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Most Global Sports?
No one would doubt that soccer (properly, football) is the world's most global sport. All you need to play is a ball and a flat space. After soccer, what are the most global sports? The ones that have the most appeal and the most even amounts of talent around the world?
American Football - Almost all the top players are American.
Hockey - Limited to cold countries.
Cricket/Rugby - Almost exclusively the domain of former British colonies.
Baseball - Europe, Africa, and most of Asia still haven't caught on.
NASCAR - Please.
Which leaves basketball, whose world championships are being played right now in Japan. The championship features 24 teams from every continent, and while USA is the dominant favorite, there are plenty of contenders including Argentina, Germany, and Spain. Plus, a number of international players star in the NBA and the first draft pick was an Italian.
You’ve forgotten apparantly the second most popular sport in India: http://www.mad4f1.com/season-2005/f1-standings.htm .
at least according to this guy: http://www.poorbuthappy.com/india/node/169
Formula 1 is HUGE worldwide however it may be restricted to developing countries only because its such a big buisness sport. Regardless, its consistantly a widely popular always international sport. Its just not big in America, kind of like soccer/football. Mostly because we have a better sport called NASCAR.
Firstly, being a sport of former British colonies isn’t mutually exclusive with being global, so don’t rule Cricket out on that score.
Secondly, Baseball is widely played across the Americas and East Asia, with limited interest in Europe, so it probably rates better than you expect.
Thirdly, don’t forget Rugby Union – as well as a strong following in the former British colonies, it’s also popular in Argentina, France, Spain, Romania, Georgia, Italy, Japan, and even the US has a team usually rated in the world top 15.
My guess:
Clear 1# Football (soccer)
Clear 2# Basketball
Closely packed around 3# Rugby / Cricket / Baseball / Ice Hockey
It’s hard to rate motorsports because the rates for participation and viewing are so wildly different.