# Why do you think America dominates the sports world? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 5, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839 "2011-05-05T15:02:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/21 "2011-05-05T16:16:29Z")
Americans dominate Rugby, soccer, cricket, womans golf, table tennis and Australian rules football? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/22 "2011-05-05T17:23:03Z")
> [@Rondembo](#): > > One thing is undeniable, we have the greatest athletes on the planet. Ignorant twaddle. Sebastian Vettel, Michael Shumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Hannes Arch, Higgins, Ding Junghui, Paul Bonhomme, Max Biaggi, Martin Lel, Paula Radcliffe, and Helen MacArthur are all Not American. Nor are Crouch and Beckham and Maradona and… Let’s not even start on sports like cricket. We’re here to fight ignorance, so can I suggest you Google these luminaries? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/23 "2011-05-05T17:31:45Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Ignorant twaddle. > > Sebastian Vettel, Michael Shumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Hannes Arch, Higgins, Ding Junghui, Paul Bonhomme, Max Biaggi, Martin Lel, Paula Radcliffe, and Helen MacArthur are all Not American. Nor are Crouch and Beckham and Maradona and… Let’s not even start on sports like cricket. > > We’re here to fight ignorance, so can I suggest you Google these luminaries? There used to be a USA sports show on that had athletes from different sports competing in several things, like running, swimming, throwing etc. A soccer player won it 3 times in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/24 "2011-05-05T17:32:59Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > There used to be a USA sports show on that had athletes from different sports competing in several things, like running, swimming, throwing etc. A soccer player won it 3 times in a row. What was the show? Sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/25 "2011-05-05T17:36:18Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > Yes, US golfers tend to dominate the sport. Less so as of late, at least in men’s golf: non-Americans have won 11 of the last 17 majors (2006-2010), which of course coincides with Tiger’s slump, but still. In women’s golf it is the same (11 out of 17). During the 70’s it was much more skewed towards the US side (34 out of 40, with Gary Player winning 4 of those 6). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/26 "2011-05-05T17:37:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > What was the show? Sounds cool. Probably “The Superstars”, which ran on ABC in the mid-to-late 1970s. I think that the soccer player may have been Kyle Rote Jr. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/27 "2011-05-05T17:45:30Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > There used to be a USA sports show on that had athletes from different sports competing in several things, like running, swimming, throwing etc. A soccer player won it 3 times in a row. Hey, we had that too! In the UK it was called [Superstars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstars). Actually, it looks from that article that the US version was a spin-of from the British version. And you’re right, a ‘worldwide’ Superstars event was won three times in a row by a soccer player. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/28 "2011-05-05T17:48:18Z")
> [@Rondembo](#): > > So what do you think accounts for us winning virtually everything there is to win in the sports world? Why is it that the NFL MVP and NBA MVP and MLB MVP is an American 90% of the time and why do most World Championships happen here? Because 90% of the people who play those sports are American? And I, too, would love to know what World Championships are held in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/29 "2011-05-05T17:49:37Z")
> [@Rondembo](#): > > One thing is undeniable, we have the greatest athletes on the planet. From LeBron James to Peyton Manning to Alex Rodriguez, no other country can offer so many elite athletes. We dominate the Olympics (the only relevant inter-country sports competition) and we dominate football, baseball, basketball and even do pretty well in hockey and soccer given our general lack of interest in those sports. > > Even obscure sports like cycling, we can dominate with simply sending one of our elite athletes like Armstrong. Golf was dominated by Tiger. Tennis by Agassi and Sampras. Our domination is so complete, that even though we send our 4th tier athletes to soccer’s World Cup while all other countries send their top athletes, we’re still somewhere in the top 15 out of 200 countries. > > So what do you think accounts for us winning virtually everything there is to win in the sports world? Why is it that the NFL MVP and NBA MVP and MLB MVP is an American 90% of the time and why do most World Championships happen here? LeBron James, Peyton Manning and Alex Rodriguez would struggle to be arrested outside of the USA (well perhaps not LeBron James, but trust me outside of the USA no-one gives a fuck about Peyton Manning). USA are probably top 30 rather than top 15 in World Soccer and I strongly contest that they are 4th rate atheletes. Also in case you haven’t noticed Sampars and Agassi haven’t played tennis for a number of years. In Summary USA is a big 1st World Country, infact the biggest 1st World country which in terms of producing atheletes gives them the edge over other countries, but beyond that there’s nothing particualry remarkable about the atheletes USA produced. What’s more rermarkable to me, for example is how a tiny country like the Netherlands can consistently produce one of the top teams in the World’s most popular sport (soccer). ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/30 "2011-05-05T17:50:06Z")
Wealth is easily one of the most important aspects, if not the single most important aspect. It makes facilities regularly available to pretty much everyone, even the poor. I’m sure the vast majority of Americans in suburban and urban areas can walk to a basketball court, tennis court, pool, etc. Moreso, wealth means that kids who show promise, or parents who want their kids to be good at a sport, can get the individualized training they need to be successful from a young age. Population is obviously an important factor too. With simple math, we’re just plain more likely to have a better selection of potential athletes than many other countries because we have more people to choose from. When combined with the wealth factor above, they magnify eachother where the few countries that have higher wealth per capita are much smaller, and the ones that have larger populations are generally much poorer, though China circumvents that to some extent by investing significant government funds in those things. I also buy the diversity aspect, but I think it’s less important. Most other countries are more homogenous, so they will generally focus on whatever sports grab their interests. In the US, we have the major sports, but with so many pockets of sports culture, that there’s a good chance a decent number of people will be interested in almost any sport. It also means that there will be more exposure to multiple sports and, thus, a greater chance of finding one that fits an individual’s talents. For instance, in a country where soccer and running are the big focuses, someone who is athletically gifted for power lifting, football, or basketball may simply not be able to get the access to train in those. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/31 "2011-05-05T17:51:26Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Because 90% of the people who play those sports are American? > > And I, too, would love to know what World Championships are held in the USA. The World Series. _flees_ ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/32 "2011-05-05T18:00:27Z")
At any rate, I’d be interested to know how much emphasis is put on youth sports in other countries. For example, my understanding is that sports in Europe are much more disconnected from schools than in the US. It seems like one might have to put in more effort to get involved over there. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/33 "2011-05-05T18:01:06Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > And I, too, would love to know what World Championships are held in the USA. Yeah, he means World Series and stuff like that. Honestly, we haven’t had a major international competition since 2002(Salt Lake Olympics), have we? Before that, we had the '96 Atlanta games and the '94 World Cup. Then again, considering the OP, he probably thinks the Vancouver Olympics count as an American hosted event. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/34 "2011-05-05T18:09:33Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > At any rate, I’d be interested to know how much emphasis is put on youth sports in other countries. For example, my understanding is that sports in Europe are much more disconnected from schools than in the US. It seems like one might have to put in more effort to get involved over there. It’s more disconnected from schools and youth sports don’t draw big crowds like collegiate and High School sports do in the USA, but still a lot of money and time is invested in these sports. Here’s an interest fact the USSF (US Soccer Federation) is now moving more towards the European/World model of developing young players, whereas p[reviously the college system had been used. The reason is that young players turning professional out of college can quite often find themselves lagging behind their peers who have been playing professionally and involved in professional clubs for years. The USA U-23 coach has said generally he will only pick professional players. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/35 "2011-05-05T18:09:52Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > At any rate, I’d be interested to know how much emphasis is put on youth sports in other countries. For example, my understanding is that sports in Europe are much more disconnected from schools than in the US. It seems like one might have to put in more effort to get involved over there. Certainly with things like Athletics, although different schools support different sports. Most secondary schools probably have a football team of some sort, but they definitely don’t have team jackets, cheerleaders and stadia like I see in American films. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/36 "2011-05-05T18:10:47Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Hey, we had that too! In the UK it was called [Superstars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstars). Actually, it looks from that article that the US version was a spin-of from the British version. And you’re right, a ‘worldwide’ Superstars event was won three times in a row by a soccer player. According to the wiki, a football player (American football player, that is), won 13 of 28 American versions of this thing. Only 1 baseball player won it, not surprisingly (although the fact that it was Kelly Gruber is surprising) and no basketball players, which makes me think it must have taken place during the NBA season. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/37 "2011-05-05T18:11:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Ignorant twaddle. > > Sebastian Vettel, Michael Shumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Hannes Arch, Higgins, Ding Junghui, Paul Bonhomme, Max Biaggi, Martin Lel, Paula Radcliffe, and Helen MacArthur are all Not American. Nor are Crouch and Beckham and Maradona and… Let’s not even start on sports like cricket. > > We’re here to fight ignorance, so can I suggest you Google these luminaries? Michael Shumacher was the highest paid professional athlete in the world for much of his career, and statistically one of the most successful athletes of all time. Yet he’s virtually unheard of in the US. Some “domination”. The OP clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/38 "2011-05-05T18:17:45Z")
Interesting… I wonder who the greatest baseball players in the world are, currently. So I went with lifetime WAR for active position players… Alex Rodriguez Albert Pujols Chipper Jones Jim Thome Derek Jeter Ivan Rodriguez Manny Ramirez Scott Rolen Andruw Jones Vladimir Guerrero This is the national past-time, mind you. And Pujols, Pudge, Manny, Andruw, and Vlad were all born elsewhere. Even A-Rod, who was born here, lived in the Dominican for awhile as a child. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/39 "2011-05-05T18:17:48Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > According to the wiki, a football player (American football player, that is), won 13 of 28 American versions of this thing. Technically, but really, it’s 11. Renaldo Nehemiah, a track star (hurdler) who played wide receiver (not particularly well) for the 49ers for several years won the competition 4 times; under his last two wins, he’s listed as a football player. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839/40 "2011-05-05T18:30:06Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > One could make a very strong argument that the USA is not the world leader in baseball anymore. I would really love to see this tested. As it stands now, I don’t fret about the term “World Series” because I think the World Series Champion could take on any existing team on earth and win 9 out of 10 seven-game series, but it’s just a gut feeling, and I’d be riveted to see if that’s true. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-think-america-dominates-the-sports-world/580839.md?page=3)