It's difficult for me top assign numerical rankings to quantify my interest in a particular sport. I can have at least passing interest in just about any sport, given the right circumstance. I NEVER watch tennis intentionally, for example, but I was hypnotized by a particular match last year that went to a lengthy tiebreaker. Of course, I wouldn't have watched the whole thing, but couldn't look away when the drama of the moment was highest. Something about the competition, I suppose.
My top three are easy though. I was raised on baseball, learned basic math skills from the old newspaper box scores and saw many of the old greats in person during the sixties. My family used to vacation in Florida just to be able to go to spring training games and my wife and I still ask each other what time the game starts on TV each night. I got my love of college football from my father at a very early age and it's rarely waned. I'm so into college football that I have been known to scour recruiting websites (and CSNBBS
) even though I am way too busy at work. As much as I love MLB and college football, I am equally passionate about the NFL -- modern day gladiators, the best of the best. I am an admin of a New Orleans Saints fan site with 25,000 members and follow the NFL draft like a Hollywood starlet stalker.
On the next level, my interest often depends on how well my favorite teams are doing; they don't have to be winning big, just improving will pique my interest. It's extremely rare for me to watch an entire game from this group, but it will happen from time to time. In order, my preferences within this group are college baseball, the NHL, college basketball and the NBA. Honestly speaking however, if I missed the whole season of any of them and only caught a few minutes of their playoffs, I wouldn't feel cheated. The college baseball playoffs and the NHL playoffs are pretty exciting and I try not to miss them, but I will only watch the basketball playoffs if there is someone playing that gives me a rooting interest.
I have zero interest in NASCAR, soccer, MMA, golf, etc. I'd rather watch 10-year-olds play soccer in person than any pro teams or world cup soccer.