---
title: "Giving Thanks for Football"
description: "As American families gather for the Thanksgiving Holiday, many among them will be distracted by America's favorite sport, football. A plurality of Americans (34%) rate football as their favorite sport to watch."
date: "2007-11-20"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2007/11/20/giving-thanks-for-football/"
---

# Giving Thanks for Football

For many Americans, Thanksgiving brings family, turkey and America’s favorite sport, football. A plurality of Americans (34%) rate football as their favorite sport to watch. Far fewer rate basketball (14%) or baseball (13%) as their favorite sport. Football is equally popular among blacks and whites, but there is a strong racial difference in fan support for basketball and baseball. Among blacks, 31% name basketball as their favorite sport and just 4% name baseball. Among whites, 12% name basketball and 14% name baseball. Just as it is in the real world, football is the most popular game in the fantasy world, with two-thirds of fantasy players saying they play it. So while some will celebrate with food and family this Thanksgiving, others will be sure bring America’s favorite sport — football — to the party.[Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/315/americans-to-rest-of-world-soccer-not-really-our-thing)