Golf, hockey, badminton, oh my. There is certainly no shortage of options for aspiring athletes.Pledge Sports recently released a report of the top sports in 2017 based on world participation. Sport fans and athletes alike, the results may surprise you.
Despite football, baseball and hockey being viewed by many as the most popular sports in America, Pledge Sports reveals otherwise. The data shows that soccer is the leading sport in 2017, based on world participation, with an estimated 265 million athletes playing the sport. There are also more than five million referees attached to the game. To put it into perspective, soccer makes up for 4% of the world’s population, landing it in the number one spot on the list of top sports in 2017.
Yes, badminton takes the second spot for the most popular sports based on participation across the globe. This is quite a shock since badminton isn’t a sport we often hear about in the United States…but the proof is in this Pledge Sports report. Badminton is played regularly by an estimated 220 million people, and is particularly popular in Asia. So, if you have a badminton net in your garage, maybe it’s time to dust it off and join a large majority of the world in the popular sport.
Just when it seems like ice hockey is becoming one of the most popular sports, it turns out that the ice doesn’t even make the top five. Instead, field hockey wins the third spot for being the most popular sport in 2017 with more than 100 countries from five different continents playing the sport. Field hockey is one of the most technical sports in the world, so there’s no denying these athletes could use a little recreational oxygen in a can to help energize and recover.
Volleyball takes the fourth sport on Pledge Sport’s list, with an estimated 998 million people playing the sport across the world. There are 220 national federations affiliated with volleyball’s international committee. On and off the beach, the endurance and muscle strain associated with the sport is intense. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to have O+ canned oxygen on the court to help players their sustain energy and speed up their recovery time!
The fifth and final spot in the list of top sports in 2017 is basketball, played by a minimum of 450 million people across the globe. With short burst of energy and long, gruelling quarters, it is really no surprise players and superstar athletes such as LeBron James and Michael Jordan are physically fit. Oxygen Plus pure recreational oxygen can help the basketball player go even further by enhancing performance, increasing endurance, and speeding up the process of recovery.
Based on worldwide participation, some of America’s favorites – ice hockey, baseball, and football – didn’t even make the 10-top list of most popular sports in 2017. However, these three sports, including soccer and basketball, did make the cut in America’s list of top five most popular sports.
If you’re one of these athletes, or aspiring athletes, optimize your athletic performance, increase endurance and speed up your recovery with Oxygen Plus pure recreational oxygen. When integrated into your training and performance routine in an intentional way for specific results, a can of oxygen make the winning difference. Try breathingO+ pure recreational oxygen and unleash your athletic potential today!
“Top10 Most Popular Sports in the World By Participation.” Pledge Sports. Web. 14 Aug. 2017.