The world loves sports. Since time immemorial, people have been awed and inspired by extraordinary human beings who are able to perform tremendous athletic feats. Sports play a huge role in our society. Children learn life skills on the field/pitch, and sports are a way for cities to bond, people to relax, and humans to admire the raw athleticism and tactical intelligence of our most experienced athletes. There are many reasons why people love sports – they are fun, exciting, healthy, unpredictable, and they make us feel alive.
The professional sports industry draws crowds of millions of fans who cheer on their favorite teams and they turn out in droves to watch them play live. Every weekend, fans flock in their thousands to stadiums to watch their favorite team play, whether it be a football match in the English Premier League or a basketball game in the National Basketball Association. Millions more also tune into the games back home, making the professional sports market a highly lucrative one for broadcasters and advertisers alike.
Some have side bets going with money riding on scores and final results of games, while others just have a sense of pride and adoration for teams they’re rooting for. The reason, professional sports is one of the biggest industries in the world today, is a phenomenon that has spread throughout the entire world. In an increasingly commercialized industry, brands seek to take advantage of the sporting world’s biggest names in order to sell their products in stadiums, on television, and on social media.
Here are the top 10 most popular sports in the world.
| Rank | Sport | Global fanbase |
| 1. | Football (Soccer) | 4 billion |
| 2. | Cricket | 2.5 billion |
| 3. | Hockey | 2 billion |
| 4. | Tennis | 1 billion |
| 5. | Volleyball | 900 million |
| 6. | Table tennis | 875 million |
| 7. | Basketball | 825 million |
| 8. | Baseball | 500 million |
| 9. | Rugby | 475 million |
| 10. | Golf | 450 million |
