Who is the biggest global icon?

[Don Draper]

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

= my reaction every time you post

[Nowitness]

Hmm as far as US goes, Kobe is most popular, global it's tough to say, though a soccer star seems like the most likely. Other than US/CA/AUS maybe, it's the biggest sport.

As far as US goes, Kobe is at MOST a distant 3rd behind Tiger Woods and then Michael Jordan, and I'm being very, very nice by putting Kobe at #3.

In the US, I'd put Kobe over Tiger. For that post I was mainly talking current players, Jordan is for sure over Kobe all-time.

[KembaWalker]

You're clearly wrong.

1. Other sports are more popular in North America (even with Mexico and the other C.American countries). Canadians don't watch much soccer.

2. And cricket, rugby, and Australian rules football are more popular in Oz.

3. However, many Americans don't even know who Kobe Bryant is because American football is by far the more popular American sport with NBA basketball a distinct third or fourth most popular. College (American) football is more popular than the NBA in many states. But you are correct as far as soccer/football being the world's most popular sport easily swamping every other sport in popularity. And Messi is probably the most popular. Number two through ten are probably soccer players as well.

4. Then ask me if I care.

1. Going by wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Mexico) football is the most popular sport in Mexico. I had already excluded the 300mln people living in the US in my calculations, as you can easily read.

2. Duh, that's what I've written. Have you even read my post at all?

3. I agree, it reinforces my own argument.

4. Do you care? Because if you don't why are you even wasting your time posting here?

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

We're writing on an american message board. Don't you think that its population is bound to be skewed? And even the non american are not the average european/asian dude, as they're indulging in an uncommon activity, that is following american sports. Go to Europe and ask anyone if they know Tiger Woods, go to Africa and do the same. Your post has the same value of me going around Italy and asking if people know local sport heroes. No value at all.

Messi is in his prime right now and makes 19 mil in endorsements. When Tiger was in his prime he was making 100+ million a year in endorsements. He made more outside his home country than Messi made in the entire world. They aren't comparable, no matter how you guys personally feel about this issue. Messi is great soccer player, maybe greatest or whatever but when youre a complete nonfactor in the worlds largest economy by this much




its over. Schumacher would have been a smarter answer than Messi but he has the same problem

[Realdeal_33]

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

RealGM Basketball...

lets go to a soccer forum and see if people dont know who kobe bryant is.

[KembaWalker]

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

= my reaction every time you post

probably because i made you look like a fool in the NFL thread. get over it

[kamelion4291]

In the US, I'd put Kobe over Tiger. For that post I was mainly talking current players, Jordan is for sure over Kobe all-time.

It doesn't matter if YOU put him over Tiger. This isn't an opinion related argument. In just about every metric there is, Tiger Woods is the most relevant athlete in all of sports in the US. Whether you watch/like golf doesn't matter, his impact to just about everything far exceeds anything Kobe could possibly hope to accomplish.

I hate golf. I don't even think it should be called a sport. I never watch it, whether Tiger Woods is playing or not, but I'm not close minded enough to not realize the impact Tiger has and his immense popularity.

[advanced]

its funny how the two winning this vote are probably the two worst options on the list...its hard not to pick Tiger. hes like the Michael Jackson of sports

Federer should be near the leaders but he's sitting at 0 votes

[MaliBrah]

its funny how the two winning this vote are probably the two worst options on the list...its hard not to pick Tiger. hes like the Michael Jackson of sports

enlighten us then

[Johnlac1]

You're clearly wrong.

1. Other sports are more popular in North America (even with Mexico and the other C.American countries). Canadians don't watch much soccer.

2. And cricket, rugby, and Australian rules football are more popular in Oz.

3. However, many Americans don't even know who Kobe Bryant is because American football is by far the more popular American sport with NBA basketball a distinct third or fourth most popular. College (American) football is more popular than the NBA in many states. But you are correct as far as soccer/football being the world's most popular sport easily swamping every other sport in popularity. And Messi is probably the most popular. Number two through ten are probably soccer players as well.

4. Then ask me if I care.

1. Going by wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Mexico) football is the most popular sport in Mexico. I had already excluded the 300mln people living in the US in my calculations, as you can easily read.

2. Duh, that's what I've written. Have you even read my post at all?

3. I agree, it reinforces my own argument.

4. Do you care? Because if you don't why are you even wasting your time posting here?

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

We're writing on an american message board. Don't you think that its population is bound to be skewed? And even the non american are not the average european/asian dude, as they're indulging in an uncommon activity, that is following american sports. Go to Europe and ask anyone if they know Tiger Woods, go to Africa and do the same. Your post has the same value of me going around Italy and asking if people know local sport heroes. No value at all.

Why do I post? Who appointed you forum dictator? You clearly stated that soccer is the most popular sport on every continent...sorry I missed the part where you mentioned except for Australia and North America. And again, no, I don't care. I've known that soccer is the world's most popular sport for fifty years with nothing else remotely close. Again, I couldn't care less. American football is talked about almost exclusively where I live...Wisconsin. But I rarely watch that either. Again, I don't care how popular it is. Why do I post on this subject? Sometimes just to irritate people like you.

[DrewBynum77]

You're clearly wrong.

1. Other sports are more popular in North America (even with Mexico and the other C.American countries). Canadians don't watch much soccer.

2. And cricket, rugby, and Australian rules football are more popular in Oz.

3. However, many Americans don't even know who Kobe Bryant is because American football is by far the more popular American sport with NBA basketball a distinct third or fourth most popular. College (American) football is more popular than the NBA in many states. But you are correct as far as soccer/football being the world's most popular sport easily swamping every other sport in popularity. And Messi is probably the most popular. Number two through ten are probably soccer players as well.

4. Then ask me if I care.

1. Going by wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Mexico) football is the most popular sport in Mexico. I had already excluded the 300mln people living in the US in my calculations, as you can easily read.

Holy crap! That guy had the nerve to say any other sport was more popular than Football in Mexico? LOL. Football is mexico's passion.

[Johnlac1]

Hmm as far as US goes, Kobe is most popular, global it's tough to say, though a soccer star seems like the most likely. Other than US/CA/AUS maybe, it's the biggest sport.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but going by a recent ESPN poll, Tim Tebow is the most popular. At three percent. Kobe's at two percent. That means 98% of respondants picked some other athlete than Kobe. I'm willing to bet a sizable percentage of Americans don't even know who Bryant is. NBA basketball is my favorite sport, but I realize it's clearly down the list in popularity with most Americans.

[DrewBynum77]

its funny how the two winning this vote are probably the two worst options on the list...its hard not to pick Tiger. hes like the Michael Jackson of sports

Federer should be near the leaders but he's sitting at 0 votes

GOLF is a nice sport (only popular amongst rich people in selected countries). Tiger benefits from being the GOAT at an elitist sport but he's nowhere near being popular globally. billions of people in the world don't even know what golf is.

[Don Draper]

The fact that there are people in this thread that have no idea who Messi even is already ends the argument. Until someone comes in saying "Who is Tiger Woods??" not gonna happen

= my reaction every time you post

probably because i made you look like a fool in the NFL thread. get over it

lol

We all know that isn't the case. You've built yourself quite a reputation for making ridiculous posts. Carry on.

[Aeternus]

Messi is in his prime right now and makes 19 mil in endorsements. When Tiger was in his prime he was making 100+ million a year in endorsements. He made more outside his home country than Messi made in the entire world. They aren't comparable, no matter how you guys personally feel about this issue. Messi is great soccer player, maybe greatest or whatever but when youre a complete nonfactor in the worlds largest economy by this much

its over. Schumacher would have been a smarter answer than Messi but he has the same problem

I don't know why you're quoting this particular post of mine, but please before continuing with your ridiculous ideas of comparing directly endorsement money and athlete popularity, go and read my post about it. Otherwise no conversation can be made.

Also, I don't know how you can think that being irrelevant in a 300mln people, $14.5tln GDP country is that much damaging when such athlete is clear first in a 500mln people, $15.8tln GDP (EU); 1bln people, $2.8tln GDP (Africa); 378mln people, $4.3tln GDP (South America); 3.8bln people, $21.5tln GDP (Asia). Even if your idea of straight correlation between popularity and market value were true (which it isn't), Messi would still be the most prominent athlete in a market 20 times more populous and 3 times richer than the US.

Why do I post? Who appointed you forum dictator? You clearly stated that soccer is the most popular sport on every continent...sorry I missed the part where you mentioned except for Australia and North America. And again, no, I don't care. I've known that soccer is the world's most popular sport for fifty years with nothing else remotely close. Again, I couldn't care less. American football is talked about almost exclusively where I live...Wisconsin. But I rarely watch that either. Again, I don't care how popular it is. Why do I post on this subject? Sometimes just to irritate people like you.

How childish. Who appointed me forum dictator? Dude you're the one daring other people to ask you if you care. Are you really getting your panties in a bunch because someone actually answered the provocation? You've basically just trolled yourself, kudos.

[kamelion4291]

its funny how the two winning this vote are probably the two worst options on the list...its hard not to pick Tiger. hes like the Michael Jackson of sports

Federer should be near the leaders but he's sitting at 0 votes

GOLF is a nice sport (only popular amongst rich people in selected countries). Tiger benefits from being the GOAT at an elitist sport but he's nowhere near being popular globally. billions of people in the world don't even know what golf is.

Do you have any evidence to support that? Or are you just going off of your biased opinion like 98% of this thread?

[Captain_Obvious]

Can't believe I'm the only one voting for Federer yet.

[bledredwine]

I live in France and have traveled through Germany.

I've seen plenty of Derrick Rose jerseys and literally 1 Kobe jersey (from a girl who lived in LA).

Out of the NBA,

D. Rose is the most internationally recognized because of his Adidas deal and MVP season. They made him their go-to guy alongside Messi. A lot of foreign countries also have plenty of Bulls gear because they like American things from the 80s-90s (not sure why, rollerblades and corny music is huge here)

Anyway, the answer is obviously Messi unless you're an idiot.

[King d]

A lot of Europeans here picked Messi but they have to understand Europe is now the third largest market behind America and Asia, with Asia probably overtaking America in the near future. So, if you're not big in America and Asia, then you're not that big.


Messi is HUGE in Europe, almost unknown in America, and decently known in Asia. So Messi is most well known in the oldest, smallest, shrinking market. Kobe is huge in the largest market(America) and the largest growing market(Asia).


No contest.

Messi is almost unknown in America? wtf dude? You do realize he is from Argentina and Argentina is part of America , right?

And he is also well known in Asia, there are a lot of countries there that love soccer

[Johnlac1]

its funny how the two winning this vote are probably the two worst options on the list...its hard not to pick Tiger. hes like the Michael Jackson of sports

Federer should be near the leaders but he's sitting at 0 votes

GOLF is a nice sport (only popular amongst rich people in selected countries). Tiger benefits from being the GOAT at an elitist sport but he's nowhere near being popular globally. billions of people in the world don't even know what golf is.

A factually errononeus statement. Ask the Irish how popular Rory McIlroy is in Ireland and Northern Ireland. I'd say very popular. Most Irish aren't wealthy. Millions of non-rich Americans and other world citizens follow (or followed) Tiger Woods to the exclusion of practically any other golfer. It's not an elitist sport. It's not a sport that not a lot of poor people play, but many middle-class people do.

[kamelion4291]

More people Google and Yahoo search 'Tiger Woods' than Messi in just about every international list released the last few years. Evidence like this and endorsement dollars are some of the things that show that Messi isn't there yet. People are mistaking Messi's dominance of his sport as worldwide popularity. Beckham still gets more searches. He's young. In 4 or so from now, he'll probably be the world's most popular athlete.