Global InformationSports in North America information
The North American continent is the birthplace of several organized sports, such as basketball, charrería/rodeo, gridiron football, ice hockey, jaripeo/bull riding, lacrosse, ollamaliztl (ancient Mesoamerican sport), mixed martial arts (MMA), racquetball, ultimate ("ultimate frisbee"), and volleyball. The modern versions of baseball and softball, skateboarding, snowboarding, stock car racing, and surfing also developed in North America.
Sports leagues in North America use a mix of organizational structures. While common in other parts of the world, not all North American countries use the promotion-relegation (Pro-Rel) system for their association football/soccer leagues. Notably, Mexico's league has temporarily suspended its Pro-Rel system but is expected to being reinstated in the coming years. Leagues of other sports generally have a closed league using a franchise system.
Liga MX soccer, Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), NCAA College Basketball/March Madness, Power Five College Football (Power Five), and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) MMA, are the predominant sports organizations in the North American sports landscape.
Other notable sports organizations include lower level sports leagues/orgs such as Bellator MMA (Bellator), the Canadian Football League (CFL), Caribbean Series baseball, NCAA College Baseball/World Series, Group of Five College Football, the Mexican League (LMP, Liga Mexicana de Béisbol), the Mexican Pacific League (LMP, Liga Mexicana del Pacífico), Minor League Baseball (MiLB), NASCAR auto racing, PGA Tour golf, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), Top Rank boxing, USL Championship soccer (USL), US Open (tennis). There are also many notable Women's sports leagues/orgs such as Liga MX Femenil, LPGA Tour golf, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), NCAA Women's College Basketball, the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).