanbases. Even world-class players such as David Beckham and Lionel Messi have played in the MLS, albeit at the tail end of their careers.

Final Thoughts

Sports have always been a core part of the American identity. While American football remains supreme in most metrics, sports like MMA, hockey, and soccer are growing at an extraordinary pace. As a result of the internet age and globalization, more Americans have been exposed to a litany of sports, all of which seem to develop a respectable following in a short amount of time.