Everyone has their own preference when it comes down to sports and the leagues in which they are played, which makes them as great and as competitive as possible.
For those situated in North America, there are five major professional sports leagues across different disciplines that have been created, with the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).
Indeed, each of the competitions is rather brilliant in regards to the action that they continue to offer, but for some, many would rank them in the way that has been outlined above, with the NFL being the clear king and the NHL somewhat behind most of the rest.
However, is this something that is right? Or is the NHL actually a lot more popular around the world compared to the American Football league?
Figures have many factors attached to them
If you were to look at where the two sports were played around the world, then it would be rather easy to suggest that ice hockey and the NHL would be more popular than their NFL counterpart.
There is no doubt that many within Canada will be continuing to look for the best NHL betting odds possible as they are extremely passionate about the sport, although it should be noted that the game is popular in other corners of the world.
For instance, taking a look at the mixture of the nationalities that currently play in the NHL may provide a good indication about where the sport is popular.
There are a number of individuals who hail from Scandinavia, whilst there are many who also come from places in Eastern Europe such as Russia. Naturally, the regions mentioned are rather snowy and icy at times throughout the year, therefore allowing for people to take perhaps a more natural interest in the sport.
It could also be argued that the NFL and American Football as a whole do not have the same reach or appeal around the world, as it is a sport that is not typically played outside of the United States, despite some having started to embrace it a little more.
NHL is not as popular in America
However, some would point to the fact that the NHL is not the most popular sports league within North America; the location in which the competition actually takes place.
There is no denying that it does not continue to attract millions each and every year in regard to audience viewing and attendance numbers, but many will point towards the fact that the NFL is “America’s Game” and one that continues to appeal to many within the vast land.
Given the population of America, it would not be too difficult to see how the popularity level of the game is incredibly high despite it being largely played in just one country.
Verdict
As can be seen, it can be rather hard to compare the two sports on a global scale as they both appeal to rather different audiences. Nonetheless, both the NFL and the NHL are incredibly popular at home and continue to remain amongst the very best sports competitions the world has to offer.