Top 10 Can't-Miss Sporting Events to Watch out for This Summer
Summertime sports are meant for leisure viewing—unlike what we see during those haggard winter months. While people bask in the warm weather and catch beach vibes, the desire for great sports becomes a loaded entree stuffed with various displays of athleticism.
Since we're already into the sun-soaked summer months, events like Wimbledon didn't qualify for the list—considering it's almost finished.
Instead, we looked ahead at what's next and compiled a list of 10 can't-miss sporting events to watch out for this summer.
Summer Olympics
1 of 10
Event: 2016 Summer Olympics
When: Aug. 5-21
Every four years, the Summer Olympics come barreling into our lives. Filled with festivities, pageantry and outstanding athletic performances, the Olympics truly are on of the world's grandest spectacles.
This year's event will be held in Rio de Janeiro. And despite a constant wave of negativity coming out of the host city—like a "super bacteria" found in the city's waters, per CNN's Flora Charner—viewership should remain strong.
There's something special about the world competing against each other that makes the Olympics worthwhile. The 2016 edition should be no different.
2016 U.S. Open
2 of 10
Event: 2016 U.S. Open
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 11
As Wimbledon wraps up, the next major event will of course be the U.S. Open. Held in Queens, New York, the Open brings the hard, ocean-blue American courts back into play.
Unlike the grass of Wimbledon or the French Open clay, this surface lends itself to harder balls being driven off the ground and a more predictable placement of shots.
Narratives on the table for the 2016 edition range from Flavia Pennetta and Novak Djokovic attempting to repeat as champions to whether Rafael Nadal will be able to play.
The U.S. Open kicks off Aug. 29 and ceases Sept. 11. No matter who steps up and wins, we're all in store for an exciting few weeks of summer tennis.
NFL Training Camp
3 of 10
Event: NFL training camp
When: July 26-TBD
We love the National Football League and all of the events that lead up to the regular season. In the summer, two major NFL time periods evolve: the start of training camp and, of course, the preseason.
Training camp has become can't-miss mainly due to the media being so accessible these days. Competition forms, teams begin to mesh and decisions are made to better each of the 32 NFL franchises.
Watching training camp isn't always accessible, nor beneficial. But understanding the value behind these camps and following every move on social media creates plenty of conversation football fans can't get enough of.
For a full list of when each team's camp is expected to open, check out this timeline from ESPN.
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Major League Baseball's All-Star Game
4 of 10
Event: Major League Baseball's 2016 All-Star Game
When: July 12
Major League Baseball's All-Star Game is the one vanity contest that actually matters. Forget the Pro Bowl, NBA showcase or even the NHL's side of things. Those might be entertaining, but they're not meaningful.
Adopting a home-field advantage policy based on All-Star Game results was a way to legitimize the product. And cheers go out to the higher-ups in MLB. This tweak really has turned the All-Star break into something worth watching.
The All-Star Game—Home Run Derby included—makes for great summer television. Settling in and watching a few solid hours of baseball has become a welcome tradition for devotees of the long ball.
NFL Preseason
5 of 10
Event: NFL preseason
When: Aug. 1-Sept. 7
When training camp closes up shop, the NFL preseason comes pouring in. This year's preseason action commences on Aug. 1 when the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts in the yearly Hall of Fame showdown.
The preseason is a great place to watch rookies develop and veterans get their legs back under them. It may not be nearly as exciting as regular-season action, but it's still football. And at the end of the day, pro football being reintroduced into our lives is a beautiful thing.
2016 British Open
6 of 10
Event: 2016 British Open
When: July 14-17
The British Open has always served as a reminder that great golf can be played anywhere. Across the pond in Scotland, this year's Open will get underway at the Royal Troon Golf Club.
It's a course that's been favorable to American golfers, as the past six winners at Royal Troon have been from the United States, per Golf Digest.
That bodes well for last year's champion, Zach Johnson. Can he repeat and lift the trophy? Or will someone else be able to claim the coveted prize? Find out when the British Open tees off on July 14.
NFL Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony
7 of 10
Event: NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony
When: Aug. 6
Appreciating greatness is what sports is all about. No ceremony honors that notion more than the NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement in Canton, Ohio.
With each passing summer comes a chance for a host of former NFL greats to get their shot at immortality. It allows those elected into the Hall of Fame to stand up at a lectern and deliver an empowering speech to the public, while friends and family look on.
This year's event goes down on Aug. 6 and, per usual, will be broadcast on NFL Network. Missing out isn't an option for true followers of the pigskin.
2016 PGA Championship
8 of 10
Event: 2016 PGA Championship
When: July 28-31
Golf's big summer comes to a conclusion toward the end of July when the 2016 PGA Championship gets underway. The event, hosted in Springfield, New Jersey, will pit some of the best pro golfers in the world against one another.
Jason Day enters as last year's winner. While repeating isn't easy, he has already entered the tournament's preliminary field list, per PGA.com.
The only thing we do know is that the 2016 edition of the PGA Championship should make for a beautiful summer weekend of golf. At this point, everything else is up in the air.
Tour De France 2016
9 of 10
Event: Tour de France 2016
When: July 2-24
The Tour de France is a classic example of being a marathon not a sprint. Despite kicking off July 2, the Tour doesn't end until July 24.
This full-circle ride of France is a beautiful way to see the country, watch great athletes and enjoy a sport you may otherwise overlook. Taking up the better part of a month, the Tour gives viewers plenty of opportunities to join in on the fun.
WWE SummerSlam
10 of 10
Event: WWE SummerSlam
When: Aug. 21
World Wrestling Entertainment's annual SummerSlam show has become a grandiose spectacle in the world of sports entertainment. Year in and year out, the company's biggest and brightest stars headline a weekend full of must-watch TV.
What has further pushed SummerSlam into a can't-miss sporting event this year are two underlying factors.
Up first is the impending company brand split. For those unfamiliar, WWE essentially will have a draft on July 17, which will divide the roster between its two main cable television programs, Raw and Smackdown. This creates fresh feuds and interesting storylines heading into August.
Secondly, SummerSlam weekend also features the company's "minor league" branch—NXT—hosting its own PPV. NXT TakeOver: Back to Brooklyn will prelude SummerSlam and is another way to celebrate the joy of pro wrestling.
With all of these factors added in, SummerSlam should make for a special event.
All stats, box scores and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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