The greatest thing about sports is that it goes all year round; there is never a day on the calendar when there isn’t a game of some sort, or at least some major sports news. Sure this might be a little over-kill but for die-hard sports fans, it’s simply amazing. Even though the sports world is constantly going, without a break, some parts of the sports year just aren’t as exciting as others. Every month of the year is unique for sports because some leagues are just starting their seasons, playoffs may be in full swing for another league and drafts or other off-season events are happening For me, two months of the year are by far more eventful and enjoyable than the rest of the sports calendar, October and April. But which month is the best for sports?
October
October has a lot to offer for sports fan, especially for football and baseball fans. Although the NFL season kicks off in September, October is when the season really starts to unfold. The NFL generally plays weeks 4-7 of the season in October, which is a time where we see which teams are destined for a great season and which ones will be wishing it was the off-season already. Besides the greatness of the NFL, College Football is also in full swing. The College Football season also starts in September and like the NFL, the games aren’t really important until October, when league play begins in weeks 5-9 of the season. Losing in October can be the difference between playing in a BCS bowl game and not playing at all.
Even though the Football season is exciting and a large part of October sports, what makes this month great for sports is the MLB Playoffs. The entire playoffs take place in October, which makes it the most important month for the MLB, well at least for the eight teams that were able to make it into October. Playoff baseball is extremely exciting and enjoyable to watch, and it really makes October a great sports month. With the start of the World Series at the end of October as well, there is no better month to watch the MLB.
In addition to the NFL, College Football and the MLB playoffs, the NBA and NHL season begin in October as well. The NBA season tips off at the end of October (always on Halloween night) and it always proves to be an exciting night. Along with the NBA, the NHL starts the beginning of its long season in October as well. Every major sport is represented in October, which gives it a strong case of winning the crown of best sports month of the year.
April
April kicks off the month with the most exciting weekend of College Basketball with the Final Four. A few days later the championship game is played, which marks the end of the greatest sporting event, March Madness. The first week is also the end of the NBA regular season, when teams are fighting for home court advantage, playoff seeds and playoff berths. The games are generally played with a high level of intensity as teams are preparing for the playoffs, which make the games even more entertaining than usual. The only downside to the last week of the season is that the top teams in each conference tend to rest their best players in hopes of getting them rest for the playoffs.
In addition to the NBA season coming to an end and College Basketball naming a champion, the MLB season kicks off with opening day. Opening Day for the MLB is an amazing sporting event, every team is playing, which means games are on all day. Besides the opening weekend of March Madness, there is no better day to spend the entire day sitting on a couch, watching sports. But opening day is even better to enjoy in person, the stadiums are always packed with fans that are excited that the season is finally here. The atmosphere of stadiums on Opening Day is amazing, everyone has high expectations and everyone is excited to see how the season will unfold. Best of all, the start of the MLB season guarantees that there will be a sporting event to watch every day The Masters, NBA and NHL playoffs are all in April as well, which means that we watch high-level competition in three different sports. There is no other month that has as many important games. The Masters is one of golf’s greatest tournaments as well as one of its longest traditions. The weekend long tournament is golf played at its highest level, with all the best players in the world competing for the green jacket and a place in history. The NBA and NHL playoffs begin at the end of April and each playoff game is highly entertaining. Even if you don’t follow hockey, the NHL playoffs are worth watching because every game is intense and full of excitement. The NBA playoffs are my personal favorite because every game is played with intensity and a sense of urgency. The level of play is so high and the games are very competitive, it just makes for great television. Besides all the games that are being played, the NFL Draft happens in April, which is an amazing event to watch. Drafts are always entertaining because exciting and promising rookies are joining teams, giving them new hope and its fun to analyze who made the best selections.
The Verdict
April is by far the best month is sports with the NBA and NHL playoffs, Opening Day of the MLB, the Final Four and Championship game for College basketball, the Masters and the NFL Draft. There is something for every sports fan. What separates April from October is the amount of playoff/championship games. April has a plethora of important games and competition is at its highest level, which makes it the ruling king of the sports calendar.
