Arena Sports: Sports News, Records, History & Events (best all-round

Where football comes from Kicking-a-ball games are ancient. China's cuju dates back more than two thousand years, and the Romans played harpastum. In medieval Europe, whole villages played chaotic "mob football" with almost no rules. The modern game starts in 1863, when clubs in London founded the Football Association and wrote a common set of rules. That is also the moment football and rugby went their separate ways. Organised competition followed quickly: 1871–72: the FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world 1872: the first official international, Scotland vs England in Glasgow, a 0-0 draw 1888: the Football League, the first professional league 1904: FIFA founded in Paris Defining moments 1930: the first World Cup, in Uruguay. The hosts won it. 1950: the "Maracanazo". Brazil needed only a draw at home and lost the deciding match to Uruguay in front of a huge Maracanã crowd. 1954: the "Miracle of Bern", when West Germany beat the gre...

Basketball in Sport Origins and history Basketball is one of the few major sports with a known inventor and birth date. In December 1891, James Naismith, a physical education teacher in Springfield, Massachusetts, needed an indoor game for his students during the winter. He nailed peach baskets to a gym balcony and wrote down 13 rules. The game spread fast through YMCAs and colleges. Basketball became an Olympic sport for men in 1936 and for women in 1976. The NBA's roots go back to 1946, and the modern league grew from its 1976 merger with the ABA. How the game grew worldwide The 1992 "Dream Team" at the Barcelona Olympics is often seen as the moment basketball went truly global. Since then, players from Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia have become stars in the NBA, and the game is now in every region of the world. Leagues like EuroLeague, the Spanish ACB and the Australian NBL have built their own strong followings. Sport business Basketball is a major business. I...

Tennis is a racket sport played between two players (singles) or two teams of two (doubles). Players hit a felt-covered rubber ball over a net on a rectangular court, trying to land it where the opponent can't return it. How it works A point starts with a serve, and the players then rally until someone fails to return the ball within the court, hits it into the net, or hits it out. Points are counted 0 (called "love"), 15, 30, 40, then game. A player must win by two points, so a tied score at 40-40 is "deuce." Games make up sets, usually first to six games with a two-game margin, and sets make up a match, typically best of three or best of five. Court and surfaces The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, with a net across the middle. The main surfaces are hard court, clay, and grass, and each changes how the ball bounces and how fast play is. Clay is slower with higher bounces, while grass is faster with lower bounces. Professional tennis The sport is best kno...

Golf is a club-and-ball sport where players hit a ball into a series of holes on a course, using as few strokes as possible. It's one of the few major sports where the lowest score wins. How it works A standard round has 18 holes, played in order. Each hole has a tee box where you start, a fairway, hazards like sand bunkers and water, and a green with the hole (the "cup"). Each hole has a par, the number of strokes an expert player is expected to need (usually 3, 4, or 5). Beating par is a "birdie" (one under) or "eagle" (two under). One over is a "bogey". Players carry up to 14 clubs, including drivers for long distance, irons for mid-range shots, wedges for short and high shots, and a putter for the green. The winner is whoever completes the round in the fewest total strokes. Common formats Stroke play: total strokes across the round, the format used in most professional tournaments. Match play: you win individual holes against an opp...

Basketball court dimensions depend on the level of play. Here are the main standards: FIBA (international) Playing court: 28 m long × 15 m wide (about 91.9 ft × 49.2 ft) Three-point line: 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) from the basket Free-throw line: 4.6 m (15 ft) from the backboard Key (restricted area): rectangular, 4.9 m wide Rim height: 3.05 m (10 ft) NBA Playing court: 94 ft × 50 ft (28.65 m × 15.24 m) Three-point line: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) at the top of the arc, 22 ft (6.71 m) in the corners Free-throw line: 15 ft from the backboard Key (lane): 16 ft wide Rim height: 10 ft NCAA (college, US) Playing court: 94 ft × 50 ft Three-point line: 22 ft 1.75 in (men’s and women’s) Key: 12 ft wide Rim height: 10 ft High school (US) Playing court: typically 84 ft × 50 ft (25.6 m × 15.2 m), though many use the full 94 ft Three-point line: 19 ft 9 in Key: 12 ft wide Other useful details Center circle: 3.6 m (about 12 ft) in diameter in FIBA play, 12 ft in the NBA Backboard: 1.8 m × 1.05 m (6 ft...

Rugby is a team sport where two teams try to score more points than each other by carrying, passing, and kicking an oval-shaped ball. In rugby union, the most common form: 🏉 Each team has 15 players. Players can run forward with the ball, but passes with the hands must generally go sideways or backwards. You score a try by grounding the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area. You can also score with kicks, such as conversions, penalties, and drop goals. Players can tackle opponents who have the ball, making rugby a physical contact sport. A standard match lasts 80 minutes. There is also rugby league, which has 13 players per team and somewhat different rules. Rugby Union Rules: The Essentials The basics Teams: 15 players a side (8 forwards, 7 backs), with up to 8 replacements. Match length: Two 40-minute halves, with a 10-minute half-time break. Aim: Score more points than the opposition by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball. Pitch: About 100 m long between...

Here is a simple explanation of the business side of each sport: Sport Main business activities ⚽ Football Sponsorships, TV/streaming rights, ticket sales, merchandise, player transfers, advertising and club ownership. 🎾 Tennis Tournament sponsorships, broadcasting rights, ticket sales, equipment and clothing brands, player endorsements and prize-event partnerships. 🏀 Basketball Team sponsorships, broadcasting, ticket sales, merchandise, player endorsements, advertising and arena events. 🚴 Cycling Team sponsorships, bicycle and equipment sales, race sponsorships, broadcasting, cycling events and sports-tourism businesses. ⛳ Golf Golf-club memberships, equipment and clothing sales, tournament sponsorships, broadcasting, advertising, golf courses and player endorsements. 🏉 Rugby Sponsorships, broadcasting rights, ticket sales, merchandise, club partnerships, stadium events and player/team endorsements. 🏃 Athletics Athlete sponsorships, sportswear and equipment deals, e...