The Top 14 Best Sporting Events to Watch in Person

Compiling a list of the best sporting events to watch in person is a thankless endeavor. Not everyone will agree on the list. Then again, the day we can all agree on such a list, is the day that sports has become too predictable and maybe even boring. What everyone will agree on is that to compile the list requires a set of criteria to help define what events should be included. My list of criteria is simple, the events have to be held annual, and the list is to be broken down equally between national and international events. Other than that, anything goes. The resulting list is presented below.

USA Basketball: NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four:

Are you tired of watching over compensated professional basketball players given it less than an honest effort on the court? If you are, then the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four is the sporting event for you. Held in the United States and hosted in various venues over the years, the Final Four is the pinnacle of a college basketball tournament that starts with 4 brackets of 16 teams. Single elimination games are played until the final team from each bracket remains. This premier basketball event has been dubbed "March Madness" for its tremendous emotional effect on fans. Expect to pay an outrageous amount for good court side seats, which can be as high as $4,000.

World Basketball: FIBA Europe League All Star Day

Yes, I know what you are thinking, "the FIBA what?" The All Star Day is an all-star game played between Europe's best players and those of the rest of the world. The event is part of the new FIBA Europe League. The fact is that the rest of the world has been catching up to the US in basketball for years. America's "Dream Team" didn't even bring home Olympic gold in 2004. This event gives you a glimpse of what the rest of the world already knows, that "basketball is not just for American's any more." The 2004 game was played before a sell out crowd in Kiev, though future venues will vary, as will seat prices.

USA Racing: Daytona 500