Most popular athlete?

[the_only_turek_fan]

A few of us are having this debate at work right now.

1) Who is the most popular current athlete worldwide?

2) Who is the most popular athlete all time?

A few of us are having this debate at work right now.

Names coming up are Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and Micheal Jordan.

[Mango]

Roger Federer also comes to mind.

[socalwingfan]

1) Tiger Woods
2) Pele

[The Goon]

Worldwide currently? Tiger Woods, and there's no one close.

All time? Maybe Muhammad Ali.

[troutman]

Currently? Beckham. Famous everywhere. Far and away. Tiger is not as famous.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...-beckham_x.htm

He's the most famous man Americans don't know: one of the world's highest-paid athletes, a fashion pacemaker married to a glamorous pop star, an idol of gays, teens and mothers alike. And gorgeous, to boot.

In a way no other athlete has, Beckham, 28, combines sport, celebrity, entertainment and style to achieve a global span of unprecedented magnitude, says Ellis Cashmore, professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University. Cashmore teaches a standing-room-only course on football culture and is author of Beckham, a sociological study of the athlete's elevation to iconic status.

Beckham is 'worshiped'

"He is the purest sports celebrity in the history of the world," Cashmore says. "Tiger Woods? Michael Jordan? They redefined their sport, and they are respected. But Beckham has transcended that. He is worshiped. His fan base goes far beyond sports; many of them don't even care about football."

All -time? Ali - it is said he was the most famous person in the world at one time.

[ricoFlame]

if you go to argentina or palermo, maradona is still a god...many other parts of the world too.

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by troutman

Currently? Beckham. Famous everywhere. Far and away. Tiger is not as famous.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...-beckham_x.htm

He's the most famous man Americans don't know: one of the world's highest-paid athletes, a fashion pacemaker married to a glamorous pop star, an idol of gays, teens and mothers alike. And gorgeous, to boot.

In a way no other athlete has, Beckham, 28, combines sport, celebrity, entertainment and style to achieve a global span of unprecedented magnitude, says Ellis Cashmore, professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University. Cashmore teaches a standing-room-only course on football culture and is author of Beckham, a sociological study of the athlete's elevation to iconic status.

Beckham is 'worshiped'

"He is the purest sports celebrity in the history of the world," Cashmore says. "Tiger Woods? Michael Jordan? They redefined their sport, and they are respected. But Beckham has transcended that. He is worshiped. His fan base goes far beyond sports; many of them don't even care about football."

All -time? Ali - it is said he was the most famous person in the world at one time.

That article is 4 years old though. Is beckham still as famous as he once was? I think Woods may have him beat.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Definitely Beckham since soccer has a worldwide following (except North America), where as golf doesn't... nor does tennis or basketball.

[Dion]

Tiger Woods.

[CaptainCrunch]

any woman tennis player whose name ends in va

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Deelow

That article is 4 years old though. Is beckham still as famous as he once was? I think Woods may have him beat.

Beckham is even more famous now. Now people in the US know who he is too, now that he is coming to play for the LA team. Tickets in the MLS are selling out for a chance to see Beckham.

[MagicallyAdept]

It depends where you are in the world as someone else said but seeing as 'soccer' is the most popular sport i would have to say Beckham is one of the most famous especially through his work in fashion and his wife. Ali could be the most revered sportsman of all time as every soccer fan knows of him. Woods is hugley popular but in less developed countries golf doesn't exactly have a large fan base.

My school played Beckhams school (after he left and before he was famous) and we won 5 or 6 - 0. Eat that Dave :P

[Jiggy_12]

Derek Jeter. Can this guy be on any more video game covers?

Most popular for comedic reasons: Zenedine Zidane

[bluejays]

1) Tiger Woods
2) Michael Jordan

Nothing against Beckham, Pele or Ali, but Pele and Ali were huge in their time and I think we're discounting that newer generation of sub-20's probably wouldn't recognize some of these guys by face. Beckham comes close though, but I heard that Tiger Woods is the most recognizable athlete in the world today (weird considering it's golf which isn't touched by 90% of the worldwide population).

[BlackEleven]

As soon as I saw this thread I thought Beckham. He's known in every country throughout the world. I don't think anyone comes close to that, even Tiger.

All time? That's tough. Ali? Maradona? Pele?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I was thinking Beckham (currently) and Pele (all-time) ?

in all honesty I wouldn't know otherwise.

Other than soccer, what sports are truely worldwide?

During the Olympics you'll get a Thorpe, Sale, or Pelletier every once and a while, but after the games they kinda fade away.

Tennis? F1? Boxing? Not sure what else, but I'll stick with Beckham and Pele

[BlackEleven]

I still stand by my original Beckham answer, but I think some other good ones (currently):
1) Michael Schumaker
2) Lance Armstrong

Certainly as well known throughout Europe and Asia, but I don't think they are as well known in Africa and Asia (especially Japan) as Beckham. Plus although they maybe as well known as Beckham, I don't think they're quite as revered as he is.

[Frank the Tank]

What about Mike Tyson for all the wrong reasons?

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Worldwide, David Beckham is the most popular, easily.

[Hack&Lube]

I think you guys are overrating golf's popularity worldwide. Heck, Shaw even told my dad they had to move the golf channel to a digital tier since it was the least watched channel after CNBC on regular cable.

Tiger is well known and respected, but golf isn't that popular amongst the common folk in the world.

It would have to be a soccer player such Beckham I'm thinking.