(Newswire.net — August 5, 2017) — I’ve commented on the changing world of sport many times. I’m fascinated by it because I am someone who will happily watch any sport. It doesn’t matter if it’s football, cricket, rugby or pool, I’m game (although I draw the line at golf).
I also have a lot of connections to eSports and have been outspoken on my beliefs about that industry. But there are sports that are suffering while others grow, sports that are either underrated, under appreciated and struggling to gain traction, or ones that have just started to decline.
So, make sure you give these sports all of the credit they deserve.
Roller Derby
It is fast, it’s tough and it’s everything I want a sport to be. The fact that there are scores of beautiful women playing is neither here nor there…
Roller Derby is big in New York and California, and Los Angeles is one of the best places to experience it. It experienced a surge in popularity with the release of the Whip It film several years ago, but the popularity wasn’t sustained and it has died away again somewhat.
That is a huge shame because this really is a sport that everyone should be watching.
Bowling
You don’t really have a variety of choices when it comes to bowling. You get a good ball, a good pair of shoes and you go. Lanes are standard, rules are easy. There is no pomp or flair, regardless of what Kingpin would have you believe.
However, its beauty is in its simplicity. Bowling is great because it’s a global game, because it brings communities together and because you don’t need a lot of money or skill to get involved. Mastering it is a different story, but there’s no reason why you can’t get started.
Snooker
This is a personal favorite of mine, but it is a game that you just can’t find in the United States. For a country that is so passionate about pool, that’s a surprise. Snooker is a longer, more tactical and more grown-up version of pool. The table is bigger, the pockets smaller and the skill level way higher.
You can’t help but be amazed as you watch a game being played and I challenge any fan of pool to sit down and watch a game of snooker and not to be enthralled.
Wrestling
Combat sports have never been bigger. Boxing is experiencing a revival of sorts, the UFC is getting more viewers than ever and even bare-knuckle boxing is attracting a surprising number of fans. But in all of that, wrestling has taken a back seat.
WWE is a different story and as popular as ever, but as a sport and not an entertainment, wrestling has all but faded away. The same goes for many sports like judo, which everyone loves when the Olympics is on, but then seemingly forgets about when it finishes.
So, let’s bring it back. Let’s stop limiting wrestling and other grappling sports to high school and the Olympics and let’s start paying full attention once more.