In the past, more than 100,000 people at a time crammed into American football's Rose Bowl, the old wembley Stadium and other venues across europe to watch sport. Today, there are laws which limit the number of people allowed in a sports stadium. Outdoor events such as the New York City Marathon and the tour de France now draw the biggest crowds. They are held over open roads and people don't have to pay watch them.
About 2.5 million people watch the New York Marathon - the biggest crowd for a single day at a sporting event. As many as 15 million people turn out to see the tour de France during three weeks.
The record crowd for a golf tournament was set at the 1996 Pheonix Open when 156,875 people when 156,875 people saw the final round. The total for the tournament week was 421,095.
The biggest-ever crowd for a soccer match was at the final of the 1950 World cup. The match between Brazil and Uruguay at the Maracana Stadium in The Brazil on 16 july 1950 was watched by 199,854 people. The biggest Crowd for a soccer match in britain was at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on 17 April 1937. Scotland was playing England And 149,547 people paid to watch, Though another 10,000 may have got in without playing!
in horse racing, more than 60,000 watch the grand National and about 12,000 go to the Epsom Derby every Year.
Cricket attracts big crowds. Nearly a million people watched the 1936-37 series between Australia and England over three months. More than 400,000 people watched the India v Pakistan Test match in Calcutta in 1988-99.
Some of the biggest Crowds at US sporting events are for indy car races. About 350,000 fans attend the Indianapolls 500 every year and as many as 140,000 people go to Formula One Grand Prix races.
