Sports in Britain

This can only be a feeble attempt to guide one to sports in the UK, as the British are the kings of game creation and the range of sports here is astounding. What better to do on the rainy days but to invent new games. The most popular spectator sports here (in no particular order):

• Football - aka Soccer, Footie, the Beautiful Game
• Rugby
• Grand Prix Racing
• Golf
• Boxing
• Horse and Greyhound Racing
• Cricket
• Tennis
• Basketball (NBA)
• Snooker
• Athletics - aka Track and Field
• Hockey

The beautiful game. Football/Soccer

By far the most followed sport in the UK, I can say without a doubt. The diehard fans are as emotional about their team as their own family, likened I suppose to strong American patriotism. A lifetime hobby, a fever, a passion, nothing like I’ve seen in the sport world before. Football mad. Not all, but many. Some can’t stand the game. But the fan will spend all of their free time reading newspapers, teletext, team websites for any sort of news about the team, or affecting the team, such as injuries, transfers, etc. The World Cup brings out the dormant patriotism in the British as they support their national team as is the time of this writing. Since having an involvement with such a football fan, I have learned to appreciate the skill and endurance of the football players of world class teams, and find it a terrible shame that the US has some catching up to do, but cannot happen until the fanbase of the sport in the States grows. I have been lucky enough to attend a Premiereship match, and the atmosphere, which you can hear in any tv broadcast as well, is incredible. The attendance of the top league matches ranges from 25,000 to 60,000, depending on stadium size and are nearly always sold out. It is difficult to get tickets to the biggest games, and lucky for those who have season tickets. But imagine most of these people attending, omitting the away fans, all singing the same songs and chants. It’s a spectacle to behold. I always have to ask what they’re singing, as it’s difficult to make out at times. If one has an interest in sports, this one worthwhile to take up, and as the world cup is in full swing, a prime time to see the best of the best. The American side can also use all of the support they can get. Some of the American National team play in the US’s MLS, and many are in the top leagues in the world, including many UK teams. Rankings of the divisions linked to official websites:

Want to pick a team to follow? You could pick a team near to where you live, a team with an American player, or any other player that you like, or a team that someone you know follows.

I was once told that cricket is a game that one can fall asleep while watching and not have missed much. Isn’t that an indication that not much happens? I dunno. It’s taken me a long time to get the vaguest understanding of this game, which is in some ways similar to baseball, but more complicated. There are some links on this page to get one started.

Rugby is another popular sport, one that I know very little about. I imagine the fans to be just as passionate as they can be about football. There are two Rugby games, distinctly different, Rugby League and Rugby Union. It seems to me as a cross between soccer and American football, but more dangerous as they wear no protective gear.

Horse Racing can be great fun. I’m not a big gambler, but I like to have a go at the Grand National (remember the book/film National Velvet?), I’ve been lucky a few times, picked horses that place/show. The biggest racing news site is the Racing Post.

There are some hockey fans here, as the existence of the European teams suggests. The London team, London Knights, are made up of mostly Canadian players, at the time of this writing. And some US teams practice at the London Arena on occasion.