10 Most Underrated Sports Storylines in US Right Now
Not everyone has to like soccer or hockey or marathon running. Still, at least in the U.S., those sports don't generally get the appreciation they deserve for the product they provide.
Have you ever been to a hockey game? Have you ever watched the New Zealand All Blacks play rugby? There is some awesome stuff out there in the world of sports that generally doesn't get enough mainstream attention in the U.S.
Today, we're hoping to shed some light on 10 such current storylines in sports. These are things the general U.S. sports-fan populace is probably not paying a lot of attention to, but maybe it should be.
Obviously, this doesn't apply to diehard fans of a particular sport. Hockey fans know who Connor McDavid is, and soccer fans know what's happening in the Champions League. Still, these stories often don't get enough love outside their own spheres, and it's time to change that.
Endurance Sports
1 of 10
Fall is a big season for endurance athletes. The Ironman World Championships were just held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. German Olympian Jan Frodeno won, taking just over eight hours and 14 minutes to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 and run a marathon.
In addition, three of the six World Marathon Majors take place between September and November—the BMW Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon. At 38, American Meb Keflezighi made history in 2014 as the oldest competitor to win the Boston Marathon since 1931. He will run in New York against defending champion Wilson Kipsang, among others, in November.
National Women's Hockey League
2 of 10
If the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi didn't get you jazzed up about women's hockey, nothing will. Still, the U.S. has capitalized on perhaps some of that excitement and started a professional women's league.
Play just got underway in the National Women's Hockey League, the first league of its kind to pay players. The league consists of four teams—the Boston Pride, Connecticut Whale, New York Riveters and Buffalo Beauts. Several international stars have already joined, including Japanese goaltender Nana Fujimoto and Russia's Yekaterina Smolentseva.
The Canadian Women's Hockey League has been around since 2007 but doesn't pay its players. The NWHL will pay players between $10,000 and $25,000 a year, and the athletes commit to two practices per week plus 18 games.
It is a modest beginning, but it's a good sign for women and girls who love the game. According to Chris Peters of CBS Sports, USA Hockey reported over 50,000 young girls are registered to play hockey in the U.S.
NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup
3 of 10
The Chase for the Sprint Cup is on in NASCAR. The October 25 race at Talladega will be the last in the round of 12, and four drivers will get the boot. On the block are the last four in the standings, which currently include Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Joey Logano leads the standings after back-to-back wins at Charlotte and Kansas. Not in contention is six-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who was eliminated at Dover.
The drivers will be pared down to eight and then four. Those still in contention will compete in the final round on November 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
League of Legends World Championships
4 of 10Whether Colin Cowherd likes it or not, eSports are here to stay. According to a report by SuperData, worldwide eSports viewership has reached 134 million, and corporate sponsorship dollars are up to $111 million in North America alone.
Now is a good time to jump on board the train, too. The League of Legends World Championships are happening in Europe. The quarterfinal round just wrapped at Wembley Arena in London, and four teams will move on to the semifinals in Brussels.
NHL Expansion Applications
5 of 10
You know how the NFL-to-Los Angeles storyline just won't die? Well, here's something for you. According to the NHL, 16 cities expressed an interest in applying for an expansion team this year. Two cities—Las Vegas and Quebec City—actually went through with the applications.
Things are moving along, but there is still work to be done in the process. In September, NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen reported NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, "There are a lot of issues and questions that are going to have to be answered before any decision can be made."
The Board of Governors executive committee has yet to make a recommendation, and the group at large won't meet again until December. Still, the possibility of more NHL teams as early as 2017-18 is pretty exciting.
Champions League
6 of 10
The Champions League is still in the group stage, but already there has been plenty of drama.
Defending champion Barcelona is dealing with an injury to superstar Lionel Messi. Bayern Munich fans are threatening to boycott part of an upcoming match against Arsenal over ticket prices. Tension is rumored to exist between Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, according to AS (via the Daily Mail's Nicholas Godden).
Never a dull moment.
Rugby World Cup
7 of 10
The Rugby World Cup happens once every four years, and it's happening now, in England. Twenty nations started out vying for the title, and as of October 18, four teams remain.
The tournament has not lacked in excitement thus far. In the quarterfinal round, the 2011 champion New Zealand All Blacks (you might know them as the team that does the haka dance) crushed rival France in a highly anticipated matchup.
These two teams have history. New Zealand defeated France to take the 2011 title, but according to Brian Hightower of NBC Sports, the All Blacks were eliminated from World Cup contention by the Frenchmen in 1999 and 2007.
New Zealand will face South Africa next, and the final will be played on October 31.
Connor McDavid's First Season
8 of 10
This is a big storyline for hockey fans, but many others might not even know the name Connor McDavid.
The No. 1 NHL draft pick is the most hyped young player since Sidney Crosby. In 2013, folks had already taken to calling the young phenom (then just 16 years old) the "LeBron James of hockey."
In May, Wayne Gretzky himself said, "I just think he's a really good young player. I saw Sidney Crosby at 14, got to meet him, got to know him. He's been the best player in the game. This young man McDavid is that caliber. He has the potential to be a Crosby, a Gretzky, a Lemieux," per Ray Slover of Sporting News.
McDavid scored his first goal for the Edmonton Oilers recently in a 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars, but don't expect the spotlight to dim on his story anytime soon.
Chelsea's Premier League Struggles
9 of 10
The 2015-16 Premier League season is underway. One of the big storylines thus far has been the slow start of defending champion Chelsea. Through October 18, the team is 3-2-4 and sitting 11th in the standings. Manager Jose Mourinho has come under fire for the team's struggles.
After a recent loss to Southampton, Mourinho said there is only one way he would quit, per PA Sport (via ESPN FC): "I think you should go straight to the players. ... If they tell you they don't trust me, [that] is the only thing that can make me resign. The only thing. But not fake sources. The players at the table."
Start of the NHL Season
10 of 10
The NHL season started to little fanfare beyond hockey fans, of course. The NHL has a tough go every year, since its opening competes with the likes of the NFL, college football and the MLB postseason for fan mind share.
Already, Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins have caused a stir with an 0-3 start, the Detroit Red Wings appear to be doing just fine after the departure of longtime coach Mike Babcock and Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has scored the 500th point of his career.
It's going to be a long season, but it's going to be great. Make time, sports fans.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
