The United States and Canada are home to the most prominent and professional sports leagues in the world. These leagues have a significant impact globally. The major professional sports leagues in the US & Canada are
- Major League Baseball (MLB)
- National Basketball Association (NBA)
- National Football League (NFL)
- National Hockey League (NHL)
Other prominent leaguesÂ
- Major League Soccer (MLS)Â
- Canadian Football League (CFL)
Also read:
Top 10 Major Football Leagues in the World in 2024
Overview Table:-
| League | Founded | Teams | Season | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | 1920 | 32 | September to January | New England Patriots: 6 Super Bowls, Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 Super Bowls, Dallas Cowboys: 5 Super Bowls |
| NBA | 1946 | 30 | October to April | Los Angeles Lakers: 17 championships, Boston Celtics: 17 championships, Chicago Bulls: 6 championships |
| MLB | 1869 | 30 | April to September | New York Yankees: 27 World Series titles, Los Angeles Dodgers: Multiple recent World Series wins, Boston Red Sox: 4 titles |
| NHL | 1917 | 32 | October to April | Montreal Canadiens: 24 Stanley Cup titles, Toronto Maple Leafs: 13 championships, Detroit Red Wings: Multiple championships |
MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL, these four leagues are referred to as the “Big Four ”. These are the wealthiest professional leagues in the world. They are not just popular in the United States and Canada but capture worldwide fame. According to the last update, these leagues will capture 15,000 fans in 2023.
Suggested read:
UEFA Champions League: Europe’s Premier Club Football Competition
National Football League (NFL):
The National Football League is the most popular league. The NFL (National Football League) started in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and was renamed the NFL in 1922. It has maintained its position as the most popular professional sport in the United States for over 30 years. There are 32 teams in the NFL, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC. The regular season runs from September to January every year. Each team only plays 16 games. However, this game is so popular that more than 100 million people watch it every week in the United States alone. After that, the team that wins the playoffs competes in the Super Bowl. This Super Bowl has a nationwide viewership of over 40%. Nine of the top 10 most-watched sporting events in the history of the United States are past Super Bowls. An astonishing 70% of sports fans said they “like watching American football on TV. ” And despite the small number of games, broadcasting rights fees are estimated to be $12 billion just in the United States.
Key Teams and Achievements:
- New England Patriots: New England Patriots is known for their dominance in the 2000s and 2010s by winning six Super Bowls.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh Steelers are also six-time Super Bowl champions and known for their “Steel Curtain” defence in the 1970s.
- Dallas Cowboys: Dallas Cowboys is also referred to as “America’s Team,” they have five Super Bowl titles.
National Basketball Association(NBA):
The National Basketball Association is the second most popular sport in the United States and Canada. It is the world’s top basketball league. It was established in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and it merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to become the NBA. There are a total of 30 teams, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. These 30 teams are divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences. Each team plays 82 games from October to April every year. After that, the top teams advance to the playoffs and play-ins, and the winning teams clash in the NBA Finals. This NBA Finals is a big event that is watched by nearly 20 million people across the United States every year. The NBA’s broadcasting rights are estimated to be 2.6 to 2.7 billion dollars per year. This is lower than the total amount of MLB, but since the number of NBA games is about half that of MLB, the broadcasting rights fee per game is higher. In addition, 61% of sports fans answered that they “like watching basketball on TV,” which is 4% higher than baseball.Â
Key Teams and Achievements:
- Los Angeles Lakers: Los Angeles Lakers is one of the most successful franchises with 17 championships.
- Boston Celtics: Boston Celtics is tied with the Lakers for the most championships, also with 17 titles.
- Chicago Bulls: Chicago Bulls dominant in the 1990s with six championships led by Michael Jordan.
Major League Baseball (MLB):
Major League Baseball is a baseball league and popular in the world. It is the oldest major professional sports league in North America. It was founded in 1869. MLB contain 30 teams split between the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Among all, The Toronto Blue Jays are the only Canadian team, and the rest are all American teams. The regular season runs from April to September, with each team playing 162 games. In the aforementioned survey of sports fans, 57% answered that they “like watching baseball on TV .” MLB broadcasting rights fees are estimated at $3.965 billion. MLB collectively manages the rights for broadcasting in the US and overseas, while each team owns and sells the local slots.
Key Teams and Achievements:
- New York Yankees: New York Yankees is the most successful team in MLB history with 27 World Series titles.
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Los Angeles Dodgers are known for their recent dominance, winning multiple World Series in the 21st century.
- Boston Red Sox: Boston Red Sox ended an 86-year championship drought in 2004 and has won four titles since.
National Hockey League (NHL):
The National Hockey League is the premier professional ice hockey league. It consists of a total of 32 teams, 25 from the United States and 7 from Canada, and ice hockey is the national sport of Canada. Its predecessor, the National Hockey Association (NHA), is a Canadian league. It started in 1917 with four teams that belonged to it, and in 1924, an American team joined the league. The regular season runs from October to April every year. Each team plays 82 games, and the top 16 teams advance to the playoffs. In a 2021 survey of American sports fans, 37% answered that they “like to watch ice hockey on TV. This is a fairly high percentage, but the other three sports are even higher. Broadcasting rights fees in the United States are estimated to total $625 million. The broadcasting rights fees for soccer are also higher, with the combined domestic and international leagues earning over $1 billion in the United States.
Key Teams and Achievements:
- Montreal Canadiens: Montreal Canadiens is the most successful franchise with 24 Stanley Cup titles.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto Maple Leafs is one of the Original Six teams with 13 championships.
- Detroit Red Wings: Detroit Red Wings dominant in the mid-20th century and the late 1990s and early 2000s.
FAQs:
- What is the most popular league in the United States? The NFL (National Football League) is the most popular professional sports league in the United States.
- Which NBA team has the most championships? The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics are tied for the most NBA championships, with 17 titles each.
- When was Major League Baseball (MLB) founded? MLB was founded in 1869, making it the oldest major professional sports league in North America.
- Which NHL team has won the most Stanley Cup titles? The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for the most Stanley Cup titles, with 24 championships.
- How many teams are there in the National Basketball Association (NBA)? There are a total of 30 teams in the NBA, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.
- When does the regular season of the NFL typically run? The regular season of the NFL typically runs from September to January each year.
- Which Major League Baseball team has won the most World Series titles? The New York Yankees hold the record for the most World Series titles, with 27 championships.
- What is the regular season duration for the National Hockey League (NHL)? The regular season of the NHL typically runs from October to April each year.
- How many teams are there in the NFL? There are a total of 32 teams in the NFL, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).
- Which NHL team is known as the “Original Six” team? The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the “Original Six” teams in the NHL, with 13 championships.