Favorite sports leagues in order

[OILFAN #81]

Thought I would try a new thread that hasn't been talked about in awhile. List your favorite pro sports leagues in order that you watch them/interested in them (and not necessary but your favorite team in each).

I'll go first.

1. NHL - My #1 will always will be the NHL no question. Have followed it since I was 2 years old and it's never slowed down and never will. (Edmonton Oilers, no "2nd team")

2. NFL - I really started getting into NFL when I was about 8 years old ('91 and have followed it very closely since). (Indianapolis Colts, no "2nd team")

3. NBA - NBA was my #2 for awhile but the league just isn't the same to me as it used to be. I still follow it closely but NFL passed the NBA for me about 6 years ago. My favorite times of watching the NBA were from 1990-2003 (Sacramento Kings, distant 2nd are the Raptors).

Tie - 4. MLB - I've been to more MLB games then NBA or NFL games and I do follow baseball but with my attention on the NHL/NFL/NBA more, baseball takes a backseat. Like I said, I know my stuff but the other sports take a priority. Although baseball playoffs are > basketball playoffs in my mind in terms of excitement. (Toronto Blue Jays, distant 2nd are the Red Sox/Giants)

Tie - 4. CFL - Been to a lot of Eskimo games but it doesn't compare in the slightest to the NFL. (NFL >>> CFL). Still a decent product. (Edmonton Eskimos, no "2nd team")

PS....If Tennis had to be in there it would be right before or after MLB.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that there is a big line probably after #2 for me.

To me the NHL and NFL are far superior then the other leagues in terms of interest level. I absolutely love these two leagues!

[Otto-matic]

1. Nhl
2. Epl ( English Premier league )
3. Cfl
4. Nfl
5. Nba
6. Mlb

[troutman]

Nhl
Cfl/nfl
Nba
Mlb

[4X4]

NFL - just so good
NHL - my original love
Golf
MLB - only in october


That is all (for north american leagues).

[burn_baby_burn]

NFL - I am truly a fan of the whole league. Can and will watch any two teams play. Can't get enough NFL football.

NHL - I love the Flames, love hockey. But I won't just watch any NHL game from start to finish like I would an NFL game. Even with NHL Center Ice, I will not watch an entire Thrashers vs Panthers game ever.

AFL (Australian Football League) - I really got into it when I was living in South Australia. Awsome sport with a great history and tradition. Sucks following it over here in Canada. But Fox Sports Net shows one or two games a week. If you don't know what is going on it is hard to follow. If I hadn't of been living in Australia having Aussie's explain it to me I don't know if I would have ever picked up on it.

Thats about all I watch or follow. Used to love NASCAR but it interfers with football season and sitting on the couch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Summer is such a waste. I really loved MLB and the NBA growing up. Havn't watched MLB since the strike. The NBA just lost something. Love to play basketball, but coudn't be bothered to watch an NBA game for 2 seconds.

[Cowboy89]

1. NHL
2. NFL
3. MLB
4. CFL
5. WHL
6. NCAA Football
7. English Premier League
8. AHL
9. CIS
10.ECHL
.
.
.
105. NFL Europe (Now Defunct)
106. NBA

Turned off of NBA basketball ever since Jordan retired and it became all about who had the flashiest Dunks. Steve Nash, European talent, and the Detroit Pistons have sort of brought the game back to be more team oriented, but for the most part as illustrated by AI's 'practice rant' it's still a league full of infantile boys in seven-foot bodies.

[rubecube]

Nfl
Nhl
Ncaaf
Mlb
Pga

[Sainters7]

1. NFL- been a fan since I was 9, but was always a close #2 to the NHL. That changed during the '05 NHL lockout, when in that painful year I really had to search for other sports so I could survive the winter/spring.

2. NHL- has definitely dropped since the lockout, as NFL's clearly king with me now, but still far and away #2. Been a diehard Flames fan as long as I can remember, and that's never going to change.

3. CFL- this has dipped for me in the past couple seasons as well, after being at an all-time high the first half of this decade. I think its got to do with me no longer living in Calgary(I used to attend TC all the time and go to a ton of games, its just different when you can't do that anymore). Still love it though, and watch every Stamps game I can.

4. NCAA Football- this is a pretty big dip from the top 3 listed above, as I'm still a newer fan of this. Been watchin it casually for years and years but only started seriously getting more into it 3-4 years ago.

5. NCAA Basketball- another drop here from 4. Don't even follow it before March, but I'm all over March Madness, with my filled out bracket and in pools n everything. It's funny how I don't even as much as look at the standings for 80% of the season, then spend the last two weeks of it watching it around the clock.

--MLB and NBA would come next. I used to be much bigger into both of em but over time I've lost alot of interest. Watch alot of the MLB playoffs, and in the NBA I'll watch the odd game. Nothing more than a casual fan of either anymore though.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

1. NHL
2. NFL
3. MLB
4. CFL
5. WHL
6. NCAA Football
7. English Premier League
8. AHL
9. CIS
10.ECHL
.
.
.
105. NFL Europe (Now Defunct)
106. NBA

Turned off of NBA basketball ever since Jordan retired and it became all about who had the flashiest Dunks. Steve Nash, European talent, and the Detroit Pistons have sort of brought the game back to be more team oriented, but for the most part as illustrated by AI's 'practice rant' it's still a league full of infantile boys in seven-foot bodies.

I was trying to think of a clever way to show my dislike for the NBA... one addition:

107. WNBA

[Thunderball]

1. Serie A Liga
2. NHL
3. English Premiership
4. CFL/NFL (tie)
5. MLS
6. PGA
7. Women's Beach Volleyball
8. Strongmen Competition

Thats about all I follow... I could hurl some insults at NASCAR, MLB, NBA and WNBA, but its been done pretty well so far.

[HelloHockeyFans]

1. NHL
2. NFL
3. Tennis
4. MLB

Don't watch any thing else and I hate the NBA. Went to my first live NBA game this year with a friend and left after the first half due to boredom.

[getbak]

Follow strongly:
1. NHL (Flames)
2. CFL (Stamps)

Pay attention to, but don't follow as much as I did when I was a kid (watch the championships every year if nothing else):
3. NFL (used to be a big Bears fan)
4. MLB (used to be a big Mets fan)

Don't really follow, but will watch:
5. WHL/CHL (Hitmen/Hurricanes from my time living in Lethbridge)...I'll go to a Hitmen game if I get tickets, and watch the Memorial Cup every year, but otherwise, not really follow the league.

[JayP]

1. NHL
2. NCAA Football
3. CFL
4. NFL
5. MLB

[socalwingfan]

1. MLB
2. NCAA Football
3. NHL
4. NBA
5. EPL

[evman150]

1. NHL
2. MLB

---

I don't understand how people can watch other sports. And I played soccer and basketball growing up, both are lots of fun to play. Just awful to watch. And I've never understood football. It's just mind-numbingly boring.

Seriously, I'd rather sit through the lecture on astronomical spherical trigonometry I endured today again than watch a game of any of those sports.

[nfotiu]

1. Flames
2. PGA
3. NFL
4. NCAA Football
5. MLB
6. NCAA Basketball
7. NHL (I'll watch every Flame game, but will pick random games from all above sports ahead of a random nhl game.)

[Jagger]

Good thread

I cannot separate my top three though. I like them all equally:

NHL (Flames)
EPL (Liverpool) My first love. Over 30 years watching now.
WHL (Rebels)

Other soccer I follow: Champions League which isn't really a proper league I suppose.

After that I can pretty much take it or leave it. I will watch the CFL at times. NFL and especially MLB I don't really 'get'. That's probably my English background shining through though. I doubt too many of you North American's will 'get' cricket either. I still have trouble!

[Montana Moe]

NCAA Football- I think this is the closest thing to Canadian hockey in regions of the U.S. There is a reason they have 90,000+ seat stadiums in many states. The fan base is so rabid, it can be a bit unnerving at times. Vitually every game counts.

NFL- My first love, I have been a fan since I was in diapers.

NHL-Wow, the NHL is steadily creeping up the list! I followed casually until I married my wife with family in Alberta. Since then, I've been hooked! I lament the fact that I did not play hockey in my youth. As I said before, the fever pitch I experienced in Calgary during the 2003-04 playoffs is only rivaled by SEC football, IMO. I found myself watching more hockey than football once my Saints were pretty much out of the playoff race.

PGA Golf- After taking up the game a few years ago, I've really learned to appreciate how good they really are. Watching a major in person is an intense experience.

MLB- This has really dropped in my rankings. With the negative press in the last 10 years as well as the percieved imbalance of teams due to no real salary cap, I'll watch the occasional game, but not frequently.

NASCAR-There are too many races IMO, and if your driver is out of the chase, you can sit back and enjoy the NFL/NCAA football season! Though living in the south for any period of time can cause you to follow NASCAR.

NCAA Basketball-The players leaving after 1-2 years has really made it difficult to enjoy watching the game for me. I do enjoy it come tournament time, so I will follow it occasionally to fill out an intelligent bracket!

NBA- I used to be a huge fan when I lived in Portland during the Drexler years. The league has changed since then, and not for the better, IMO. I enjoy the playoffs due to better defensive play.

[moon]

1. NHL
2. CFL
3. NASCAR
4. WHL
5. College B-Ball
6. MLB
7. NFL
8. College Football
9. EPL- Would be higher if it weren't so tough to follow in NA

[Bench Warmer]

1. CFL
2. NHL
3. WHL
4. NFL
5. PGA
6. MLB

The only reason I have MLB up there is I like watching the first round of the playoffs - can't say I follow it much prior to the playoffs. It is a very distant 6 though - I follow the top 4 closely. I also love watching Junior 'A' hockey. I didn't throw in the list cuz I figured it might be too 'minor league' but it would rank around 4th-5th.