Where is the sports capital of the world?
There are many cities around the world that boldly lay claim to the tag of the planet’s sports capital. Within this article, we explore some of those locations to separate the pretenders from the real deal.
A city may be dubbed the sporting capital of the world for many reasons. It might stage some of the biggest sporting events in the industry’s calendar. It might be home to some of the biggest sports franchises on Earth. Or it might be home to a bustling community of sports fanatics and bettors. Let’s check out four iconic cities that have legitimate claims as to the epicenter of global sport.
Las Vegas
We’re going to start with a somewhat left-field pick, but it will imminently make more sense. Las Vegas is up there as one of the sporting capitals of the world. The “Sin City” is famed for its monstrous land-based sportsbooks within the cavernous casino resorts that line the Las Vegas Boulevard Strip. You can catch ball-by-ball or blow-by-blow coverage of any major sporting event on the planet here. Live sport is an institution in Vegas, and it’s only got bigger since the arrival of the Raiders NFL franchise to the Nevada desert. Head Downtown to the new Circa Resort & Casino to the Stadium Swim complex. Here, you can enjoy a dip in the pool and catch the next big game at your leisure.
It’s not just the land-based sportsbooks that offer exceptional coverage of all major league sports in Las Vegas and Nevada. The Silver State also has a fully regulated online sports betting marketplace, with dedicated Nevada sports betting sites for residents and tourists wishing to place wagers on their desktop or mobile within the state lines.
New York
The “Big Apple” of New York is a credible contender for the sports capital of the world. There are few cities in North America that have the volume of major league sports franchises operating in New York. In fact, there are two franchises for all five major league sports – football, ice hockey, basketball, baseball, and soccer. Live sports are ingrained in the culture of New Yorkers.
Aside from the major league sports in the US, New York is also firmly on the global sports calendar for the likes of tennis and golf. The US Open is one of four “Grand Slams” in the tennis season, which is held at Flushing Meadows, Brooklyn. Meanwhile, golf’s PGA Championship is also regularly staged within the Empire State.
London
It’s hard to deny the sporting heritage that oozes from every pore of the English capital, London. You’ll find some of the biggest soccer teams on the planet based here, as well as some of the most iconic sporting stadia including the national arena Wembley, sporting its now-iconic arch. Nevertheless, London’s sporting traditions are about so much more than soccer. It’s the home of cricket and rugby union too, with Lord’s and Twickenham the legendary bases for the respective English national teams.
There’s also the magnificent Wimbledon tennis championships which, like the US Open, is one of the four Grand Slams on the ATP and WTA tennis tour. The tournament is the culmination of the short but sweet grass-court season – and no visit to SW19 would be complete without a healthy portion of strawberries and cream!
Melbourne
The Australian city of Melbourne is another that labels itself the sporting capital of the world. When you look at its sporting pedigree it’s hard to argue with. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is one of the most iconic sporting amphitheaters in the world, hosting cricket and Aussie Rules. There’s also the street circuit around the picturesque Albert Park, which provides the ideal opening race for the F1 season.
The critics that deem Melbourne unworthy for the title of the world’s sporting capital cite that their most popular sports by crowd size – Aussie Rules and rugby league – are two sports that lack genuine global appeal.
If we were hard-pressed to make a call on the sports capital of the world from the four cities above, we’d have to go with New York. With so many iconic sporting franchises and venues like the Yankees Stadium and Madison Square Garden, the Big Apple is undoubtedly the place to get your general sporting fix.
