NFL, MLB, NBA get world champions even if they only play other US (maybe Canadian) team.
When did this begin? When did they decide to go beyond national champions?
Because when the World Series started, the US was the only place where pro baseball was played. And, realistically, even today it’s unlikely a team from any other country could take the World Series champs best out of seven.
The other sports don’t say they’re world champions: They are Superbowl, NBA, and Stanley Cup champions.
And then there is boxing. Strange sport to me. Is the Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World truly so? I am aware that there is some Russian monster, name begins with “V” I think, who has never been defeated in the ring. Has a non-American ever been Heavyweight Champion of the World? I don’t know boxing very well and am very interested in the answer if anyone knows.
I’ve always chalked it up to being the “Arrogant American”, not that that’s a bad thing. 
Seriously, where else but in the USA would you call yourself the World Champion of a sport that’s only played in the USA?
Because, logically, you are the best in the world. If no other countries play the sport, then they can’t be better than you.
Now, that’s a complex issue. All boxing champions are world champions – according to the international boxing commission that sanctions the particular championships. Boxing commissions are a mess, however, with each group claiming turf and adjusting what they call a “championship bout.” For this reason, there are often multiple champions because different groups determine who the #1 challengers are, and often strip a champ of his title for fairly capricious reasons.
But there have been several non-American Heavyweight champions even before the fragmentation of boxing: Bob Fitzsimmons (British), Tommy Burns (Canadian), Max Schmelling (German), Primo Carnera (Italian), and Ingemar Johassen (Swedish) were all universally recognized as heavyweight champions of the world, and other non-US boxers would challenge.
I have never heard the term “World Champion” applied to a Super Bowl champion. I’ve heard it applied to NBA champions on occasion, but quite rarely; they’re generally called the NBA Champions.
The “World Champion” or “World Series Champion” designation for baseball teams is simply a linguistic carryover from the term “World Series,” which originated in the late 19th century (although the current World Series began in 1903.) “World Series” was originally just a superlative title, like “Super Bowl” or “Ultra-Game,” basically meaning “Now, here’s a really big time series between two league champions.”
While it’s true that the Major League Baseball champion would probably kick the snot out of any team from any other league in the world, that really is not why the “World” term is used. The name World Series has stuck long past the USA being the only major baseball-playing nation because it’s an identifiable brand name now, like “Stanley Cup” or “Wimbledon” or “French Open.” It’s q cuik, recognizable name for a sports championship. “World Series” goes back over a hundred years and it’s a trademark with a lot of value to it; you don’t throw that away easily. It’s not a world cup tournament, it’s the World Series. It’s just a name.
MLB…but if you haven’t beaten anyone you can’t be “world”, it’s childish.
NBA was officially “World” until 85, but The Bulls’ banners at the United center say “World Champions”, and wikipedia Spurs’ page does too.`
NHRA does too.
“Memphis in May” has a BBQ world champion.
Soapbox Derby too
It’s a definite trend and no one else does it.
BTW, naming your city “sanitary pad” capital of the world or something llike that is also silly (I’m afraid to goolge if such a city exists).
I’ve provided a detailed historical explanation for the origin of the term “World Series,” and why it’s a trade name now, and not some weird, childish exaggeration. I’m not sure what more can be said. It’s like complaining that Coke doesn’t actually have any cocaine in it.
Now, when you phrased your OP as a question, were you actually asking a question, and looking for real answers?
Football and basketball were invented here and for most of their existence they were played here. The NBA is still the premier league for basketball and is composed of all number of foreigners, and the NFL is still the defining league for American football. The NHL is not only international, but most of the players are foreigners as well.
That said, why shouldn’t they call their championships the World Championship? It’s not like there are other organizations rivaling them for dominance in their particular sport. It’s not soccer. Those leagues are where it’s at.
The home page of the New England Patriots describes them as “3x World Champions” in big letters.
The Spurs site does not caim that they are World Champions, but Google has 13,300 hits for “World Champion San Antonio Spurs”.
The Ducks are indeed rarely referred to as World Champions.
Those in New Zealand who care about those things claim Bob Fitzsimmons as a New Zealander: he was born in England, but emigrated here with his family at the age of 9, and later began his boxing career in New Zealand.
Really? I’ve heard it quite frequently, especially from TV commentators.
While i agree with everything you’ve written here, i would actually say that the winner of the Major League Baseball competition each year probably has a very good claim to the title of “World Champion.”
Let’s face it, the best baseball players in the world play in Major Leagues. If a Japanese or a Korean or a Dominican or a Venezuelan baseball player is good enough to get to the Majors, then he’s 99.9% likely to take the opportunity. It’s not like soccer, where the very best talent can be found distributed between England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and parts of South America. In baseball, the United States (plus Toronto, of course :)) is where it’s at.
Of course, there’s the World Baseball Classic, which pits nations against one another, and which provides us with another type of world champion. But in terms of professional club baseball, i think that calling the winner of the World Series the World Champion is a pretty accurate measure of the team’s position in the baseball world.
Sure, but wouldn’t that make the designation kind of pointless, though?
I’m betting that whichever team wins the Irish Hurling Championship each year is probably the best hurling team in the world in that particular year. Same for the winner of the Australian Football League in Australian rules football. But neither of those teams are EVER referred to as world champions in their respective countries.