It is interesting how different sports are popular in different areas of the world. There are some well-known differences between the US and Europe, especially when it comes to football, which represents completely different sports on these continents. Also, people living in northern America prefer baseball and rugby, while soccer is the favorite sport of Europeans, along with many other parts of the world. There are some differences seen in Asia and Oceania as well, especially when it comes to the popularity of Cricket there, which is not seen anywhere else. The only place in Europe where this sport holds higher popularity is England.
Even if you don’t know so much about this sport, it can be a great idea to learn more about the rules and start following some games if you prefer betting on sports events. That will provide you with higher flexibility and more chance to win. Before you start spending money on these events, it is crucial to research the available betting platforms. When it comes to cricket, one of the best websites is Dafabet India, and you can read more about it at jeetbig.com
Furthermore, cricket has a long history of almost 200 years. However, it never managed to reach the same level as football or basketball, at least not on a global level. Countries, where it is the most popular, are India, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, Nepal, and England. On the other side, a lot of people in Europe and northern America do not even know the rules of this sport. Here are the main reasons why it never managed to reach higher popularity in more countries all over the world.
1. People Simply Prefer Other Sports
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The only sport that is popular in almost every country is football. Even though it is known that people in the US and Canada might prefer other options like baseball and hockey, there are still big leagues with a lot of professional clubs and great football players there. The US MLS League is especially under development in recent years, and the best proof of that is the increase of popular football stars who are playing there.
Another team sport that keeps a high status on a global level is basketball, especially in Europe and America. On the other side, cricket never managed to reach the same status. People prefer simple sports where the team plays along with individual skills are the main focus. Also, the rules are much easier to understand when it comes to these two sports, especially when compared to cricket.
2. Historical and Political Reasons
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Unfortunately, politics is often affecting various sports, and the same is for cricket as well. The interesting fact is that it was much more popular in Europe in the 19th century. All the bigger countries like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Russia were competing in it. However, several factors have led to changes where it was quickly forgotten.
First of all, the amazing increase in popularity of football in the late 19th century and early 20th century when all countries started to compete on an international level and organize their first leagues and clubs. Until the first FIFA world cup in 1930, no one was interested in cricket anymore.
Still, that was not the only reason for that. The roots of this sport are from the United Kingdom, and it was known as a colonial empire in the 19th and 20th centuries. As we all know, life in Europe was quite turbulent in the first half of the 20th century, and politics were affecting all areas of our lives. As a sport that is considered UK based, and its high popularity in colonial states, a lot of European countries decided to focus on other sports and even ban cricket.
3. Special Requirements
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The size of the court is 50% larger when compared to the football field. The number of players in one team is the same as in football. However, the rules might be very complicated to understand for someone watching it for the first time. There are over 40 rules that you have to know in this game.
Also, it is not full of action and entertainment as some other sports. That was one of the main factors why people decided to focus on other options. There was not enough room and resources to build an advanced infrastructure that will allow both football and cricket players to have big stadiums. Since football quickly managed to gain global fame, it was not a surprise that most countries decided to invest more in it.
Rules in football and basketball are much easier. Basketball is especially popular for being full of action and scoring all the time. For a fan of this sport, it will make the game much more interesting. On the other side, even though results in football are so great in terms of scores, and only a couple of goals can be seen in most games, the structure and pace are what make it so famous.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, a combination of various factors has led to such big differences in the popularity of various sports in different areas of the world. The team sports that managed to reach the highest global popularity are football and basketball. Today, big clubs have a rich tradition, and many people are not interested so much to start watching some other options.
Another reason that we have to mention is that football was made for the masses, while cricket was considered an elite sport like tennis. Therefore, most people in the mid-range and lower class were not interested in it from the start. Also, the rules can be quite complicated while games can last for a long time as well. In some cases, a game of cricket can last for more than 6 hours. On the other side, there are time limits and basketball and football which makes them perfect short-time entertainment options where you will enjoy a few hours over the weekend.
