Each of these events garner huge crowds of enthusiastic fans
Sports are embedded into the fabric of America, with fans traveling near and far just to support their favorite teams and players on game day. While the nation is home to its fair share of prestigious sporting events, there are a few worth pointing out. We won’t cover every notable happening in American sports here, but these four should undoubtedly make your bucket list.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is a massive spectator’s event in America, and largely the one that most sports fans look forward to every year. The NFL season cumulates on this grand stage, with one franchise from the NFC and AFC facing off against each other in the pursuit of permanent bragging rights and the shiny Vince Lombardi trophy. Because it is an annual event, it’s easy to see how viewership has evolved over the years. The Super Bowl is clearly expanding its presence to include fans in the online sphere, evidenced by the fact that an incredible 11.2 million people streamed the game in 2022, doubling the numbers from last year when 5.7 million tuned in. Additionally, nowadays supporters are taking to virtual platforms to interact with the players and teams they love most, especially through social networks like TikTok and Instagram. The Super Bowl is also expanding its reach as providers give fans the chance to analyze top picks and contenders each year, all the way up until the big game. There’s no doubt that the American football fanbase is thriving thanks to the digital ecosystem.
Although the Super Bowl just recently came and went, next year’s edition (Super Bowl LVII), which will take place in Glendale, Arizona, is already highly anticipated by both country-wide aficionados and those abroad. Right now, the experts over at Betway betting point to the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs as top favorites. However, only time will tell who will take home the prestigious title in 2023.
The Masters
If there’s any event that golf fans must attend at least once in their lifetime, it’s the Masters. This tournament sees the very best in the sport compete in Augusta, Georgia at the beautiful Augusta National Golf Club. Ever since the event’s first edition back in 1934, athletes have come together to compete for the prestigious ‘Green Jacket’, which the champion takes home and returns the next year to award to the following victorious golfer.
Like the Super Bowl, tickets to the Masters are hard to come by, normally costing lots of money and being distributed by a lottery draw. The tournament takes place annually in April, but prospective attendees should apply for the lottery months beforehand. Of course, if you happen to have a job as a sports journalist that requires you to interview athletes and take photos of high-profile events, there’s a chance you could be invited to The Masters one day. One thing’s for certain – if you do get the opportunity to sit front row to watch top golf talent compete on the green in Augusta, it won’t be an experience you’ll soon forget.
The Daytona 500
In the world of NASCAR, there is truly nothing like the Daytona 500. Racing fans know this event well, an annual racing spectacle that meets at the Daytona International Speedway in the Floridian coastal city of the same name. Dubbed as ‘The Great American Race’, this competition is the most watched auto race in the country, surpassing even the Indy 500. Austin Cindric is the latest reigning champion, winning it all in an intense race battle that went into overtime.
Crowds at the Daytona 500 are big and loud; you should be ready to experience thousands of resounding voices shouting with all their might for their favorite racer. This environment is electric and high-energy, and while you should no doubt record the moment on your phone to look back on later, practice good cell phone etiquette and don’t use your device if another fan is trying to talk to you, or while you’re waiting in line.
Which American sporting event would you like to attend given the chance?
The NBA Finals
In America, basketball makes up one of the ‘Big 4’ sports (basketball, football, baseball, and hockey) and is thus widely followed across the country. The NBA Finals happen at the cumulation of every professional basketball season, and they are highly sought-after tickets. The champion is determined based on the best-of-seven games which are traditionally played in early June. The reigning champs are the Milwaukee Bucks, as they just managed to come out on top in 2021 against the Phoenix Suns in a game that ended with a finals score of 105-98. Fans now await a new Finals series scheduled to kick off on June 2.
In the NBA, some of the most followed teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and Chicago Bulls. The Denver Nuggets are also very popular, especially as they have the reigning MVP on their side, Nikola Jokić. Whoever you choose to support, basketball in America is never boring.
