# Cricket vs. Baseball: What's bigger? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594 "2006-02-15T04:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/21 "2006-02-15T20:11:58Z")
> [@Doctor Jackson](#): > > An African cricket or a European cricket? I’ve heard that African Swallows actually prefer European crickets. I believe this is why they carry coconuts around. Of course we all know that Cricket is a gross insult to the rest of the universe as it celebrates the depredations of the Kricket wars. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/22 "2006-02-15T20:27:12Z")
> [@aankh](#): > > Of course, I haven’t even mentioned the non-South Asian nations yet. England, Australia, the Windies, NZ, Zimbabwe, SA, the middle-east bloc, and whoever else I’ve forgotten. Does Kenya have test status yet? Down here in NZ baseball is only really known through misty-eyed American movies with Kevin Costner in them - I can’t answer for Australia, but if it is played there it’s a minority sport; I’ve never even heard of a team here {although softball is quite popular for some reason}. I’ve only seen pro baseball games because I lived in Japan for a while: give me cricket any day. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/23 "2006-02-15T20:40:51Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I though in Aussie both Cricket & Baseball were popular but neither is the top sport. > > Jim …Cricket is the Number One summer sport in Australia. Baseball, somewhat less so… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/24 "2006-02-15T20:42:03Z")
> [@Banquet Bear](#): > > …Cricket is the Number One summer sport in Australia. Baseball, somewhat less so… A Good to know, So Graham Lloyd was exaggerating. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/25 "2006-02-15T21:03:15Z")
> [@Banquet Bear](#): > > …Cricket is the Number One summer sport in Australia. Baseball, somewhat less so… In terms of audience, yes. In terms of actual players, I suspect that netball is the number one summer sport in Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/26 "2006-02-15T21:27:28Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > In terms of audience, yes. In terms of actual players, I suspect that netball is the number one summer sport in Australia. …I would agree. Netball has 278,900 , Cricket has 164,300 while baseball has 34,500. [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:aclwnI7XWmgJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/outdoor%20cricket%202.pdf+cricket+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1](http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:aclwnI7XWmgJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/outdoor%2520cricket%25202.pdf+cricket+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1) [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:BauPONXZzwQJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/netball%202.pdf+netball+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1](http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:BauPONXZzwQJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/netball%25202.pdf+netball+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1) [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:dYkBVBnc0eMJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/baseball%202.pdf+baseball+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1](http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:dYkBVBnc0eMJ:www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascpub/pdf/baseball%25202.pdf+baseball+participants+australia&hl=en&gl=nz&ct=clnk&cd=1) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/27 "2006-02-15T21:43:00Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I though in Aussie both Cricket & Baseball were popular but neither is the top sport. I don’t think you could describe baseball as particularly popular in Australia. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/28 "2006-02-15T21:45:04Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I don’t think you could describe baseball as particularly popular in Australia. So I was informed, my bad, I remember interviews with Graham Llyod, a lefty MLB relief pitcher who said Baseball and Cricket were about equally popular. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/29 "2006-02-15T22:19:47Z")
I have a related question: Who would make the transition faster to the other sport–a top-notch baseball player or an equally talented cricketeer? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/30 "2006-02-15T22:40:32Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I’ve heard that African Swallows actually prefer European crickets. I believe this is why they carry coconuts around. > Of course we all know that Cricket is a gross insult to the rest of the universe as it celebrates the depredations of the Kricket wars. That’s “Krikkit”. Exterminate!!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/31 "2006-02-15T23:06:19Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Baseball is not even the biggest sport in the US, I hink realistically it may be the bioggest sport in only a handful of Carribean nations… Baseball is the most popular sport, overall, in Japan; yes, I know sumo is the “National sport,” but in terms of participation and spectators, it’s baseball. I also believe it is the largest sport going in Korea. As for what the biggest sport is in the U.S., baseball’s as good a choice as any, if you want to go by the raw number of spectators that watch the games. In terms of participation it might also be ahead but maybe not; soccer is a very popular participation sport now. But you could make an equally strong argument for football. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/32 "2006-02-15T23:15:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Baseball is the most popular sport, overall, in Japan; yes, I know sumo is the “National sport,” but in terms of participation and spectators, it’s baseball. I also believe it is the largest sport going in Korea. > > As for what the biggest sport is in the U.S., baseball’s as good a choice as any, if you want to go by the raw number of spectators that watch the games. In terms of participation it might also be ahead but maybe not; soccer is a very popular participation sport now. But you could make an equally strong argument for football. I thought soccer had overtaken baseball for most popular sport in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/33 "2006-02-15T23:41:38Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > That’s “Krikkit”. > > Exterminate!!! > > 🙂 Wow, I’m batting below the Mendosa line in this thread. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/34 "2006-02-16T00:08:04Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Wow, I’m batting below the Mendosa line in this thread. Mendo **z** a. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/35 "2006-02-16T00:13:30Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Mendo **z** a. No Mendo **s** a Line, that is another 100 points below the Mendoza Line. 😃 Jim ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/36 "2006-02-16T00:17:19Z")
Little hijack. I’ve always wanted to know how American baseball movies are viewed in countries where people don’t follow baseball. I mean, I can get into the drama of a movie about a sport I don’t necessarily play, but a lot of sports movies involve the game itself as a drama. I have a slightly foggy notion of how cricket works (you try to knock down the wicket, right? something like that?) but I’m not sure I could really follow a movie about a tense game of cricket. I’d be going “Okay, I can tell from the slo-mo and the music that this is a climactic moment. He’s swinging! And the other guy is running! Wait, is that a good thing? What the hell just happened?” Does anyone actually go to see teary-eyed Kevin Costner baseball movies in New Zealand and South Africa? ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/37 "2006-02-16T00:39:15Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Little hijack. I’ve always wanted to know how American baseball movies are viewed in countries where people don’t follow baseball. I mean, I can get into the drama of a movie about a sport I don’t necessarily play, but a lot of sports movies involve the game itself as a drama. I have a slightly foggy notion of how cricket works (you try to knock down the wicket, right? something like that?) but I’m not sure I could really follow a movie about a tense game of cricket. I’d be going “Okay, I can tell from the slo-mo and the music that this is a climactic moment. He’s swinging! And the other guy is running! Wait, is that a good thing? What the hell just happened?” > > Does anyone actually go to see teary-eyed Kevin Costner baseball movies in New Zealand and South Africa? I think the drama and basic rules of game involved in any contact/team sport don’t vary terribly much from sport to sport - especially if dramatised in a movie where the underdogs are relying on nerd boy to hit a home run. I played field hockey amongst other sports and noticed that the rules are very similar to soccer. In team sport you either hit, kick or throw something and you score points by hitting, kicking or throwing into a special area. The other side tries to stop you. I am not a fan of baseball, but phrases such as ‘home run’ and ‘getting to second base’ etc are part of western popular culture. We may not be enamoured with baseball as a nation but we ain’t dumb and we don’t live in cultural isolation - infact it could be argued that we get too many American movies, TV shows and news. I personally will only get teary eyed whilst watching any Kevin Costner movie, (after I have been drugged and carried to see it,) because I find his performances of comedic value when they were probably never meant to be. I can’t stand sports movies anyway - you can’t get much more formulaic than that. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/38 "2006-02-16T03:39:10Z")
> [@aankh](#): > > Coming to money, well, I’m really not sure what kind of sponsorships baseball teams get, but apparently, the Indian cricket team rakes in about $90 million (US) annually, which is not too shabby. [Better than the Brazilian soccer team anyway](http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/231378.html). I’m guessing the sport wouldn’t be receiving such attention if it wasn’t really, really big. It’s by no means a simple comparison, but just to be complete that $90 million mark would make India’s team the [second lowest](http://www.forbes.com/lists/results.jhtml?passListId=33&passYear=2005&passListType=Misc&searchParameter1=unset&searchParameter2=unset&resultsStart=1&resultsHowMany=30&resultsSortProperties=-numberfield5%2C%2Bnumberfield1&resultsSortCategoryName=Revenues&category1=category&category2=category&passKeyword=) revenue team in the U.S.'s MLB. Not so compelling when you’re considering the supposed audience of cricket in a nation that nearly quadruples the US population. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/39 "2006-02-16T05:30:56Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > Does Kenya have test status yet? No. England, Australia, NZ, South Africa, West Indies, India, Pakisatan, Sri Lanka Bangladesh, Zimbabwe. That’s it so far. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594/40 "2006-02-16T06:51:38Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > It’s by no means a simple comparison, but just to be complete that $90 million mark would make India’s team the [second lowest](http://www.forbes.com/lists/results.jhtml?passListId=33&passYear=2005&passListType=Misc&searchParameter1=unset&searchParameter2=unset&resultsStart=1&resultsHowMany=30&resultsSortProperties=-numberfield5%2C%2Bnumberfield1&resultsSortCategoryName=Revenues&category1=category&category2=category&passKeyword=) revenue team in the U.S.'s MLB. Not so compelling when you’re considering the supposed audience of cricket in a nation that nearly quadruples the US population. Thats’s not a fair comparison. 90 million dollars in India is not the same as 90 million dollars in the US - there’s way more bang for the buck in India. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-vs-baseball-whats-bigger/344594.md?page=3)