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Biggest annual U.S. sporting events

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Mr. X, Apr 6, 2008.

Page 4 of 8
  1. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    I agree, but it would still be plenty big because the NFL is a giant. (Though one could argue it became a giant through gambling, too.) The NCAA tournament without brackets, and the format that allows everyone their quick bracket-fix through the first four days, would be a relative blip on the radar.

    That's why I'm astonished when coaches and others talk about expanding the thing to 128 teams or more. The 64-line bracket sheet and the format is an institution. More would NOT equal better.
     
    playthrough, Apr 6, 2008
    #37
  2. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    The NFL is all about gamling, isn't it?

    Here's the Top Five on this side of the border

    1) Grey Cup (routinely gets the biggest TV ratings unless there's a Game Seven in the Cup final and there's a Canadian team in it)
    2) Stanley Cup Playoffs
    3) World Junior Hockey Championship (a Xmas tradition here)
    4) Super Bowl
    5) Brier (Canadian men's curling championship)

    I'd say after that there's a huge fall-off. No one much cares about American OR Canadian college/university sports although last year's Vanier Cup (university football championship) got NBA (i.e. Raptors) type ratings.
     
    JR, Apr 6, 2008
    #38
  3. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    The football championship is bigger than the hockey championship in Canada? Seriously?

    (Not disputing you, just wondering ... )
     
    Steak Snabler, Apr 6, 2008
    #39
  4. rube

    rube Active Member

    Yeah that seems extremely odd to me too. But hey, I'm not canadian so I wouldn't know.
     
    rube, Apr 6, 2008
    #40
  5. Huggy

    Huggy Well-Known Member

    I don't know if Canucks live and die with the Stanley Cup playoffs unless their team is in it.

    There are still plenty of people who have Grey Cup parties at home (although it's not at the level of the Super Bowl and I don't see many bars advertising Grey Cup bashes).

    The World Junior finals - if Canada is in it and it's being shown in prime time - is a huge TV attraction.
     
    Huggy, Apr 6, 2008
    #41
  6. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    That the U.S. Open tennis tournament (or Wimbledon, for that matter) doesn't get a mention shows how far tennis has fallen off the map here.
     
    Football_Bat, Apr 6, 2008
    #42
  7. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    I think the U.S. Open being right at the beginning of football season (both college and NFL) hurts its visibility significantly. Wimbledon isn't in the U.S.
     
    Steak Snabler, Apr 6, 2008
    #43
  8. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    Yup. The Grey Cup is a Canadian tradition. It's our Super Bowl and it's been televised since the late 50's.

    It's also a West versus East affair (very big in Canada).

    CBC routinely gets 4 million plus viewers for the game.

    I think (I may be wrong) that the only single hockey game that has outdrawn it was the men's hockey gold medal game at SLC. The country shut down for a few hours.

    And Huggy's right. Grey Cup parties are still a big deal.
     
    JR, Apr 6, 2008
    #44
  9. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    That's why I mentioned Wimbledon parenthetically, obviously.
     
    Football_Bat, Apr 6, 2008
    #45
  10. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    Well, I'll be damned. Learn something new every day.

    Next thing you know, someone will tell me basketball's bigger than soccer in Argentina ...
     
    Steak Snabler, Apr 6, 2008
    #46
  11. Huggy

    Huggy Well-Known Member

    For a lot of Canucks - like me, for instance - the Grey Cup might be the only CFL game they watch all year.
     
    Huggy, Apr 6, 2008
    #47
  12. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    What, no love for the Labour Day Classic?
     
    JR, Apr 6, 2008
    #48
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