Three Sporting Events in Britain That We Should All Watch

When it comes to sports, America is a fairly insular country. Despite the annual NFL games in London, football barely has a global presence. If you take Japan out the picture, neither does baseball. Basketball, however, does have a global presence.

It often seems the case with sport in the States. We are happy with what we have got and do not care what else is on offer. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. In fact, we are perhaps the most passionate sporting country. That is slightly paradoxical when considering the limitations of world sports in America. After the 2014 World Cup and the heroics of Tim Howard, soccer has started to establish a foothold in the States. But apart from that we need to broaden our horizons.

Our cousins over the Atlantic have a fantastic sports scene that is full of exciting events that a lot of the American audience would never before have witnessed. Britain certainly leads the way in Europe in regards to sporting pedigree and right now they are hosting and embroiled in some fantastic sporting events. Below are some of the events in the country that should interest us Americans.

The Cheltenham Festival

file1   by  Carine06 

Horse racing in Britain is very much treated like the “Sport of Kings”. Its popularity in the country has seen it become the second largest spectator sport in the country.

Hopefully, most of you will be familiar with the Grand National. This is the most famous horse race in the world. Sorry, Louisville. However, a few weeks before you get the equally famous Cheltenham Festival, which is without doubt the best part of the jump (steeplechase) racing calendar. With 27 races spread out over four days, it makes for perfect viewing for any racing fan.

You may question why you should watch horse racing from a different country. For one, jumps in Britain are higher than in America and thus far more difficult to traverse. Meanwhile, the horses and jockeys are better in Britain and therefore make for a more pulsating race. Cheltenham is very much a festival where the formbook goes out the window in the horse racing betting.

If you like the Kentucky Derby, you will love Cheltenham. For those who want to tune in the festival, it kicks off on March 10.

Six Nations

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by  jeanfrancois beausejour 

For a country that loves football, it is peculiar that we do not have an interest in rugby union. Right now, England, Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland and Italy are competing against each another for the right to be named Europe’s best nation.

If you thought the hits in the NFL were big, you have not seen anything yet. The sheer force rugby players go at each other is stupendous. Just look at George North, who was knocked out twice in Wales’ defeat to England. What is more, rugby is 80 minutes of action, rather than the stop-start nature of football. We Americans are patriotic but take a look at the Welsh when they get behind their team. It is literally incredible. The Six Nations is a tournament that cannot help but impress and mesmerize you.

Premier League of Darts

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by  Chris Ibbotson 

The humble game of darts has gone through a huge renaissance in Britain. The 2015 World Championship final attracted both record viewing and attendance figures.

Unlike the knockout format of the World Championships, the Premier League, which has just kicked off, operates in a division format. The ten best darts players in the world play each other on a weekly basis before finishing with a playoff format similar to the NFL.

It is hard to fathom watching darts, it really is. But once you watch someone like Michael van Gerwen tear it up at the oche, hitting 180 after 180, or Raymond van Barneveld taking out a nine-darter for fun, you will find yourself completely engrossed. It may sound silly but darts really is the most exciting sport in the world.

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