In America, people watch all sorts of sports, from soccer to hockey to baseball. However, the most popular, the most entertaining, and the best sport to watch is American football.
Played by 32 teams from across the country on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays in the fall and winter, over tens of millions of people every weekend watch each individual game, according to NBC Sports Media. As well, Gallup says that 35% of American adults think that the most entertaining sport to watch is football, with a wide margin over the second-place baseball. On September 7, 2025, the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens game on Sunday night drew 24.7 million viewers according to NBC. That same night, the New York Yankees played against the Toronto Blue Jays. That game was watched by just over 900,000, according to the Yankees Entertainment Sports Network (YES).
Football is called the most popular sport to watch in America because of the constant action, unpredictability, and intensity of the game. Every play has an action to change the outcome of the game, and coming down the stretch of the season, each game matters more and more. The combination of speed, strength, and strategy leaves people on the edge of their seats. Whether it’s a crazy touchdown or a great tackle, football delivers excitement from start to finish.
Sports like basketball and hockey do have excitement, but the regular seasons are longer, so the games are much less meaningful, and they don’t have as much impact as football does. As a result of this, the passion that die-hard fans have for the team and the atmosphere around the sport. The energy around rivalry games, such as Bears vs. Packers and playoff games, creates an experience unlike any other sport.
In baseball, games can take hours with no scoring, and games can also get out of hand very easily. As well, according to the National Arms Race, the ball is in play during a baseball game only about 10% of the time. Every game, whether it’s primetime on a Thursday night or 1 PM on a Sunday, is filled with suspense and emotion. The big games and last-minute comebacks make football not just a game, but a spectacle. Football is the most exciting and entertaining sport to watch in the United States, and the people of the US agree.
