1. Professional Sports in American Culture

2. National Football League (NFL)
Regular season
Late-August – December
Playoffs in Dec./January
Star players
Peyton Manning, Ladainian Tomlinson
Business aspect
32 teams, 2 conferences: AFC & NFC
Contracts are not guaranteed money
Most popular teams
Dallas Cowboys: “America’s Team” ; Oakland Raiders: “Bad Boys”
Championship
Super Bowl, first one in 1966
First Sunday in February

3. Major League Baseball Regular season Star players Business aspect
April – September
Playoffs in October
Star players
Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Johan Santana
Business aspect
National League (16 teams) & American League (14 teams)—slightly different rules.
Guaranteed contracts, free agency, waivers, arbitration, salary cap, luxury tax.
Most popular teams
New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs
Championship
World Series began in 1903
Last week of October
First to win 4 out of 7 games
Yankees have won 26 times

4. National Basketball Association (NBA)
Regular season
November - April
Playoffs in April/May
Star players
LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal
Business aspect
30 teams, 2 conferences: Eastern & Western Conferences
Contracts are guaranteed money
Most popular teams
Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls [Jordan’s team]
Championship
NBA Championship, Best 4-of-7
June

5. National Hockey League (NHL)
Regular season
October – April
Playoffs in April/May
Star players
Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr
Business aspect
30 teams, 2 conferences: Eastern & Western
3 divisions in each conference
Most popular teams
Montreal Candiens, Detroit Red Wings
Championship
Stanley Cup, 1892 [held in June]
Montreal Canadiens, 24 titles
The cup travels throughout the year [lost in a poker game]

6. Other pro sports… WNBA: Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes
NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon
Golf: Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods
Soccer: Pele, Freddy Adu, David Beckham
Boxing: Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali [Cassius Clay], George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson
Tennis: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert Lloyd
Bowling, Arena Football, Lacrosse, etc.