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10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

February 22, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

Sports are not just about getting onto the field and competing to win the game. Sports is a whole world in itself, and the sports stars are among the most sought after beings on the planet, with their popularity matching that of Hollywood stars. All eyes are on the athletes and their every move, be it on the field or off it. How they play, what they do, what they wear: everything is important. Athletes try be as fashionable as possible, with the fashion and sports accessories they use. One of the most important accessories of athletes are the shoes they wear, because they are not only an addition to their stylish look, but also provide them extra flexibility, agility, cushioning, etc. Shoes are associated with sports and athletes in many ways. Many great sports companies are there in the world, and they sponsor some great athletes. They also design new shoes in honor of sports stars as well. New shoes are released in the market every once in a while. Let us take a look at 10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015.

10 Most Hyped Shoes of Winter 2015

1. Nike Metcon 1

The Nike Metcon 1 has been released on January 31, 2015. It is a cross-training shoe built with minimal heel-toe drop to provide stability while withstanding the rigors of lifting, running or jumping, with durable sides for protection on the ropes. It is one of the best sneakerheads released in the season, with advanced technology and design. Just like any other Nike shoe of this kind, Metcon 1 has been provided with excellent traction system. The grooves on the sole are great for regular needs. In terms of looks, it is a cross between a basketball shoe and a running shoe. What makes it stand out is the multi-coloured platform, with a volt neon colour. The shoe is a must-haves

2. Nike LeBron 12 ’23 Chromosomes’

Nike LeBron 12 ’23 Chromosome’ has been released on January 17, 2015. LeBron 12s have a tradition of excellence that has been created by Nike in collaboration with LeBron James. 23 Chromosome seems to be in continuation with the tradition. In fact, it is considered the pair to look out for among the releases in 2015. With a colourway inspired by DNA, used as the backdrop, and it works tremendously well in terms of appeal. It has an aggressive ultraviolet pattern suspended ober the black base. The intricate designs and the colourful stylized interpretation of DNA gel0readings on the Hyperposite upper make it extremely eye-catching. It is definitely for the basketball fans.

3. Nike Zoom Cage 2

Nike Zoom Cage 2 is a shoe that has hit the market on January 14, 2015. The striking feature of this shoe is that it is a tennis shoe, and is a forward-thinking one at that. Its traction and support are quite impressive, and it is also extremely lightweight at the same time, which is particularly helpful for any tennis player. The heels offer great cushioning, allowing the player to get comfort throughout the match, without compromising on the speed. It incorporates advanced technology, such as Drag-on, which in particular, boosts the durability of the pair. Despite being light and sleek, the shoe helps to guard against scuffs and regular wear-and-tear. It is impressive to look at, too.

4. Air Jordan 4 ‘Oreo’

When Air Jordan 4 “Columbia” was released, there was a lot of hype around the product in the market. This hype increased when the release of Air Jordan “Oreo” was announced, due in February. In fact, it is perhaps one of the most anticipated and hyped releases of the year. It is the newest member of the collection named Remastered. Oreo has been designed as a colourway that is likely to remain unharmed in terms of colour and material for a long time. These kicks have a black base, and complementing this base is the colour grey, with just a flash of white around the back of the midsole region. Made of tumbled leather, it is one of the top-notch releases of 2015.

5. Adidas D Lillard 1

Adidas has created D Lillard 1 in collaboration with one of the top guards in the NBA, Damian Lillard, after having jumped from their previous favourite NBA guard, Stephen Curry. Lillard is noted for his habit of crushing the opponents and for hitting some memorably big shots. As a result, he had Adidas offer the hoop slasher his very own signature pair of shoes, the Adidas D Lillard 1. This shoe is one of the most eye-catching products by the brand in 2015. The initial colourway for the shoe revolves around the Portland Trail Blazers, with speckled midsole and dual-colour bottom complementing a fusion of black, red and white, with other colourways to be released soon.

6. Air Jordan 7 ‘French Blue’

With 2015 being the 30^th anniversary of Jordan Brand, a large number of crazy releases are anticipated in this year, and they are sure to be pretty expensive. The Air Jordan 7 “French Blue” is one of these much-anticipated releases. It is also a part of the series called Remastered. The shoe is designed to be equipped with high-quality leather to give the product a gorgeous look, a stitched colourway that is robust. This shoe is likely to rock the world of casual shoes for fans, like the other Air Jordans, mainly with their beauty. It just about fits with anything. Sure enough, a pair of shoes that costs about $200 will do that. This whopping amount makes it inappropriate for all buyers.

7. Adidas Superstar Series

Adidas Superstar Series takes the traditional route of going classic, and hence, it is likely to never go out of style. That is why, it has turned out to be one of the most anticipated releases of 2015 by the brand. In fact, this shoe bears a design that is the defining staple of the brand by far. One of the biggest reasons why the pair is making a lot of wave in the market, especially with the fans, is the multiple range of colourways, readily available in the market for purchase. It has a look that catches the eyes, with a three-stripe look behind the shoe, which can be considered synonymous with the popular culture. The look has definitely brought the product on the path to be one of the most recognizable.

8. Kyrie 1 ‘BHM’

The signature pair of Kyrie Irving, namely Kyrie 1 ‘BHM’, is anticipated to receive special treatment in the market as a show released in winter 2015. After the colourways Dream and Deceptive Red which have taken the stores by a storm, BHM is the newest release in the lot, and is so far better than all of them in many respects, especially in terms of looks, with a beautiful grey mesh upper fused behind the black underlay, combined with multicolored sole and the speckled heel accent. It offer extreme comfort as a silhouette. It is a great flow, be on the court or off it. While some people are criticising these kicks, these shoes have hit the stores on January 19, 2015. They are among the top releases of 2015.

9. Under Armour ‘Curry One’

We have seen that in the past few years, it has been a trend for your sports stars to have their own signature collection. Notable among these are the Kyrie 1, with Nike collaborating with Kyrie Irving in 2014, followed by Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors pioneer Stephen Curry in 2015. Under Armour’s “Curry One” has been made in collaboration with Stephen Curry, the NBA guard who had left Nike in 2013, to join Under Armour. All set to release in February, 2015, the initial colourways are likely to stir up quite a storm in the market of sports shoes, especially among the basketball fans, one of the reasons being, the shoe is perfect for the athletes in the sport.

10. Air Jordan 1 ‘BHM’

After the Air Jordan 1 with it silhouette done in different colourways and styles enough to make it difficult to keep track of them, Air Jordan 1 ‘Black History Month’ edition, which was released on January 17, 2015. The BHM has been an instant success with the fan, as it was expected, especially because of its rarity among the Air Jordan 1 shoes, in the design and construction of the shoe which I really hard to come by. Most Air Jordan 1 shoes do not carry the same feel that this one does, especially because of the noir colour scheme and etched pattern. The jet-black colourway makes it just perfect as a winter shoe. It is excellent as a regular wear, and can very well rock the court.

For sports fans who have their pockets loaded, these shoes are going to be the perfect addition to their collection. They can be worn on the court by those who play, but also those who want to use these shoes as a part of their regular casual wear for a sporty look.

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

February 16, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

Sports is a part of the entertainment industry, and athletes are among the greatest of stars who, with their skill and contributions of greatest moments in the history or sports, win a special place in the hearts of the sports watchers, as they prove themselves to be among the top entertainers in the world, at par with Hollywood celebrities. Sure enough, the superstars in sports have created some of the greatest moments in the world. But, for many athletes, it is more than just these moments. Many athletes have made a place in the memories of people by being entertaining in some other ways. Be it the way they present themselves in terms of their style, or how they show their personality, they are just memorable. Let us take a look at 10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World.

10 Most Entertaining Athletes in the World

1. Muhammad Ali

American former professional boxer Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942, as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. and is considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. His career is studded with several historic boxing matches which also earned him his nickname “The Greatest”. Muhammad Ali was named “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. He was honored as the “Sports Personality of the Century” by the BBC. Ali is the only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion which he achieved in 1964, 1974, and 1978. He reigned as the Undisputed Heavyweight Boxing Champ between February 25, 1964 and September 19, 1964. Writer Joyce Carol Oates once stated about him that he “defines the terms of his public reputation.” Ali became the titular bearer of the Olympic Flag on July 27, 2012, at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Bonus: Most Difficult Sports to Play

2. Alex Rodriguez

American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop Alexander Emmanuel “Alex” Rodriguez was born on July 27, 1975, and currently plays for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He got his nickname “A-Rod” and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Rodriguez previously played for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. He achieved All-Star 14 times, has won the American League Most Valuable Player Awards three times, and achieved ten Silver Slugger Awards and two Gold Glove Awards. He joined the Texas Rangers after the 2000 season with a $252 million contract for ten years. Rodriguez signed a new 10-year $275 million contract after the 2007 season with the Yankees. Rodriguez is also known for leading a highly controversial career due to his use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonus: Top 10 Extreme Sports

3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

American professional boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was born on February 24, 1977, as Floyd Joy Sinclair, and is a five-division world champion. He is currently standing as an undefeated champion and achieved the world titles ten times. Mayweather achieved the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named Fighter of the Year twice by the Ring magazine in 1998 and 2007. Mayweather achieved the Fighter of the Year award by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2007. He also achieved the Best Fighter ESPY Award six times till now. Mayweather is considered by many as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He topped the Forbes and Sports Illustrated lists of the 50 highest-paid athletes in 2012 and 2013 and again achieved the highest place in the list of Forbes in 2014.

4. Mario Balotelli

Italian footballer Mario Barwuah Balotelli was born on 12 August 1990, as Mario Barwuah, and currently plays as a striker for the Italian national team and Premier League club Liverpool. He was nicknamed Super Mario for his activity on the field and outside of it. He debuted for his national team on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against Côte d’Ivoire. Balotelli was a member of his national team at the UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and till now played more than 30 matches for the Italian national soccer team. He was selected in Italy’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on 1 June 2014, and scored the team’s winning goal in Italy’s opening match against England on 14 June. Balotelli for his unmatched foot skill is now considered as one of the best penalty kick takers in the world of football.

Bonus: Top 10 Highest Paying Sports

5. David Beckham

English former professional footballer David Robert Joseph Beckham was born on 2 May 1975, and played for several reputed club teams such as Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, LA Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain during his active soccer career. He is noted for his performance as a member of the England national team. Beckham was the first English player to win league titles in four different countries, England, Spain, the United States and France. He made his debut for the Manchester United at the age of just 17 in 1992, and later won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. Beckham then played for the Real Madrid where he also achieved the La Liga championship. He is the first player from England to play 100 Champions League games.

Bonus: Richest Soccer Players 2015

6. Wilt Chamberlain

Former American basketball player Wilton Norman “Wilt” Chamberlain was born on August 21, 1936, and played for the San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA during his active sports career. He started playing basketball for the University of Kansas and played for the Harlem Globetrotters before appearing in the NBA. Chamberlain is the only player to achieve 100 points in a single NBA game and has the record of average more than 40 and 50 points in a season. He became the scoring leader seven times, field goal percentage leader nine times, rebounding leader eleven times and became the assists leader once during his basketball career. Chamberlain achieved the NBA championships twice and became the Most Valuable Player of the regular season four times.

Bonus: Highest Paid NBA Players 2015

7. Sean Avery

Canadian former professional ice hockey player Sean Christopher Avery was born on April 10, 1980, and played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He is also known for his connection with the fashion industry most notably as an intern at Vogue magazine. Avery is also popular as a model and restaurateur besides his active ice hockey career with several reputed teams. He worked with men’s fashion label Commonwealth Utilities during Fashion Week in New York City in 2009. Avery began working at advertising and creative agency Lipman in New York City after he declared his retirement in 2012. He is also known as an investor of “Twtmob” which connects users with advertisers and campaigns, and also monitors social Medias such as Twitter and Facebook.

Bonus: Highest Paid NHL Players 2015

8. Novak Djokovic

Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987, and is the current world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Owing to his amazing tennis skills, he is considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He held the world No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 133 weeks and achieved eight Grand Slam singles titles till now. Djokovic became the sixth male player to win three Grand Slams in a calendar year in 2011. He achieved the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series matches consecutive 31 times and achieved eight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series titles. Djokovic won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year in 2011, Best Male Tennis Player ESPY Award in 2012 and achieved the ATP World Tour Player of the Year three times. He is also a recipient of the Order of St. Sava and the Order of the Star of Karađorđe.

Bonus: Highest Paid Tennis Stars 2015

9. Nick Young

American professional basketball player Nicholas Aaron “Nick” Young was born on June 1, 1985, and currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He usually plays both shooting guard and small forward positions with his 6 feet 7 inches in height. He is quite popular with his nickname “Swaggy P” and with that he also handles his twitter account. He stated at the Lakers’ 11th Annual All-Access Event in January 2015 that it is a pseudo-biblical reference to “the Prophet of Swag”. Young recently re-signed with Lakers to a reported four-year, $21.5 million contract on July 21, 2014. Young made his season debut on November 18, 2014 against the Atlanta Hawks after he missed first ten games of the season due to his complete tear of the radial collateral ligament in his right thumb.

10. Aaron Rodgers

American football quarterback Aaron Charles Rodgers was born on December 2, 1983, and currently plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of California and set the record of lowest single-season and career interception rates. Rodgers is the only quarterback having career passer rating of over 100.0 in the regular season and has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history at 3.96 touchdowns per interception. He was named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in the 2010 NFL season. Rodgers was named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in 2011. He also became the league Most Valuable Player twice till now. Rodgers is also known as “The King of Photobombing” as he was noted that he was constantly in the background of every captain’s photo since 2006.

Thus, these athletes, and many more, have found their signature style to entertain the world. There are millions and millions of sports fans out there who keep their eyes on such entertaining athletes, to see what new move or style they will bring to the field.

Top 10 Extreme Sports

January 21, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

Top 10 Extreme Sports

When we think of extreme sports, the first thing that comes to our mind is danger. Indeed, extreme sports include activities that have high levels of inherent peril that can become take a lethal form, because, just a single slip or hands can land a participant straight in the arms of death, or at least severe injury, since the extreme sports may involve speed and height. Hence, the participants need highly specialized gear, and are required to put high levels of physical exertion. Not many people have the courage to try out these highly risky sports. Let us take a look at the Top 10 Extreme Sports.

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Top 10 Extreme Sports

1. Free solo climbing

Free solo climbing, commonly known as the free soloing, is a form of climbing where the climber or the free soloist does not use any safety gear such as ropes, harnesses and other protective gears while ascending. Because of the enormous height of the ascent, fall always means serious injury or death. There are several achievements already made in free solo climbing, such as the two hour and fifty minute ascent of the 2,224-foot Northwest Face route on Yosemite’s Half Dome by Alex Honnold. Many great solo climbers met with tragic accidents and died such as John Bachar, Derek Hersey, Vik Hendrickson, Jimmy Ray Forrester, Jimmy Jewell, Tony Wilmott, Robert Steele, Dwight Bishop and John Taylor. Two of the great soloists are Alain Robert nicknamed “The French Spider-Man” and Dan Goodwin nicknamed the “Skyscraperman”, also scaled several skyscrapers around the world.

2. Creeking

Creeking is a type of canoeing and kayaking which involves descending very steep low-volume whitewater. This sport is usually performed in specialized canoes and kayaks which can withstand the extreme whitewater environment. The specially designed kayaks give the paddler improved performance and extreme maneuverability needed for river obstacles. Creeking involves the descent of waterfalls and slides or any steep low-volume river. The route characteristic of Creeking can vary from very smooth granite like Cherry Creek in California to boulder gardens such as the Stein River in British Columbia. The Creeking route usually includes sieves, step drops, holes, and undercuts. This type of kayaking is regarded as the most dangerous and extreme in comparison to other varieties of kayaking.

3. Bungee jumping

Bungee jumping is an adventure sport that involves jumping from a tall structure while harnessed by a large elastic cord. The elevated structure from which Bungee jumping takes place can be a building, bridge or crane, and can also be a hot-air-balloon or helicopter. The adrenaline rush from this sport comes from free-falling and the rebound. The Bungee cord stretches, and the jumper flies upwards again as the cord recoils when a person attempts Bungee jumping, and continues to oscillate up and down till all the kinetic energy dissolves. The first modern Bungee jumps were done by two members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club, David Kirke and Simon Keeling, from the 250-foot Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol on 1 April 1979. Commercial bungee jumping was first organized by A J Hackett who made his first attempt from Auckland’s Greenhithe Bridge in 1986.

4. Volcano boarding

Volcano boarding or Volcano surfing, or more commonly, the ash boarding, is a type of adventure sport that involves descending on the slopes of Cerro Negro near Leon in western Nicaragua. The Volcano Surfers climb up the volcano and then slide down on a thin plywood or metal board while sitting or standing. The Volcano surfing boards made by plywood are reinforced by steel, metal or Formica to provide required strength. This sport involves the danger of falling off and getting cut by the rough volcanic rocks. Cerro Negro is also an active volcano and had its last eruption in 1999. Safety gears such as jumpsuits and goggles are often used by the surfers. This adventure sport was invented by an Australian living in Nicaragua, Darryn Webb in 2005 according to the Sabotage Times.

5. Cave Diving

Cave diving is adventure underwater diving in caves which are typically partially filled with water. The cave diving is done usually using the scuba equipment but often in a specialized configurations. This form of adventure sports is a form of penetration diving which means a cave diver cannot swim vertically to the surface in an emergency due to the cave’s ceilings. Divers usually have to retreat the entire way back out. The five main contributing factors of the cave diving were popularized by the book called “Basic Cave Diving: A Blueprint for Survival” published by Sheck Exley in 1977. Jacques-Yves Cousteau is widely regarded as the first scuba cave diver who is also the co-inventor of the first commercially successful open circuit scuba equipment. In the United Kingdom, Jack Sheppard made the first cave dive on 4 October 1936 in the Mendip Hills of Somerset.

6. Slacklining

Slacklining is a type of extreme sport that involves practice in balance on nylon or polyester webbing tensioned between two anchor points. The participants of this extreme sport are often referred as the “slackers”. Highlining is the toughest form of Slacklining which takes place above the ground or water. Highlines are commonly set up in places which are used for Tyrolean traverse. The first ever Slacklining attempt was made by two of the Evergreen State College student in Olympia, Washington, Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington, in 1979. Ivy Baldwind of Eldorado Springs first crossed the Eldorado Canyon on a high wire in 1948 and made his final successful attempt on his 82nd birthday. Philippe Petit crossed a high wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York on August 7, 1974.

7. Wingsuit Flying

Wingsuit Flying is a type of extreme sport that involves flying through the air using a wingsuit. The wingsuit adds surface area to the flyers body which significantly increases the lift. The modern variation of Wingsuit was first developed in the late 1990s which created a surface area between the legs and under the arms with fabric. The Wingsuits are also referred as the “birdman suits”. 33-year old Franz Reichelt made the first attempt of wingsuit flying from the Eiffel Tower on 4 February 1912. He failed on that attempt and hit the ground with his head. On a contrary, his autopsy showed that he died of a heart attack before hitting the ground. The first successful wingsuit was first used by Rex Finney, a 19-year-old American from Los Angeles, California, in 1930. French adventurist Patrick de Gayardon first created the modern wingsuit in the mid-1990s.

8. Bobsleigh

Bobsleigh or bobsled is a type of extreme winter sport in which groups of two or four participants make timed runs down narrow, twisted and banked iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled. The Bobsleighs can usually attain speed of 150 km per hour and the world record was reported at 201km per hour. The owners of the historic Kulm Hotel and the Palace Hotel, the Badrutt family, first allowed Emil Thoma to organize the construction of a ‘half-pipe’ track in the Kulm Hotel Park, ending in the village of Cresta, in the winter of 1903. That venue hosted this extreme sport during two Olympics. The international competition of Bobsleigh is governed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation which is also known as the French Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing. Four-man men’s bobsleigh was first introduced in the Winter Olympic Games in 1924.

9. Kite Skiing

Kite skiing is a type of extreme sport which is a relatively recent development of skiing. The pull of the ski in this sport comes from a kite and can be performed on water, snow, land or ice. It is quite similar to the cross-country skiing but the pulling force comes from the kite rather than stocks or gravity. Kite skiing on ice has little in common with downhill skiing. The kites used in this sport are very similar to the kites used in paragliding but smaller in size. Team N2i first reached the Antarctic pole during the Antarctic summer using kite skiing as their primary means of propulsion on 20 January 2007. Canadian Eric McNair-Landry and American Sebastian Copeland crossed 595 km in 24 hours while kite skiing on 5 June 2010, which created the world record of the highest distance in the shortest time.

10. Ice Climbing

Ice Climbing is a type of extreme sport that involves the ascending of inclined ice formations. This sport typically involves roped and protected climbing of various ice obstacles such as icefalls, frozen waterfalls, and cliffs and rock slabs covered with ice. The most common modern protection for ice climbing is the ice screw which is a hollow tube with sharp teeth on the front end and has a hanger eye at the back to clip. The ice screws can provide very strong protection while inserted properly in solid ice. A device called the cramp-on used in Ice Climbing was first invented by the British in the early 20th century which allows fastening of toothed claw to the climbing boots. The aim of this extreme sport is to speed up the climbing time and minimize the chance of getting frost bitten because of the chilling weather.

The extreme sports athletes put their lives at risk by participating in these extreme sports. That is why, the competitions offer huge monetary rewards. But more than the monetary gain, it is the love and respect that the athletes get from people. Extreme sports not only offer great excitement for the athletes but also the viewers.

Top 10 Sporting Events with Greatest Television Audience

January 17, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

Top 10 Sporting Events with Greatest Television Audience

Sports are a great source of entertainment. Millions and millions of people all over the world are sports fans, and are in fact more than just fans. They are absolutely dedicated to their sports, their favorite teams and players, and try to be present at the events to witness the action life. However, many of the people cannot afford to watch the games up close, sitting by the side of the court of field. Sometimes, it is the financial problem, and sometimes, it is the distance. For such people, the best option to be a witness of the games is through the television. Some events have huge television audiences. So, let us take a look at the Top 10 Sporting Events with Greatest Television Audience.

Top 10 Sporting Events with Greatest Television Audience

1. National Football League

American Football is one of popular sports in the world today. From college level games to professional level, this sport is followed by thousands. The greatest event of American Football is the National Football League or NFL, founded on August 20, 1920, in Canton, Ohio, in the United States, and the event has a limited 16-game regular season, because there are 32 teams in it, divided equally between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. However, it is has the greatest audience in terms of average attendance. The sport has an average television audience of more than 68,000 in each game, and it is covered by almost all the major networks.

2. National Collegiate Athletic Association

Football at the college level is a huge thing. In fact, most of the major players in football are either a part of College Football, or they begin their careers in College Football, where their talent is exposed, and they get hired by major clubs or the national teams. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA was founded on March 31, 1906. The unique thing about the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision is that the champion is not determined by the matches, but is declared by the selectors or organizations, like the USA Today with coaches as selectors, and the Associated Press with sports writers as selectors. It has a television viewership of more than 46,000 in each game.

3. Bundesliga

Soccer is among the most popular sports in the world, followed by millions of people, with a major part of its audience being in the European countries. The soccer league of Germany, the Bundesliga, is one of the top watched events in the world, especially on the television, and the Bundesliga has an average audience of more than 42,000 per game. Founded in the year 1963, this association is composed of 18 teams. The bottom teams get demoted to the second division of the league, while the top teams from the second division get promoted to the higher division in the next season. In comparison to the English, Italian and Spanish, the Bundesliga gets a higher live attendance.

4. Australian Football League

The Australian rules football is a unique sport played in a modified cricket ground between teams of 18 players. Its highest level professional competition is the Australian Football League or the AFL, which was founded back in the year 1897 as the Victorian Football League as a breakaway from the Victorian Football Association. It is the most prominent sporting event in Australia, and has an average television viewership of more than 38,000 in each day. This league has Seven Network and Fox Footy as the television partners. This league has 18 teams participating in it. These teams are spread over five states in Australia, but 10 of the teams, i.e. more than half, are based in Victoria.

5. Major League Baseball

The sport of baseball has a huge popularity, and the people absolutely hooked to the sport. Major League Baseball, or MLB, is one of the biggest leagues in the world. It was founded in the year 1869 in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the United States. The league is considered the sport with the highest total attendance, with more than 73 million per year, and the average television viewership of more than 30,000 per game. Divided into two leagues, i.e. the National League and the American League, with 15 teams, each subdivided into 3 divisions, MLB has 162 games for each team in its regular season. Of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, the MLB is the oldest league.

6. Canadian Football League

As it might be evident from the name itself, Canadian football is played in Canada, and is a form of gridiron football, closely related to American Football, with 12 players in each team. The highest level of competition in this sport is the Canadian Football League, or CFL, which is a prominent sporting event in Canada. It was founded on January 19, 1958 in Montreal in Canada. There are nine teams that are featured in the league, and these eight teams are divided into two divisions, the East Division and the West Division. While the former has four teams, the latter has five. The second-oldest gridiron football league, it has an average television audience of almost 28,000 per game.

7. Super Rugby

Developed at Rugby School and played initially at English public schools during the 19^th century, rugby football is a popular style of football, with mainly two types, i.e. rugby union and rugby league, played with different rules. Super Rugby is the largest form of professional rugby union football competition in the Southern Hemisphere. It began in 1996, when it was called the Super 12, because at that time, it had 12 teams. Then, it got expanded to Super 14 in 2006. Now it is also colloquially known as Super 15. There are 15 teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa which are featured in this tournament. It has an average television audience of more than 21,000 per game.

8. National Hockey League

Ice Hockey, referred to as simply Hockey in some regions, is a sports that has among the largest audience in the world. The biggest Ice Hockey tournament in the world is the National Hockey Tournament, or NHL. It was founded on November 26, 191, in Montreal in Canada. The NHL has 30 member clubs, of which, 23 are from the United States and the remaining seven are from Canada. The Canadians once used to dominate the lineups in this sport, but since the expansion of the league from the original six clubs to include even European players, the face of the game has largely changed. The NHL has an average television viewership of more than 17,000 in each game.

9. National Rugby League

Rugby league being one of the most popular sports in the world, the National Rugby League, or the NRL, is considered the elite rugby league championship. Formed in 1998 as a merger between the Super League and the Australian Rugby League, it is run by the Australian Rugby League Competition. It features 16 teams, 15 of which are from Australia, and one from New Zealand. Considered the top club rugby league tournament Australasia, its main competition is the Telstra Premiership. Based on each season, the tournament has the highest viewership and attendance among rugby football club competitions, with over 17,000 television viewership per game.

10. National Basketball Association

Basketball is definitely one of the biggest sports in the world, with millions of people who follow the games on court as well as on the television, with over 17,000 viewership per game. The greatest sporting event in this sport is the National Basketball Association, or the NBA, which was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York City, New York in the United States, as the Basketball Association of America, or the BAA. NBA players are some of the highest paid athletes in the world, with excellent performances displayed in the NBA, such that the players from the NBA are selected to perform in the Olympics. There are 30 teams in the NBA, of which 29 are from the USA and 1 from Canada.

The sports being watched on television help to increase the TRP of the channels that broadcast the games. Accordingly, the top sports companies try to rope in the players of these popular sports to endorse their brand names, and the advertisements appear on the television, making the viewers even more excited to watch their favorite players off the field or court.

Highest Paying Sports in the World

January 4, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

Highest Paying Sports

The world of entertainment is that of glitz and glamour. It offers lucrative career options for all those who are talented and manage to establish themselves. In particular, sports offer a huge hugely profitable career option. The successful athletes are among the highest paid people in the world. This is proven by the lists that are published every year by organizations who evaluate the worth of the athletes. One of the most famous and reliable lists is published by none other than Forbes. It is quite clear that the athletes earn enough from just the games and tournaments in the form of salary or prize money, let alone the endorsement deals, to put them among the wealthiest celebrities of the world.

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Highest Paying Sports in the World

1. Basketball

Reputed basketball tournaments such as the NBA are widely known among the highest paying sports events of the world. From numerous of their endorsements, the participants earns in millions besides as they also earns huge amount of salary from their respected teams. Their own signature shoes and jerseys also boost their income on yearly basis. Michael Jordan, the legendary basketball player, topped the Forbes list of Richest Players with $35.9 million income in 1992, $36.0 million income in 1993, $30.01 million in 1994, $43.9 million in 1995, $78.3 million income in 1997 and with $69 million total income in 1998. Former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal secured the 6th place in 1993 in the Forbes list of Richest Players with $15.2 million and again secured the 2nd place in 1994 in the list with $16.7 million.

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2. Boxing

One of the most dangerous sports of modern times, Boxing, is also reputed for being the best paying sporting event. Besides their earnings as tournament prize money, they also get good amount of profit from Pay-Per-View commissions, betting and endorsements. In 1991, legendary boxer Mike Tyson first topped the Forbes list of Richest Players with $28.6 million and again achieved the same in 1996 with a total income of $75 million. In 1992, legendary boxer Evander Holyfield topped the Forbes list of Richest Players with $60.5 million. After a little break in the Forbes list of Richest Players, Floyd Mayweather topped the list in 2012 with $85 million income and again achieved the first place in 2014 with $105 million income.

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3. Auto Racing

Various events of auto racing like the Grand Prix of Formula1 or Nascar are counted among the highest paying events in the sports universe. The involvement of risks gets compromised a bit with great winning amount as prize money besides several endorsements of reputed brands. One of the most successful F1 drivers Michael Schumacher secured the first place in 1999 in the Forbes list of Richest Players with a total income of $49 million and again achieved the same feat in 2000 with $59 million. Long before, in 1992, Auto Racing driver Ayrton Senna achieved the 3rd place of Forbes list of Richest Players with $22 million and the same year another driver Nigel Mansell also achieved the 4th place with a total income of $14.5 million.

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4. Golf

One of the most successful golfer and legendary athlete, Tiger Woods, still holds the record of being in the first place in Forbes list of Richest Players a record eleven times. Woods topped the Forbes list in 2002 with $69 million income, in 2003 with $78 million income, in 2004 with $80.3 million, in 2005 with $87 million income, in 2006 with $90 million, in 2007 with $100 million total income, in 2008 with $115 million income, in 2009 with $110 million, in 2010 with $105 million, in 2011 with $75 million and again in 2013 with a total income of $78.1 million. Many years before the amazing achievement of Tiger Wood, Jack Nickalus secured the 3rd place in 1994 in the list of richest players by Forbes with $14.8 million income and Arnold Palmer with a total income of $13.6 million also achieved the 4th place the same year in the list.

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5. American Football

American Football is widely known for being one of the highest paying sports in the universe as the players’ frequently secured position in the Forbes list of Richest Players. In 1992, Joe Montana first achieved the 7th place in the Forbes list with a total income of $9.5 million. With a total income of $22.5 million, American Football star Deion Sanders achieved the 3rd place in the list in 1995. In 2004, Legendary NFL player Peyton Manning achieved the 3rd place in the Forbes list of Richest Players with $42 million income. In 2005 with $37.5 million income, Michael Vick achieved the 4th place in the list. Tom Brady, one of the greatest football players of all time, achieved the 9th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 2006 with a total income of $29 million.

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6. Soccer

Legendary English footballer, David Beckham, first inducted in 2004 in the 8th place in the Forbes list with a total income of $28 million. He then secured the 7th place in 2005 in the list with a total income of $32.5 million and again achieved the 6th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 2007 with $33 million. In 2007, Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho achieved the 9th place in the Forbes list with $31million income. In 2008, David Beckham again secured the 2nd place in the Forbes list of Richest Players with a total income worth of $50 million. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese footballer, last year achieved the 2nd place in the Forbes 2014 list of richest players with a total income of $80 million. Last year, another great Argentine footballer Lionel Messi with a total income of $64.7 million also achieved the 4th place in the list.

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7. Tennis

Tennis is one of the most well-known of recreational sports and it is played by millions of people throughout the world. With WTA tours being among the highest paying tournaments of the world, the tennis players quite frequently secure their places in the Forbes list of Richest Players. In 1992, legendary tennis player Andre Agassi achieved the 6th position in the list, having $11 million worth of total income. Jim Courier, 1993, achieved the 9th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players with $12.6 million worth of total income. Recent days tennis star Roger Federer achieved the 6th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 2008, 2010 and 2013, having earned total income worth $35 million, $43 million and $71.5 million respectively.

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8. Ice Hockey

The physical sport of fast pace, Ice Hockey, is often nicknamed “The Fastest Game on Earth”. It is considered among the highest paying sports of the world, with its participants having secured decent places, quite frequently, in the list of Richest Players by Forbes. In 1994, famous ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky achieved the 5th place in the list with $13.5 million worth of total income. He then achieved the 10th place in the list in the following year, i.e. in 1995 with $14.5 million worth of total income. In 1997, Joe Sakic, the ice hockey player from Canada, achieved the 9th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players, with 17.9 million worth of total income. In 1998, Sergei Federov, the international ice hockey player from Russia, achieved the 3rd place in the list with a total income worth $29.8 million.

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9. Baseball

Jayson Stark, a reputed sports columnist, once described baseball as “a unique paragon of American culture,” as it is still among the major sports of America. More than 2.1 million people from the US alone participate in the sport. These participants are among the highest paid sportspersons in the world, especially because of the huge viewership of MLB. Cecil Fielder, a famous American baseball player at first achieved the 8th position in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 1993 with a total income of $12.7 million, while Alex Rodriguez achieved the 7th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 2003 with a total income of $26 million. In 2004, he again achieved the 9th place with a total income of $26.2 million and in 2011 he secured his position with $35 million total income.

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10. Cycling

Charles Minthorn Murphy, back in the year 1899, turned out to be the first cyclist to cover a mile’s distance in under a minute’s time, and thus earned himself the nickname of “Mile-a-Minute Murphy”. Cycling is looked upon as one of the most active sports in the world, ever since cycles and other human-powered vehicles have undergone innovations. There are many cycling tournaments that are counted among one of the highest paying event in the planet earth. Besides huge income from the tournament earning, the famous cyclists also gets good amount of money from their endorsers. Legendary cyclist and one of the most controversial athletes of modern days Lance Armstrong achieved the 9th place in the Forbes list of Richest Players in 2010 with a total income of $28 million.

Sports industry is indeed a place where an athlete can find great wealth and fame. That is why, many young people want to build a career in sports, in pursuit of this fame and money. However, what they forget is that it takes more than just the want for fame and wealth in sports. An athlete has to be dedicated to his sport and become really good at it first. Only then will the rest of the things follow as rewards. Sports may be lucrative, but before that, they are challenging.