Sport is a huge business the world over, and there are certain leagues that are particularly important to sports enthusiasts. Whether you’re keen to follow the top matches and tournaments or you enjoy betting on sports and like to place your bets on the biggest competitions of the year, here are the sporting leagues that continue to dominate all across the world.
NBA
Few sporting leagues have the fanbase of the NBA – it’s the most global American sports league and it is also a league that covers the most international territory in terms of both pre-season and the standard season. The NBA is worth around $7.4 billion, and its stars are world-renowned, with huge audiences at every game and a host of celebrity fans too. It is also a popular choice for betting fans, whether you are an avid bettor or a newbie who has a passion for basketball, there are NBA consensus picks to help you.
Serie A
Serie A is worth around $1.9 billion and is easily one of the most recognisable tournaments for soccer fans. It remains one of the most lucrative businesses in sports, bringing in billions in profit, and it’s also one of the most popular options for bettors.
La Liga
Worth an estimated $2.2 billion, La Liga is home to some of the biggest clubs in the world, including FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. It’s a testament to just how popular these clubs are that their popularity extends to the US and elsewhere around the world, so it’s no surprise that this league is one of the most popular and eagerly anticipated today.
AFL
Football is characteristically American, but Australian’s noted the popularity and created their own league – Australian Rules Football. This sport is considerably different to its American cousin, but it still sells out vast stadiums and is now one of the most popular and profitable sports leagues in the industry, worth around $2.5 billion.
NHL
The NHL is one of the top American sports leagues and is worth an estimated $4.3 billion. The NHL has a fiercely loyal fanbase and the sport brings in talent from all over the world. The support for this league grows every year and it’s become one of the top-watched leagues in the sports industry.
English Premier League
Worth over $5.3 billion, the English Premier League is one of the few sporting leagues which has support from far beyond its home country. The Premier League brings in some of the best soccer players that the world has ever seen and top teams like Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool will pay millions to secure players.
The NFL
The NFL may not have the international appeal of the NBA, but it certainly makes up for it in terms of the following it has in the US. Worth around $13 billion, the NFL has a vast fanbase and has become even more popular with the rise of fantasy football leagues. No sport connects US residents quite like the NFL and it’s a sport that is slowly gaining traction elsewhere in the world too.
