10 Best USA Sport Events for Die-Hard Fans

Down along the glorious Huntington Beach, surfers and surf-lovers gather every year to catch some of the world’s top surfers ride impossible waves. The crowds come up to the hundreds and thousands, and everyone partakes in a bit of California-style fun with music, vendors, and a bit of sun-basking. Stretching across the 14 acres of beachfront, you’ll find crowds cheering on as they sip on crisp drinks and toss about some surf lingo.

Professional men and women surfers from across the world come to experience the love and get a shot at winning a sizeable US$310,000 prize. The tournament has also expanded with competitions for skateboarders and BMX riders over the years.

The Super Bowl needs no introduction. With its increasing presence in pop culture, Super Bowl Sunday has become a national celebration of sorts that sees millions tune in to cheer on 2 teams battling for the Vince Lombardi Cup and watch in awe (or dismay) of the prestigious Halftime Show.

The National Soccer League (NFL) event concludes a 16-game regular season, and 3 postseason playoff rounds, pitting the top team from the American Conference against the top of the National Soccer Conference. It’s safe to say this event is as extravagant as it comes, with fans far and wide partaking in 2 weeks of partying as a bit of pre-game fun. Various city stadiums have hosted the Super Bowl – venues are chosen by the NFL about 5 years in advance.

The NBA Finals are legendary in every sense. The finals have seen countless sports icons grace the court hoping to make their team proud and snatch the coveted title… but it isn’t easy to get there. It takes 4 games to win, and at least 93 games to get there.

One thing is for sure – whatever team makes it; the finals promise glitz and glam with Hollywood stars cheering front-row and hyper-enthusiastic cheerleaders in itty-bitty costumes prancing about. A chance to see this in action, as well as the swift moves of pro basketballers, should be enough to convince you.

At the Augusta National Golf Club, among the rich Southern green, pro golfers battle it out for the iconic Green Jacket. As the brainchild of legends Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, this tournament prides itself in its tradition and continuity, having first being held in 1934.

The 4-day stroke playing of 18 holes each day varies from the normal 36 holes, raising the stakes even higher and putting the pressure on the competing golfers. The tournament usually lands in the month of April, with the gentle warm breeze of spring settling in.

The World Series has seen a century’s worth of illustrious home runs, chilly days and nights and harsh pitching duels, which only solidifies its iconic status in the sports world. The Fall Classic (the end of the Series) has exceeded the title of the sporting event and marked itself important in America’s cultural landscape. Generations of families tell stories of Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 and fabled tales of the Mets and the Yankees.

To get to the series, each of the 32 teams in the major leagues must survive a 162-game season, followed by three playoff rounds. The first is a best-of-5 series and then 2 best-of-7 series. With the Series lasting from April to October, it becomes a part of everyday life for the hopeful American.

The 2-week US Open is held at the end of August/beginning of September at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Labor Day Weekend also happens to fall in the middle of the tournament, calling for a much-loved mixture of booze, sun and tennis. The hard-court tournament sees the world’s best women and men tennis players battle it out for the final title of the Grand Slam season.

The finals take place on the central court, named Arthur Ashe Stadium, after the American tennis legend. For your best chance to see the tennis stars, book matches early in the tournament when matches are played in the multiple, more intimate courts.

Every year on the last Sunday of February, car fanatics from all over flurry over to Daytona International Speedway, where the world’s most prestigious stock car race takes place. This exhilarating (and extremely noisy) race lasts 500 miles, which requires 200 laps around the 2.5-mile long Daytona International Speedway loop.

Daytona 500 is so much of a spectacle that the entire tourism industry has built up around it and since it's hosted in Florida every February – the most comfortable and pleasant time to visit the area. Pack some earplugs, SPF and cool shades.

The New York City Marathon takes runners past icons of the Manhattan cityscape and through all 5 boroughs… plus it gets you into pretty good shape. Starting in 1970 and held typically in the cooler months of the year, the marathon welcomes approximately 35,000 eager (or at least brave) runners each year.

Parts of bustling NYC get shut down to make way for cheering crowds and runners who valiantly complete the roughly 42km route. Make sure to get some water out and spray it at runners to help them along.

Triple Crown Horse Racing involves 3 races called The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes. To snatch that prestigious “Triple Crown”, a horse must win all 3 races. This has only happened 12 times in history and the last time was in 2015. The Kentucky Derby is the first and most illustrious of the races and is held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The next race is The Preakness Stakes, which happens on the third Saturday in May at the Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland. The final race, The Belmont Stakes, takes place 3 weeks after the Preakness and 5 weeks after The Kentucky Derby at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Get ready for a trip across America.

Boston Marathon is held every year on Patriots’ Day – the third Monday of April – since 1897, making it the oldest of its kind. With an air of history and unity, this marathon is as much a symbol of American patriotism as it is about fitness and bragging rights.

The race attracts all sorts, from top female and male runners from across the globe to amateurs just looking to fulfill a milestone in their life. With roughly 30,000 registered participants a year and as many as 500,000 spectators applauding them, the marathon is a heart-warming sight to behold.