Attempting to go Around the World in 80 Sporting Events means visiting some wonderful destinations and witnessing some monumental moments. Clockwise from upper left, the scoreboard at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews’ Old Course; Roberto Clemente’s jersey in the Baseball Hall of Fame; downtown Cooperstown, NY; the Swilcan Bridge at St. Andrews; the author and the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame; and the Hoosiers’ gym in Knightstown, IN.
As noted in the previous installment, once some foundational guardrails were in place, it was up to me to determine what Around the World in 80 Sporting Events would encompass. That is, what events/venues would rise to the level of iconic for inclusion?
Fortunately, by the time I’d arrived at this point in the planning stages I was well into the second season of hosting the podcast, “Conversations with Sports Fans,” so I knew what a lot of other folks felt were notable sporting events. Plus, many just nominate themselves because of the significance around the event.
What follows is a list by sport. The number in parentheses next to the sport are the total events in that category. At the bottom of each grouping is a brief explanation (where needed) of what’s included.
Baseball (17)
St. Louis Cardinals-Chicago Cubs Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL(Completed! Read about it here.)- New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox Game at Fenway Park in Boston, MA
- San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA
- MLB World Series Game in TBD
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY(Completed! Read about it here.)Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, MO(Completed! Read about it here.)- Banana Ball in TBD
Men’s College World Series in Omaha, NE(Completed! Read about it here.)Little League Boys World Series in South Williamsport, PA(Completed! Read about it here.)“Field of Dreams” Film Site in Dyersville, IA(Completed! Read about it here.)Midnight Sun Game in Fairbanks, AK(Completed! Read about it here.)Nippon Baseball League Game in Japan(Completed! Read about it here.)Korean Baseball Organization Game in South Korea(Completed! Read about it here.)- MLB Grapefruit League Game(s) in Florida
- MLB Cactus League Game(s) in Arizona
- World Baseball Classic Game(s) in TBD
- Caribbean Series Game(s) in TBD
Baseball was the first sport I was really exposed to so it should come as no surprise it’s the one that has the most events. … The three longest standing and, perhaps, most fierce rivalries in the game are the three listed above. In a perfect world I’d attend a game in all six locations, but this world is neither perfect nor free so I had to make a difficult decision and chose the three oldest ballparks. … Cooperstown is as close to Valhalla for me as I’ll find and I’ve heard way too much about the Negro Leagues Museum to not include it. … As noted previously, I have history in Fairbanks so returning there for the Midnight Sun Game (game time, 10 p.m., no artificial lighting used) seems fitting. … The remainder are all opportunities for me to experience baseball through the lens of other cultures.
Basketball (15)
New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY(Completed! Read about it here.)- Duke University at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC
Kansas University at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS(Completed! Read about it here.)Butler University at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis, IN(Completed! Read about it here.)- UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in Brentwood, CA
- A Big 5 Game at the Palestra in Philadelphia, PA
Indiana High School Basketball (preferably an early-round tournament game)(Completed! Read about it here.)“Hoosiers’ Gym in Knightstown, IN(Completed! Read about it here.)- Maui Classic Games in Lahaina, HI
- Men’s NCAA Final Four Games in TBD
- Women’s NCAA Final Four Games in TBD
- Men’s NCAA Tournament Opening Week in Las Vegas, NV
- NBA Finals Game in TBD
- Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA
- UConn Women’s Basketball Game at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT
Growing up in basketball-mad Indiana, having 14 basketball events should not shock anyone either, I’d guess. … With a nod to my Hoosier roots, seeing the gym where “Hoosiers” was filmed is a must, as is a high school game, and a visit to Butler’s Hinkle Field House. … The five other venues I’d like to visit are, simply, those that captured my fascination through years of fandom. They are old-school gyms that anytime the networks have been there have tugged at me to pay homage someday. … The Maui Classic has been such a part of Thanksgiving week for me that I want to experience that environment in person. … Some might call the inclusion of the Women’s Final Four the Caitlin Clark effect, but I’ve been tuning into those games for the better part of a decade. Clark sucked me into some more early round action, but I love the current women’s college game and believe it’s time I see some in person, including a pilgrimage to Storrs, CT, to see UConn in Gampel Pavilion.
Football (15)
- Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day Game
- Ohio State-Michigan (The Game) in Ann Arbor, MI
Auburn-Alabama (The Iron Bowl) in Tuscaloosa, AL(Completed! Read about it here.)Ole Miss-Mississippi (The Egg Bowl) in Oxford, MI(Completed! Read about it here.)- USC-Notre Dame in South Bend, IN
- Army-Navy Game in TBD
Texas High School Football Game in Odessa, TX(Completed! Read about it here.)Oklahoma-Texas at Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX(Completed! Read about it here.)Dallas Cowboys Game in Arlington, TX(Completed! Read about it here.)- Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, WI
The Rose Bowl and Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA(Completed! Read about it here.)- NCAA National Championship Game in TBD
- Super Bowl in TBD
- Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup in Winnipeg, MB
Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH(Completed! Read about it here.)
Of North America’s four major sports, football is probably the one I’m least likely to view from contest beginning to end. That said, Keith Jackson and John Madden made it enjoyable and Brent Musburger telling spectators “you’re looking live at (fill-in-the-blank)” made many games feel more significant than they actually were. … The Rose Bowl has been the quintesseential college football dream for this midwesterner and it needs to come with the Parade as a nod to my late mother who loved watching each year. … If I have my druthers, the Texas high school game will be at Permian in Odessa where “Friday Night Lights” was based. And, as fate has it this year, Permian’s home on a Friday, the Red River Rivalry is on Saturday, and the Cowboys host the Lions on Sunday. … Still to be determined is which rival I see the Packers host at Lambeau Field. What say you sports fan nation?
Hockey (11)
- NHL Winter Classic in TBD
Montreal-Toronto Game in Toronto, ON(Completed! Read about it here.)- Calgary-Edmonton Game in Edmonton, AB
New York Rangers Game at Madison Square Garden in NY(Completed! Read about it here.)- 2026 World Junior Tourament in St. Paul, MN
- U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, MN
- Minnesota High School Hockey Game in TBD
- Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, ON
- Stanley Cup Trophy Presentation in TBD
- Michigan State University-University of Michigan at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor
- University of Maine-University of New Hampshire at Alfond Arena in Orono, ME
I may be a Hoosier native, but my most formative years were in metro-Detroit (aka Hockeytown) and I covered college hockey for the Ann Arbor News and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner so there’s some hockey love within. I’m not as enamored with the Winter Classic as I am the Rose Bowl, but some of the images from New Year’s Days past have been too cool. … Similar to the baseball rivalries above, there were the two I most wanted to see and a decision was needed for which city to see them. Edmonton was the Detroit Red Wings’ nemesis a few seasons in the 1980s so it’d be neat to see it in person and Toronto is drivable and that gives it the nod. … Every year during college hockey season, handful of players from U-M would head off the World Juniors. With the advent of streaming services it’s become more accessible and it comes to the U.S. in 2026. … Much like high school basketball in Indiana and football in Texas, hockey in Minnesota borders on a religion so it seems natural to want to check it out. … There’s only one trophy in sport I’d like to see presented and that’s the Stanley Cup. It might mean having to do multiple cross-continental flights and pay obscence resale ticket prices to do it, but I’m here for the challenge.
Golf (8)
- The Masters in Augusta, GA
- PGA Championship in Newtown Square, PA
U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina(Completed! Read about it here.)The Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland(Completed! Read about it here.)The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in Long Island, NY(Completed! Read about it here.)The President’s Cup at Royal Montreal in Montreal(Completed! Read about it here.)The Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jonese Golf Club in Gainesville, VA(Completed! Read about it here.)- Pebble Beach Pro-Am in Pebble Beach, CA
My dad was and is an avid golf fan and that’s no doubt rubbed off on me, though my playing days are long behind me. That said, there are four Major Championships, so it follows that they all should be patronized. The men’s and women’s team competitions are captivating to me and the scenery at Pebble Beach is virtually unparalleled.
Tennis (4)
- Australian Open
- French Open
- Wimbledon
- U.S. Open
Four Grand Slam events = four tennis tournaments to visit.
Futbol/Soccer (5)
- Men’s World Cup Match(es) in North America (2026)
- English Premier League Match(es) in TBD
- Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco (2025)
South American World Cup Qualifying in Argentina(Completed! Read about it here.)- European Soccer Match(es) [Champions League, Europa League, or Bundesliga/La Liga/Ligue 1/Serie A] in TBD
We’ll call it the “Ted Lasso” effect. I do enjoy my weekend mornings checking out soccer from across the pond, plus many of my friends have clubs they follow. … As far as the African and South American matches, we can’t very well call this project Around the World in 80 Sporting Events and not get to six of the seven contintents can we?
Motor Sports (6)
- Daytona 500 in Daytona, FL
Indianapolis 500 in Indianapolis, IN(Completed! Read about it here.)- Formula 1 in TBD (preferably overseas)
- NASCAR Bristol Night Race in Bristol, TN
NASCAR Cup Semifinal in Martinsville, VA(Completed! Read about it here.)- AMA Supercross in Detroit, MI
The first three were pretty straightfoward. The final two, I’m relying on my NASCAR friends Frank and Kevin to not steer me wrong (see what I did there;-)
Horse Racing (3)
- Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY
- Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, MD
- Belmont Stakes, in Saratoga, NY
I’m sure the Breeder’s Cup is a phenomenal event, but these are the three races that have piqued my curiosity through the years (typically in descending order as well).
Others (7)
- Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy (2026)
- Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska
- Boston Marathon in Boston, MA
Championship Boxing Match(es)(Completed! Read about it here.)- Tour de France
- Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK
Rodeo at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY(Completed! Read about it here.
The timebound nature of this quest (a goal of completing by 2027) prevents me from getting to a Summer Olympics (Los Angeles in 2028 is on my list of next things to do!) so the Winter will be enjoyable. … I’ve already referenced my Alaska history so seeing the start (or the finish) of the Iditarod beckons. … The Boston Marathon and Tour de France are both so noteworthy I believe they must be sampled in person. … I’ve long enjoyed the WCWS and welcome the opportunity to swelter in the blazing sun and occasional severe weather alerts around my birthday someday. … I’d not call myself a rodeo fan, but seeing an event such as this as part of Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming just seems right.
My math teaching friends have no doubt calculated there are actually 87 events listed. This is, in fact, accurate. I’m of the belief I need to overplan and cut (or swap out) as the process unfolds. Myriad things can occur between now and the proposed completion of this venture so it’s good to have options in the event something comes up.
Anyhow, let the gnashing of teeth begin. What am I missing? What am I overvaluing? Should it be Vikings-Packers or Bears-Packers at Lambeau? Do you want to attend any of these events with me? Let me know in the comments or by emailing me at hilldouglast@gmail.com.
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