OT: Your favorite niche/non-"major" sports
We've entered the summer sports doldrums. The only active "major" sport is Major League Baseball. The Tigers stink, and we still have two months to go until football season.
But that doesn't mean there aren't any sports at all. Wimbledon is firing up, and the Tour de France begins shortly. There is auto racing on television every weekend, and other lesser-known sports are active as well.
Are there any "niche" sports that you enjoy? For these purposes I won't count US national teams in soccer or the Olympics; however, if there's an "Olympic" sport that you enjoy outside of the Olympics (I've gotten up at 5 am to watch Alpine skiing in non-Olympic years before) that totally counts. Sports Michigan plays that aren't the four majors (eg Wrestling, Field Hockey) count as well if you actively follow them in-season.
Post your favorite niche sports here.
Coed Barroom Shuffleboard.
I get on niche-sport "kicks" every so often, and summer is a great time to learn new stuff. Over the years I have become a fan of curling, cycling, alpine skiing, sailboat racing, and European soccer. I have gotten interested in and enjoyed watching tennis, rugby, and cross-country skiing. When I was younger auto racing was in a virtual tie with football for my favorite sport. It is no longer quite so prominent, and has gone through some down periods, but I still follow it somewhat and watch a fair amount when it's on tv (I strongly prefer sports car and Indycar racing to NASCAR, which bores me, and I'll flip on NHRA on Sunday to watch and nap to). Oddly, I've become a larger fan of off-road truck racing, which is spectacular and convenient to attend where I live.
The upshot is that when my wife sighs with relief that basketball and hockey have FINALLY ended, I mention that the Tour de France is about to start while watching a race at Road America and she shakes her head in exasperation. In World Cup years there's basically an unbroken chain of great sports to watch until early August, at which point we're hitting f5 on Mgosites looking for training camp updates.
Off-road truck racing sounds fun. Mgowife and I like local short track racing, dirt mostly. Back home Marne (paved) was a great track, but these little dirt ovals are fun times.
If you have only gone to the big tracks like Michigan Speedway, the little tracks are a whole different feel (and clientele).
Short course off-road isn’t a huge sport but it’s a blast. The racing is exciting, the drivers and pits are accessible, and it’s affordable and well-paced. Honestly the experience is similar to short-track dirt racing in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
I used to attend the Indycar (CART) race at MIS every year and I’ve been to a handful of other tracks for various different series. Auto racing is an incredible experience live. You don’t know what you’re missing until you go (but bring ear protection).
Paddle tennis aka Platform tennis.
I love to play and I end up watching the streaming of the various tournaments on the weekends during the winter.
I've started picking up Rugby. Besides the Premiership on NBCSN. Is there anywhere else to watch it in the US?
I think I saw it on Fox Sports 2 occasionally last year? Honestly, I'm a bit vague, and I'm unplugged from cable at the moment, but I think I saw it on FS2. Also, Rugby League is less popular but a lot of fun.
i watched the all blacks series on amazon and enjoyed it. didnt know much about rugby going in but its a fun game. ive since caught a few more games (or matches or whatever they call it) and really like the sport
Go watch it in person - it's a phenomenal live sport. Depending on where you live, there's a good chance you can catch a pretty good college team, either 15s or 7s.
Rugby 7s World Series is on ESPN+ (season is December to June, about once a month or every other weekend), and ESPN+ also carries some Super Rugby and some of the northern hemisphere tourneys that aren't the premiership.
There's also MLR, the American rugby union competition that's on CBS sometimes. I mostly just catch highlights of that.
Golf (Sunday’s in particular). I rarely watch the early rounds, but the final round is typically exciting to watch.
I don't think that golf is a fringe sport.
I don't think that golf is a fringe sport.
Correct, for me it is more of a rough sport.
Arm wrestling and ax throwing
Jarts
Not a niche sport but you said baseball is the only major sport now while there's the women's World Cup and the Gold Cup. Although both will be over in a week or so.
OP did say he's not counting the soccer national teams so that excludes WC and GC.
HOWEVER, this is a question for debate in the context of the larger discussion:
Soccer is a major sport in the world but probably not in the US so does MLS count as a major or niche "sport" for purposes of this discussion?
I think that the MLS is on the fringe of being a major sport - and that's a significant change from when I was a kid and the best soccer players in America became kickers in the NFL. It's still not on the radar as much as baseball and hockey - and the latter is sorta surprising to me outside of the midwest, since more kids definitely play soccer than hockey (or baseball I'd guess in this day and age).
Anyhow, I think MLS is still "niche" but in five years I'm guessing it won't be.
I think soccer is in trouble in the US, unfortunately. Recent data shows a mass exodus from soccer and football.
That said, MLS currently gets bigger crowds than the NBA, so there's that.
Forbes published an article on April 26th, 2019 that says otherwise.
Soccer's Growth in America Has Interational Legends Buzzing
"The popularity of soccer—both in participation and interest—is increasing in the United States. There’s no doubting that.
According to a 2018 Gallup poll, 7% of Americans cited soccer as their favorite sport to watch, while 9% preferred America’s pastime baseball. Not only is soccer growing as a whole in the United States, but Major League Soccer ( MLS ), the top domestic league, has experienced a 27% rise in interest since 2012, according to Nielsen Sports Sponsorlink."
Interest does not mean participation. Having trouble posting links from my phone, but a New York Times piece (and Forbes, and Medium, etc) from last year, points to data from a 2018 SFIA study showing soccer losing 14% participation in the 6-12 year old range over the last 3 years. The sport has lost roughly 600,000 youth participants (football has lost some as well. Baseball and basketball have seen an uptick).
Those falling numbers among kids could be trouble for the future of US soccer.
And participation does not necessarily lead to or correlate with interest.
Soccer still has THREE TIMES as many youth participants age 6-12 as football. Football has always had low participation rates, yet has been the most popular sport by interest for a long time.
So I don't think declining participation in soccer necessarily means that the future of US soccer is in trouble, per se. Especially since interest is going the exact opposite direction right now. Not of factors involved.
I would agree with you on this. In five years, it'll likely be considered "major."
America's Cup
Yawn. The race is won in the courtrooms. Dinghy sailing is way more exciting.
Only occasionally. There have been two deed-of-gift challenges in my lifetime, the courtroom challenges you discuss. Both produced spectacular boats whose magnificence made up for the poor racing.
America’s Cup does have a bit of a challenge balancing the advances of technology with the desire to have exciting races. The San Francisco event where Oracle won as the defender, coming back from 7-0 down to win a best-of-15 series 8-7, was thrilling. However, the actual races weren’t great as sailboat racing goes.
The modern boats these days are hitting speeds that were unimaginable 10 years ago, but at the cost of traditional sailboat racing tactics. People who actually like sailboat racing (which is a very tactical, deep, and entertaining sport) have become disillusioned with America’s Cup races, and not because of courtroom drama. The boats are so fast and so high tech that it has become a different kind of event.
I'm not a huge fan of the catamarans, but I find the engineering fascinating. I enjoyed the International America's Cup Class from '92 to '07 the most.
Edit: For many of the reasons eloquently stated by our OP.
International Wrestling is alive and well all summer. Also watch USA soccer.
sure isn't reading these threads.
Bass fishing
Watching Wimbledon right now while at home on paternity leave. Fifteen year old Cori Gauff just took the first set against Venus.
While it’s still early, you get the feeling watching this that we will be hearing the name Cori Gauff for many years to come.
Boxing. I will watch a good fight any night of the week.
I have loved the resurgence of boxing on ESPN, NBC, etc. None of the bells and whistles, just a boxing match. It is like a two hour investment tops for a couple of watchable undercards and then a good matchup between contenders.
Agreed. When it is about the fighting and that’s the focus it is great. I am still a sucker for the heavyweight division. I remain amazed by how Fury was able to come back from being morbidly obese and on drugs to being back to a top notch fighter. His defense is something I haven’t seen in a long time for a man his size. I really hope the division can get some unity soon. Ruiz is a great fighter, and Joshua remains a physically elite boxer. Wilder, while he isn’t a great fighter necessarily is the best puncher we’ve seen since a young Tyson. If all of them were to fight it out in sequence I believe Fury would come out on top. I don’t think Wilder can knock him out (if he couldn’t do it in the 12th rd last time I don’t see it happening). Unfortunately I don’t think we see it happening. Most likely Joshua defeats Ruiz in the rematch then there is a fight #3. Fury and Wilder settle their draw and the winner is left to wait on the camps of Ruiz/Joshua. A unification bout happens at the absolute earliest not until mid 2021, if at all.
I have been an intermittent boxing fan throughout my life. It sounds like it's time to check back in on the sport. I watched in the 80s and my in-laws got me into Pacq-mania when Manny was the pound-for-pound king. Fury's story is impressive. Consider my interest piqued and peaking.
I agree that Fury is probably the best. His defense, composure, and ability to use his range make him difficult.
I actually do think Wilder has a chance to knock him out in a rematch though. Wilder made the mistake of trying too hard for the knockout the first time around, which can definitely be fixed, but I'd still pick Fury in a rematch.
The heavyweight division is definitely interesting right now, but I'm most interested in Crawford-Spence. I'm hoping we don't have to wait too long for that one.
Pro thunderball
pro pyramid
Cycling is a great summer stop-gap.
Not really much of a TV sport, but I participate in practical shooting during the summer months too. There's usually a major match or two relatively locally to me I'll go and spectate for a couple hours.
This year, we've been going to baseball games at a local, non-MLB affiliated minor league park. Can't beat $6 bleacher seats with a play-ground and other kid friendly activities (and Fri night fireworks) for entertaining the kids for a few hours.
Track and field
Not as far out there as the others, but definitely cross country and lacrosse.
Cross Country in the state of Michigan is better than most states. We send a lot of high school runners to New Balance Nationals, Footlocker Nationals, etc.
Lawn Darts.
2nd thought, I’d rather watch Shea throw the ball around in the Elite 11 Pro Day:
The Upper Class Twit Olympics. Truly exciting.
Surfing.
I’ve actually become a big fan of Aussie rules football the past couple years. It’s my third favorite sport now after European club soccer, and Michigan football. In fact, I’d prefer to watch a random Aussie football game over any college football game in which Michigan is not playing.
When ESPN was just starting broadcasting in 1979 I think all they showed was Aussie rules football. My friends and I became fans of (I think it was) Canberra.
I used to love watching Aussie Rules as well but haven't seen in on TV in a long time. Where can we watch in the U.S. these days?
And Aussie Rules has the best score signal in all of sports:
Fox Sports 2 broadcasts 1 game live every week and there are another 4 or 5 games on fox soccer +. Personally a huge Geelong fan followed by Port. I love the constant action and the lack of commercial interruptions in the AFL.
Don’t judge, but you can also get a season pass for all games live and on demand for $150/year subscription. Watchafl.com.au.
There is a cheaper version for Australia residents that you can get access to through a VPN, if that’s your thing.