Sports on Christmas: The Untold History Behind Holiday Games

Every holiday season, millions of fans tune in for Christmas Day sports—NBA showdowns, NFL clashes, global soccer derbies, college bowl games, holiday hockey classics, horse racing and even historic one-off matchups that became legends. But how did Christmas become one of the most competitive days on the sports calendar? And what traditions shaped the way we celebrate sports during the holidays?

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the history, culture, and surprising origins of sports played on or near Christmas Day. From early 20th-century football rivalries to the NBA’s rise as a Christmas Day tradition, from international soccer fixtures like Boxing Day matches to unique high-school and collegiate tournaments, we explore why Christmas sports became a global phenomenon.

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