The Hierarchy of American Sports

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The Hierarchy of American Sports

        Sports have provided America with entertainment for its entire existence. One, baseball, has even gained the distinction of “America’s Pastime.” Others, such as football, have its own de facto holiday in Super Bowl Sunday. Although some sports continue to increase in popularity, others find themselves rusting over the storms of time. As a result, a division has been created among the many sports due to varying income and marketability.

        Factoring in this division is the profit that the sport earns and the income of its athletes. The NFL earns several billion dollars yearly. Therefore, this business can reward its employees with salaries that rival the best Hollywood can offer. With wealth comes power; and the NFL controls the activities of millions every Sunday during football season. The media must also claim accountability for this partition. Leagues such as the NBA and MLB engulf nearly every media outlet in their respective city, and in some cases entire states remain in constant orbit of their recreational center of the universe. The Yankees, Knicks, and Giants dominate New York’s headlines while the condition of the Celtics and Patriots consume the minds of the citizens of Massachusetts. Because of these assets, less-publicized sports simply cannot compete.

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        While this next tier of sports does not garner the attention of the big three, they still command an admirable amount of popularity. Golf, for instance, has more participants and enthusiasts than stores have Christmas shoppers during Black Friday. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson can attract a Sunday crowd nearly as well as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. NASCAR, one of the more fast-paced and exciting sports America has to offer, owns an ever-growing popularity that may one day overthrow a prominent member of the monarchy. Quickly ascending into stardom, the UFC is another sport enjoying a great deal of ...

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