where would running lay in usa's most popular sport?

running is an interesting sport though. As far as advertising dollars go I'd say more money and prize money goes towards boxing. But, running is a sport practiced by everyone. Therefore, running is the top sport in the United States of America.

i meant competitively, like usatf

Running is a very important aspect of football. It is one of the essential skills/abilities that quarterbacks, receivers, linemen, linebackers, etc, all need to possess in order to perform and compete on the field.

noname wrote:

i would say in back of boxing but in front of horse racing, for around 8th place. what say you, letsrun?

I would put it behind horse racing. After any of the Triple Crown events, horse racing is usually the #1 story on Sportscenter or ESPN.com. Even the Breeders Cup gets some play in the mainstream media.

That only happens rarely with track & field (once every 4 years, basically) and essentially never if you limit the question only to distance running.

In back of:

Football

Basketball

Baseball

NASCAR

Tennis

Golf

Hockey

Soccer

Boxing

In front of:

Horse racing

Swimming

Cycling

Bowling

Figure skating

Curling

Lacrosse

Fishing

Rugby

Handball

bowling crushes running...really horse racing, yeah cause that kentucky derby thing isn't popular at all, swimming sorry we lose again, cycling when druggie lance is on the bike...to the back. figure skating way behind...fishing why that's on espn daily, it's bass season no? curling we got, rugby we got, handball, hopefully we keep that to ourselves. lacrosse probally behind...just one guys thoughts.

Running is way behind bowling, horse racing, swimming and cycling. Fishing also. ESPN carries bowling weekly during the PBA season with bowling marathons on Classic. There is a channel dedicated to horse racing. During the Olympics all my co-workers were talking about the swimming, not the running. And have you watched all the fishing shows on TV. Please, no comparison. Sorry fellas, I\'d put running right behind horseshoes and darts.

ray wrote:

i love running wrote:

Running is way behind bowling, horse racing, swimming and cycling. Fishing also. ESPN carries bowling weekly during the PBA season with bowling marathons on Classic. There is a channel dedicated to horse racing. During the Olympics all my co-workers were talking about the swimming, not the running. And have you watched all the fishing shows on TV. Please, no comparison. Sorry fellas, I'd put running right behind horseshoes and darts.

I agree 100%. I was just going to post the same thing. In fact, hunting, lawn darts, bocce and and baggo are probably in front of running. Add poker and softball to the top list.

Pretty high as a participantnt sport, as a viewership sport its pretty low except for once every 4 years.

Not a very good marketing job is done with running on the competitive side of things.

LamePoster wrote:

Running is a very important aspect of football. It is one of the essential skills/abilities that quarterbacks, receivers, linemen, linebackers, etc, all need to possess in order to perform and compete on the field.

Best Answer! Although, in football, I think I would put running a close 2nd behind strength.

Also, NBC seems to think we are far behind gymnastics and any sport that takes place in a pool.

it gets lumped with ~OTHER OLYMPIC SPORTS~often

Crap Carol Lewis`s favorite sport is bobsled and she makes her living missannouncing T&F !

If you go by the major networks, you would think running ranks behind bird watching, but between running speciality stores, magazines, apparrel sales, road races, etc., makes running a $billion+ industry. And, in terms of 'active' participation, running is probably in the top 5 of sports, but where running/T&F loses out is in stadium events and TV spectatorship. The NY and Boston marathon, Melrose Games and the Penn Relays, etc., which are well marketed events and clearly show what the possibilitys are. (USATF needs visionary leadership.)

The Philadelphia Civic Center, the old 168th Street Armory and Baltimore Armory in the 70s, routinely drew non-participant fans, the results from those meets were in the newspaper the next day and were mentioned in the nightly news. Kids who were non-runners had posters of Bruce Jenner and Edwin Moses and long before I was a runner, I knew who Jim Ryun and Al Orter was. I have said a thousand times that the 1980 Olympic boycott changed everything for T&F. If a retail store ever missed out on a Christmas, they would go out of business; the 4 year Olympic cycle is running's Christmas.

I am optimistic, becasue the potential is there. Running needs marketable stars; if Bolt was an American, articulate and good looking, he would single handedly put T&F back in the limelight and if Jordan of Fernandez makes an impact on international level, that will be a big shot in the arm. All sports needs stars to build around, you can clearly see this with how the NBA is building around LeBrone.