The Sports You Didn’t Know You Could Watch on TV

22 Oct The Sports You Didn’t Know You Could Watch on TV

There’s more to sports than just football, cricket, and tennis. In fact, there’s a whole world of wacky and wonderful competitions that you can tune into on your TV. Here are a few of the more unusual sports that might just pique your interest.

Poker

Poker has been played for centuries but evolved into the game we know today within the last 100 years thanks to the popularisation of Texas Hold’em and the improved accessibility of competing via the internet.

Poker’s popularity exploded in the early 2000s during a time known as the “poker boom”. During this period, many TV sports networks began airing games as a way to fill schedules that were left with holes due to the NHL lockout. However, it soon became apparent that the public loved watching poker and soon new shows were springing up left, right and centre.

There are a variety of poker tournaments televised, including the World Series of Poker and the European Poker Tour, as well as some other smaller regional and national events.

Unlike many sports, fans of poker and amateur players can earn a spot in these tournaments, even if they’ve never done so before, or without paying the buy-in, by competing in online qualifiers.

These events are run by online card rooms like PokerStars as part of their marketing efforts and to reward loyal players. For example, its Power Path promotion is a three-tier scheme that lets players earn a spot in an EPT event or a major online tournament.

Those players that do make it to these competitions could even find themselves on TV as well.

Chessboxing

If you prefer your mind sports to be more physical, then chessboxing might be what you need. It combines the mental acuity of chess with the physicality of boxing. Competitors must alternate between rounds of chess and boxing, with the winner determined by either a knockout or checkmate.

The sport originated in the early 1970s and has gained a cult following. It’s a demanding activity that requires both strategic thinking and physical endurance. Chessboxers must be able to switch seamlessly between calculating their next move and delivering a powerful punch.

Chessboxing has been embraced by athletes from various backgrounds, including former boxers and chess players. The sport has also attracted attention from the entertainment industry, with appearances in films and television shows.

While chessboxing may seem like an unusual combination, it’s a fascinating sport that offers a unique challenge for athletes and spectators alike.

Wife Carrying

Wife carrying, as the name suggests, involves people carrying their wives over an obstacle course. The winner is the couple that finishes the course the fastest, with additional points awarded for the wife’s weight.

It originated in Northern Europe, with events taking place in Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. Its roots can be traced back to the 1800s but, back then, it wasn’t the light-hearted competition it is today.

Since 2023, the rules have used the term “wife” in a gender-free way so people of any gender can carry anyone else of any gender across the obstacle course. Your co-contestant doesn’t have to be your own wife; the rules allow them to be anyone, as long as they’re an adult.

Double Decker Bus Racing

Sadly, there aren’t any double decker bus races taking place at present. But for a period of the 1980s, this sport was a cultural phenomenon in the UK and you can still find old videos of events both on TV and sites like YouTube.

It was even brought back by the BBC’s hit car show, Top Gear, along with a few other races involving absurd vehicles. If you’re familiar with these races, then the original double decker bus racing actually wasn’t much different.

The first one took place in August 1982 at Northampton Stadium. The two-storey racers were a novelty support race for the F1 Stock Car European Championship and several other series.

The first event was a 15-lap affair featuring four famous red London double decker buses and was a comical sight as these top-heavy racers all looked close to tipping over at every turn.