What is the best domestic league/comp in the world?

[CanadianSteve]

Which league has the best level of competition? It can't be any soccer, RU or RL league because the best players are spread around in different countries. I would rule out the AFL because of its regional nature and the small population it represents. It has to be one of the North American pro leagues, but which one?

The NFL is clearly the best football league in the world, with almost all the best players. But it is the least international of all the NA sports. Baseball has a lot of Latin Americans, and is starting to sign very good Japanese players, but there are still a lot of good players in Japan. The NBA is clearly the best basketball league in the world, and has a growing international representation. The NHL is the same, but has more international players and has had them longer. When the best nations in the world get together (only at the Olympics in the case of hockey), the top 6 or so nations are made up of almost 100% NHL players, whereas the best basketball national teams still have a number of non-NBA players on them.

So, I conclude that the NHL is the best league in the world.

I hope this is a good topic for debate. I know I have made up my own criteria for judging the best league. But I welcome any counter arguments.

 

[0neye]

The Queensland cup rugby league for me ;-) UP THE BURLEIGH BEARS

 

[weasel]

You've made some interesting points about the NHL which are correct, the best ice hockey talent from a number of different countries does indeed play in the NHL and this would most likely be the greatest saturation of talent for a global sport. But I think other things must be considered, such as worldwide exposure of the league, competitiveness of the league and how big the sport is.

I would argue that the NHL has a fairly limited popularity outside North America and perhaps Scandanavia and Russia and Northern Europe, and as such while the league attracts the majority of the sport's international stars, there would not be the same level of athletes competing in the game compared to the likes of soccer and basketball.

For mine I'd narrow down the best to one of those two sports. Basketball's major league, the NBA is filled with immensely talented athletes from all over the world but the problem with the sport is how easily it can be dominated by one or two players and by extension one or two teams. Over the last five years only two teams have won the comp and only one other had a legitimate chance of beating those two. I don't think it's competitive enough to be the best domestic league as, for as far back as I can think, the favourite at the start of the season nearly always wins the championship.

So my choice would be one of the European soccer leagues. The EPL is definitely out, both for the fact it's yet to truly attract the biggest names in the game to the league and also because of the competitiveness factor, or lack thereof. I've narrowed it down to either the Spanish League, the Italian League or the German League (yes all three have big clubs that consistently dominate, but the lesser lights shine a lot more often than in the likes of the NBA and EPL). I can't decide between those three.

 

[Manly Preniers in 2005]

ING CUP

 

[John_Travolta]

The NFL...........seriously.

 

[Matt23]

The NHL

 

[half]

the uefa champion's league fo sho

so many more people play soccer than any other sport. and most of the top players can be found in this league

 

[Jono Russell]

i dont think it is better to have all the best players in the one league as it does nothing for promotion of the game,

look at basketball we have top players all over the world even in australia.

our own aussie juniors beat greece for the first time earlier this year what a great game it was. bball conrtinues to grow around teh world because it is even through out. league and union are much the same there are greats playing all over the globe. sports such as NHL and NFL are 90% based in america and simply have little support in countries such as australia.

 

[CanadianSteve]

the uefa champion's league fo sho

so many more people play soccer than any other sport. and most of the top players can be found in this league

But that's not a single domestic league, it's more like a tournament.

As far as picking one of the European national soccer leagues, I don't think any one of them has enough of the best players in the same league.

i dont think it is better to have all the best players in the one league as it does nothing for promotion of the game,

That's a different question. I agree with that to an extent. Years ago international hockey was more exciting when the best Soviets, Czechs, Swedes and Finns all played in their own countries. When they got together in international play then, it was more exciting because there was a clash of styles, and a sense of mystery about the European teams. Now the players all play in the NHL, so they know each other very well. The Olympic tournament is still great hockey, but it's missing something.

 

[Paranoid]

UEFA and WWE

 

[MEE]

La Liga or Serie A.

 

[hrundi99]

WWE? NFL? Give me a break.

I'm going with the NHL. It is truly international (US, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Czech, Slovenia, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, etc etc).

It's not hugely popular in Australia? Big deal. We are a small country.

If there was 1 central football league in Europe combining the EPL, French, German, Serie A and Spanish leagues, then I would go with that. There isn't.

 

[CanadianSteve]

WWE? NFL? Give me a break.

I'm going with the NHL. It is truly international (US, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Czech, Slovenia, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, etc etc).

It's not hugely popular in Australia? Big deal. We are a small country.

If there was 1 central football league in Europe combining the EPL, French, German, Serie A and Spanish leagues, then I would go with that. There isn't.

I agree. You only lived up here 2 years, but you think like a Canadian. Good man.

 

[ak47]

NHL scrapes thru....just

Coz England won the RWC, I cannot say the best RU players only play Super12.

But I'll tell ya an All Star Super 12 side would beat any Rugby playing nation on the planet

out of 100 best rugby players in the world
pre 2003 90% play Super 12
post 2003 80% play super 12....

out of the best ice hockey players in the world
99% would be in the nhl.....u cant beat that

 

[CanadianSteve]

As the NBA keeps signing more and more international players, it will soon have close to that 99% of the world's best basketball players. Maybe it's even close enough now to be ahead of the NHL, given that basketball is more widely played than hockey. Keeping in mind that in all this we're comparing apples and oranges anyway.

 

[CanadianSteve]

NHL scrapes thru....just

Coz England won the RWC, I cannot say the best RU players only play Super12.

But I'll tell ya an All Star Super 12 side would beat any Rugby playing nation on the planet

Well, that would be the best of 3 nations against one. How about the S12 all-stars against the rest of the world stars. England would be the backbone of the team, plus the best of France, Ireland, and Argentina. Or else make it a north vs. south match. I think the 6N players would match up well with the southern hemisphere.

I also think saying 80% of the best union players are in the S12 is a little high.

 

[ak47]

sorry mate

i posted it wrong its getting late here in oz

i meant to say 80 out of the top 100......not 80% of all players

in all seriousness its pretty correct
considering the english have prolly 15 players max
france be lucky to get 5
ireland 1 or 2

no-one else

basketball is too bigger sport to say the NBA has most of the best.
I reckon the skinny kenyan runners that are 7 foot sumthin would give the nba a good crack, with training......but they grow up running, and dont change at the sniff of cash!

U need to learn to skate before u can hit a puck
u dont need to learn to be tall before u can dribble

 

[hrundi99]

out of the best ice hockey players in the world
99% would be in the nhl.....u cant beat that

No that's 100%.

The only folks not playing in it are either past it and playing in Europe, out injured (Lemeuix for example) or are too young to be considered "the best".

 

[Le Rouge]

such a tough question

toss up between English premier league, Spanish Leauge soccer

or the NFL.

but noting is head and shoulders above the rest ....

This is why i find it amazing that the NRL or the Rugby league's world body doesn't flood the USA with RL surely if they see it often on their screens at a a good time slot they will gain intrest in it.

Also it is something fresh for the americans and if something is big the USA some countries will follow.

 

[SHAGMOP]

the NFL