Best Sports in the United States

The Top Ten
1 Basketball Basketball is a sport played by two teams of five players on a rectangular court. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted to a backboard at each end.

Even when a game is low scoring, defensive minded, it's the best sport. You still get constant movement and can see every players face, every emotion. Sports like soccer or football are either too far away or their wearing helmets. In basketball, everyone on the court usually touches the ball and has a chance to score. Soccer depends on mainly one scorer and a goalie while football has either a quarterback, receiver or running back virtually doing all the scoring, no one cares about kickers! Nothing bothers me more than a bunch of long drives that lead to no points or players kicking a ball around for 90 minutes and the score is 1-0.

Basketball is fun to both watch and play, that's how good it is! Also the fans of basketball are always amazing and loud for both College and the NBA, also I love basketball because it is easy to play and is not hard to learn which makes it even more fun, and I love that feeling when I put the ball in the hoop, I love it even more when I hear the net make a "swoosh sound", I love basketball and you will too if you start playing it and realizing how fun it is!

2 Football American football is a sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end.

Football is number one. In my opinion should be voted to be the "american pass-time". The sport doesn't take hours for it to be played out like baseball, and rarely ends in low digit scoring like soccer or hockey. Its also a physical match up that's what makes it interesting. Ohh can someone also tell me the point behind a "error" in baseball, honestly it is the most pointless stat in the book.

Its time for baseball to hand done the title of "America's favorite pass time". It got that title before any other sport was invented and has been coasting on that ever since.

Okay I don't know who the idiot cheerleader is that commented on this is saying they throw two pound balls... footballs don't weigh two pounds. And and yeah Dallas' Quarterback is Tony Romo fyi and I'm an Atlanta fan. Plus cheerleading isn't more dangerous than football because you go out and do routine, the same thing every time while football players don't know what to expect. And yeah y'all toss a person up and catch them but if you watch football you know that a football player is 50 times buffer than the buffers (cheerleader and could toss up 10 of y'all and catch you. And when talking about the weight of a football yeah it doesn't weigh that much but it's got speed and direction which can account for harder catches. I'd like to see a cheerleader go out and break a back, collarbone, rib, leg, arm, wrist, fingers, or sprain and whiplash things like the football players that we all know and love. They get payed like they do for a reason.. and people know the Dallas Cowboys' cheerleaders becAuse they're eye candy.

3 Baseball

I saw this list and almost spit my drink all over my computer. SOCCER is above baseball?! Okay, how many times has soccer (or basketball or football for that matter) been referred to as "The American Pastime? " How many more people followed baseball intently for the past century and a half in America than soccer? I can understand football being number one (I love it just as much as baseball) but being a baseball player I think it is ridiculous that it is below soccer and basketball. It is the oldest and most continuous sport in the United States. My fellow baseball players and fans, come to vote up this glorious pastime! It's sad that baseball fans are a dying breed, because it is the purest American sport. BASEBALL FOR #1!

The first thing I ever picked up when I was a baby was a baseball glove, and I have been playing ever since. It is the only sport that I have really played my whole life without getting sad or bored. I quit soccer after realizing that I hated it, and basketball just sucked completely when I played it. I actually never liked football, as it bores me and I just can't stand playing it or watching it. Baseball is the only true sport and is very exciting. I love to play it each and every day.

4 Soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is played with a spherical ball. The objective is to score the ball in the other teams goal.

Soccer is one of the oldest sports in the world. Baseball should be below soccer. In baseball you see a lot of chubby players. But in soccer there would only one fat person at the most. I have a brother who plays football and base ball. He says in soccer you rarely get hurt but that's so not true. I play a in city soccer league and the ball hit me in face and I was tripped twice in the first quarter and the referee didn't call it. Unlike football when every time your on the floor they call it. And baseball has only 1 way to conact another player which is by tagging te persn with the ball. So I understand basketball and football butnot baseball.

People have told me that soccer isn't even physical, you're just kicking around a ball, I mean seriously?!?!? OKAY! I'd really like to see you be pushed, elbowed, kicked, cleated, slapped, punched, bumped, knocked over, slide tackled, and to have it all done LEGALLY! Then to play through the pain because you know you're team needs you, and to do it without a single complaint. TRY IT!
You know what my coach says: " suck it up and go to the half line you're going back in" and I just say "okay" and walk to the half line even in pain.

5 Ice Hockey Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice, usually in a rink, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent's net to score points.

By far the most difficult sport to play, not to mention the toughness it takes to play. Not only do you have to be an expert skater, which is difficult on its own, you have to control a puck sliding on ice and all the while avoiding other players trying to smash you into the boards at every chance. Just look at the average hockey player. Any of them would take a slapshot going 80-90 mph TO THE FACE just to save a goal. Nothing compares to it. I've played football, baseball, soccer and hockey. I love football but it doesn't compare in toughness and none of them compare in skill.

Hockey is such a better sport than basketball. I don't know what all the hype is about. all the nba focuses on is LeBron James and how he gets a team-high 39 points in a game or something. There is always a different hero every night in hockey. From Crosby to Tatar or Ovechkin to Campbell. In a press conference James would say how he was the hero. in the Sochi olympics T. J Oshie was called an American hero. He said that's not me. The heroes wear camo. James wouldve been like yah I know. alli had to do was etc... And would a hockey player leave a game because he was slapped in the face? No. He would finish his penalty kill shift with a broken leg.

6 Gymnastics Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of exercises requiring strength, flexibility, balance and control.

I don't give a crap what you football, baseball, or hockey players think. We are just as strong and more than likely stronger than you. I swear, if you were to go to ONE level seven gymnastics practice, you would die. This isn't right. I lift weights at practice every single day. Even on weekends. You football players think three hours of practice five days a week is hard? Try five hours of practice six days a week. I only am allowed to get off Sunday practice because I have to go to church. And this is even during the school year! I have given up everything I know for gymnastics. All of my work money, all of my time, even my friends and going to normal school! I have to be home-schooled! Give me a break, #8? This isn't right! I don't care what you think, but the truth is that gymnastics is just harder than football, hockey, baseball, nascar, and pretty much anything else!

Oh my word, gymnasts are SO ANNOYING! Please little girls, this is the best sports list, not the hardest sports list. Just 'cause you think it's hard doesn't mean it's the best sport. And why do y'all have to go into detail about your training schedule and how you risk your life and yadda yadda, we don't really care. I find it funny that while nearly all of you are saying how hard it is, none of you have yet to prove that it's the best sport. I can think of ten sports that should be above you on this list, so don't get cocky. you aren't the greatest athletes the world has ever seen. In fact, you might actually be the worst in terms of sportsmanship, so stop acting like you are.

7 Swimming Swimming is an individual or team sport and activity. Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports, with events in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

Swimming is ranked one if the toughest sports in the world. It is truly the best. It take mental and physical strength and is not just a skill you can pick up. A few football players at my school tried to swim one year. They quit after a day because they just couldn't take it. Swimming keeps you in top shape because it works more than any other sport. But it's not just a sport it's a lifestyle because what you do outside of the pool matters unlike other sports.

Swimmers train the hardest and the longest out of any sport, also we do not have off seasons. For an example Michael Phelps trained on every holiday including Christmas and his own birthday! There are how many pro Soccer/Football hockey players...how many pro swimmers are there? You may have to look a bit harder for that one!

My opinion is that swimming is one of the greatest sports out there, basketball and foot ball are good if you want to strengthen some of your muscles. But swimming is the one of the best sports to get really good muscles everywhere.

8 Wrestling Wrestling is a combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds.

I'm only in 7th grade and the captain of the wrestling team. Did I mention I was a girl? Wrestling changed my life. It's a EXCELLENT way to stay in shape. Just release your anger out pon your opponent and go full force.

Wrestling is the best sport ever I know it should be at top of the list.
It is danegerous yes but it is the best enjoyed sorts in whole withe world.
Take those foolish sports from the top 5 and post wrestling number one

If wrestling was easy they would call it bascetball.

Wrestling is the only sport you use two balls for.

DO WRESTLING or do a sport that you use one ball for.

9 Tennis Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent or between two teams of two players each.

It's so much more than just hitting a ball back and forth, and many people don't understand that. It requires discipline, and good aim, but so much more as well. And whoever said football isn't hard isn't correct. My brother plays football and I've watched his practice before, and it is hard. I don't know if gymnastics is harder, but I think it is. It definitely builds up your pain tolerance and strength! I'm a level 7, and so far have broken a leg, a thumb, an arm, pulled a tendon, pulled a muscle, broken my tail bone, and broke my wrist. The uneven bars really did it for me...

Many people just assume this is hitting a ball back and forth. No no no, there is much more to that. Tennis is one of the most complex and underrated sports. All tennis players are driven, and it is by far the toughest sport to play. With exceptions of doubles, you can't rely on anyone else. When you make mistakes, the only one to blame is yourself. It truly is a shame that a large majority of people refuse to try it because of what they assume it is. Tennis is the best sport, no questions about it.

10 Horseback Riding Horseback riding (or Equestrian) is one of the most intense sports known to man. Not only because it's physically challenging, but it takes more than athleticism. Horseback riding takes commitment, time, patience, and most importantly building a bond with your horse. If you don't have a good relationship with your horse, you're not going to have a good experience. You need to spend as much time with... read more

This should be farther up on the list. This is honestly one of the best sports by far. It is more dangerous and challenging than any of the other sports. I know a lot of people can agree with me. I have been riding since I was 7 and I have never lost that"I love horses" stage. Whether you ride Western or English any equestrian can agree that horseback riding should be in 1st place!

HOW IS THIS NUMBER 9! Seriously it is probably the second hardest sport, (football might be harder) I think a lot of people-especially guys-think its is so easy it shouldn't even be considered a sport! Seriously try riding at a competitive farm for one week, I bet you will quit.

Of course it's the best! Imagine this 100,000 fans watching thousand pound animals run at 40 miles an hour, making big moves and sailing past everyone like they are walking. They run way faster than any of you football players. And I love football I even play it but it isn't as truly awesome as horse racing

The Contenders
11 Boxing Boxing is a martial art and combat sport in which two people wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring..

The best sport for men as people show their power and bravery. It's a good sport for abs!

Boxing is great you get to kick some ass/but so go out and start punching/kicking some people

BOXING IS THE BEST SPORT! The way you get pumped up and your adrenaline is flowing like crazy is the best feeling you could get! & knowing you can defend yourself if you need to is good too.

12 Auto Racing

NASCAR races sale out every week last year at the final race the stand filled up with 150,000 people. Daytona speedway has sold out every race since 2001. That's 34 races. That include only the Daytona 500 and the coke400. Not including the Budwiser duels and Sprint unlimited. I'm a big fan off NASCAR I have never been at a NASCAR race because the tickets sale out so quickly. I wacth every race I can. NASCAR's stands are always filled. People in Kansas hate NASCAR they want to close Kansas speedway down. I don't now way the sales are fantastic but NASCAR is the number 1 sport.

# 1 sport in America! Bottom line. Look at all the races and they're almost sold out every week. Almost every track holds 100,000+ fans. Not many football are baseball parks that can fill that many seats. The sport is still growing and what other sport can be so intense than watching 43 cars bumper to bumper 180+ mph. I say no more.

I thought that NASCAR was or is still the #1 sport in the USA? Check out the You Tube Posts. Not that the You Tube posts are all that; yet, still it is a relatively accurate overall picture of what the general public is participating in the most. So perhaps it really is the #1 Sport in the United States?

13 Skateboarding Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard. Skateboarding can also be considered a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation.

Skateboarding is awesome but I don't think it could past football. But what really confuses me is to why people think racing is exciting maybe in the car it is and maybe street racing but those long 24 lap races get so boring its worse than golf got dizzle. Also gymnastics is a hard sport but its not the best among the people of the US. I think that boxing should be #3 or 4 at least because it has so mucj excitement also Cage fighting should be all the way up there. People who actually read this, Thank you

Definitely a good sport, really how often do you hear of skateboarders dieing... Or on that note heatstroke, and concussions. Yes, skateboards do not dress properly but when you fall and get hurt you learn not to. Just like any sport you get hurt and fall down, break bones, and in general get hurt. If you do not feel confident, yes wear pads (suggested for younger children) but its never been a problem for me.

14 Dance

In my opinion, dance is the best sport, but I can totally understand why many people say that others are far better, so don't think I'm judging anyone.
Most people immediately think of a bunch of girls in tutus when someone mentions dance, but it's rly so much more. Firstly there are many many MANY different types of dances, and most of them have nothing to do with tutus! In fact, in a lot of those non tutu dances, comfortable non poofy clothes are needed to rly get those steps right. And I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with ballet mind you, I think that it's a very difficult sport.
Also I've seen many posts saying that dance "isn't a sport." Whoever says that has never seen real dancing. When people rly practice it, there's lots of sweat and sore muscles that come with it. And the best thing about dance is that it's not just about being strong and fit and dedicated. You also need to have concentration memorization grace and lots and lots of teamwork. When you dance with a group, everyone depends on each other, and any mistakes made by one person can have a huge affect on the whole group.
But, like I wrote before, I can understand why some people don't think of dance as a sport and I respect their opinion. Dance definitely isn't for everyone, just like wrestling or soccer or basketball isn't for everyone either.

15 Figure Skating Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, duos, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport included in the Olympics, in 1908. The four Olympic disciplines are men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dance.

Awesome! The most beautiful, fun, hard sport you will ever experience. It is almost impossible to describe that wonderful flying feeling every time I skate. This sport deserves to be #1, better than basketball for sure!

AWESOME! It needs YEARS of practice but eventually will pay off when you get to show everyone a triple or something. There is no better feeling in the world then landing a jump or spin.

Great for girls. Graceful, powerful, all in 1. Must do this sport!

16 Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.

Volleyball is the BEST! I've played it for years! Everyone thinks it's so easy (especially football players) But truth is... It's REALLY challenging! It takes practice, and discipline! It has to be the #1 TEAM sport! Because it requires communication, building up of team mates, skill, concentration, and a short memory (because if all you think about is the mistakes you've made, it affects your performance! ) It's a tough sport, but it's worth it

Yea volleyball is hard, it needs passing, setting, hitting, serving, and countless other little techniques like communication and leadership. It's really fun because when you hit you can hit as hard as you can! What other sports can you do that in?

People think " oh it's just a bunch of girls smacking a ball" well...NO volleyball is a very difficult sport with coordination and technique. Yes some sports like baseball of football may be the most difficult BUT volleyball should define be up there

17 Golf Golf is a club and ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes from a range of 80 to 600 yards on a course in as few strokes as possible.

Golf is fun and relaxing. A sport to play and enjoy yourself. Not like other sports where you hurt people and injure them. It's for the relaxed people.

I feel sorry for those that have never played Golf and caught the fever. Most people just don't know or understand and that is a pity!

Best sport without a doubt! No sports like any other, there is much more in this game than many people think.

18 Lacrosse Lacrosse is a contact team sport played between two teams using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick.

LACROSSE RULES! I understand it being under Football Baseball Basketball and Hockey, even though it takes the skills of all these sports put together they have a lot more fans professionally than any thing else. But LACROSSE IS NEXT IN LINE! I don't even think skateboarding is a sports, lacrosse takes all the skills of tennis and much more, wrestling is a little gay and not even a big college or professional sport, putting swimming above all of these sports is just dum and college lacrosse is bigger than college and proffesional soccer. I don't mean to put other sports diwn, but lLACROSSE AT LEAST DESERVES SPOT NUMBER 5!

The fastest sport on two feet is also the fastest growing sport in america. If you take the tactics of basketball, the contact of football and hockey, the endurance of soccer, and the hand eye coordination of baseball, then you put it all on steroids, you have the greatest sport ever made.

19 Archery Archery is the sport, practice or skill of using a bow to propel arrows. The word comes from the Latin arcus.
20 Cross-Country

Cross country is both a team sport and an individual sport. You are running the same event with your teammates, yet you are trying to compete against yourself. It takes a lot of willpower to run, so it will strengthen you for other life situations.

Cross country is by far the best sport in the world behind hockey and wrestling. I love so much and I'm always going to run it, today (6-14-13) I'm 12 years old and my fastest mile is eight minutes and thirty two seconds.

This sport is not only the best but the hardest taking on pain both physically and mentally for great periods of time and the feeling you get of complete freedom it is just so amazing!

21 Diving

Very hard to do a dive and do everything perfect.

22 Badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" and "doubles".

My god. People these days

This is best sport ever

23 Mixed Martial Arts Mixed martial arts is a full-contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, from a variety of other combat sports and martial arts.

Mma is way farther up then 16, all combat sports wish they could be mma... All of these gay little. Sports that no one watches. Mma is nothing less than number 1, two highly trained martial artist, and athletes put more on the line in 15 min, than running back does in a year.. This is a real mans sport

I've played football, basketball, and soccer, and by far mma is the hardest, most technical and exciting sport I've ever watched or participated in. It should be number one in my opinion

Come on guys, lets face it, wrestling is no more than borderline gay porn. I mean come on, it two shirtless dudes rolling around with each other on a mat, and if this is bad here's how you make it worse... Ready... IT'S ALL CHOREOGRAPHED! MMA however is real, and more realistic to what a fight in real life is like.

24 Track and Field

I love running and a very fast runner to it should've been on this list already I like swimming to but running is better especially since all my fat goes to my legs so that keeps them in shape!

I like to run. Track and field can make your body more heathly and strong, preparing for important events in the late future

There is no luck in this sport, you need to work for your speed.

25 Cheerleading Cheerleading is a sport and performance activity that combines elements of dance, gymnastics, and acrobatics. Originating in the United States, it has evolved significantly over the years, moving beyond the traditional role of leading cheers for sports teams to become a highly competitive activity in its own right. Cheerleading squads perform choreographed routines that include stunts, jumps, and... read more

Uh hello how could cheerleading not be on this list before I added it... ? It teaches you discipline and ya it is hard and dangerous but fun. and football I can not believe that is # 1 I mean all the boys in my class are bragging about how strong there are... truth is I could beat them up in a heart beat! ! And they are complaining how hard there practice was last night well I had surgery, my Achilles tendon snapped and I have arthritis in my right wrist and my two toes and... lets see oh ya my 2 knees and my right ring finger (the reason I have arthritis in my finger is because of the surgery ) I have had a broken arm, and a sprained ankle from cheer so guys... build a bridge and GET OVER IT! ! !

O. K cheerleading should be a lot higher than 21! It should be at dances spot because dance should not even be a sport. In CHEERLEADING when you sprain your ankle, lose a tooth, or even break your arm you have to keep going, but in dance if you barley twist your wrist the whole show has to stop. Take it from me a competive cheerleader, during a competion while I was tumbling I twisted my wrist then right after that I had to stunt wich ment picking up a 130 pound girl who is older, heaver, and a lot taller than I am. So you know what cheer should be ranked waaay higher than it is! ;(

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