OT: Your favorite niche/non-"major" sports
We've entered the summer sports doldrums. The only active "major" sport is Major League Baseball. The Tigers stink, and we still have two months to go until football season.
But that doesn't mean there aren't any sports at all. Wimbledon is firing up, and the Tour de France begins shortly. There is auto racing on television every weekend, and other lesser-known sports are active as well.
Are there any "niche" sports that you enjoy? For these purposes I won't count US national teams in soccer or the Olympics; however, if there's an "Olympic" sport that you enjoy outside of the Olympics (I've gotten up at 5 am to watch Alpine skiing in non-Olympic years before) that totally counts. Sports Michigan plays that aren't the four majors (eg Wrestling, Field Hockey) count as well if you actively follow them in-season.
Post your favorite niche sports here.
Biathlon is a great time. I also really enjoy xc skiing. Strangely, I like 50 over cricket the most because I think it's the best balance of test and 20 over - there's a sense of urgency to the batsmen, but they also are not just trying to blast every shot - but trying to preserve their wicket. There's also some degree of stamina in 50 over. Not like Tests, but more than Twenty20.
Michigan Softball.
10000%, I've made time to watch both M softball and M baseball when they're in the tourneys
Curling
Rugby.
See it out of the USA.......quite a different culture.
Strongman is definitely my favorite sport, even over football. I love how fair it is if the contest is set up right; Can you or can you not pick up the weight/implement? Not to mention, pushing their bodies to the utmost extremes possible.
Most of my favorites have already been mention (F1, 24 Hrs of LeMans and other endurance races, boxing, curling, rugby, Aussie rules), so I'll name a couple others.
Muay Thai. I train and fight (although at 40 no full rules matches anymore), and watching the skill level of the top level guys is amazing.
Volleyball, Mens and Womens. When I was younger (like 11-12) my dad was a linesman for the Olympic qualifiers. I got to meet a bunch of players from different countries, and the Jamaican mens and women's teams let me shag balls for them. To this day, the Jamaican teams were the nicest high level athletes I've ever met.
I think Rugby7s is an under the radar spectator sport. 7 on 7 with 7 minute halves and a 2 minute half time.
Pretty much any sportscar racing. IMSA, WEC, Blancpain, etc.
I try to make it to at least one IMSA race a year. Going to Road America in Wisconsin again this year. Fantastic facility for going to watch a race.
triathlons
jai-alai
Since we’re nearing the 4th of July...
The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a must-watch every year.
I never pass up an opportunity to see a good gurning competition, though they're not all that common in this country.
Does Canadian Football count? I follow that league closely. Same with sumo and curling. And I enjoy Australian rules football and rugby when I can find them on TV.
I really like cricket and snooker. I much prefer the test match format of cricket, rather than the various one day formats. I also only have the time and inclination to follow major events, like The Ashes, and the World Snooker Championships. I also like to watch professional darts, but, again, only the major tournaments.