Sports in Houston
Other major events
Table:
Event

Host

Sport

Venue

Date

UFC 69: Shootout

UFC

Mixed martial arts

Toyota Center

April 7, 2007

Wrestlemania X-Seven

WWE

Professional wrestling

Astrodome

April 1, 2001

Wrestlemania XXV

WWE

Professional wrestling

Reliant Stadium

April 5, 2009

Super Bowl VIII

NFL

Football

Rice Stadium

January 13, 1974

Super Bowl XXXVIII

NFL

Football

Reliant Stadium

February 1, 2004

2005 World Series

MLB

Baseball

Minute Maid Park

October 2005

1968 MLB All-Star Game

MLB

Baseball

Astrodome

July 9, 1968

1986 MLB All-Star Game

MLB

Baseball

Astrodome

July 15, 1986

2004 MLB All-Star Game

MLB

Baseball

Minute Maid Park

July 13, 2004

2006 NBA All-Star Game

NBA

Basketball

Toyota Center

February 19, 2006

1971 NCAA Men's Final Four

NCAA

Basketball

Astrodome

March 25 and 27, 1971

2010 MLS All-Star Game

MLS

Soccer

Reliant Stadium

July 28, 2010

2011 NCAA Men's Final Four

NCAA

Basketball

Reliant Stadium

April 2 and 4, 2011

Big 12 Championship Game

Big 12

Football

Reliant Stadium

December 2002 and 2005

2013 USA Women's Sevens

IRB

Rugby sevens

BBVA Compass Stadium

February 1–2, 2013

2013 NBA All-Star Game

NBA

Basketball

Toyota Center

February 17, 2013

2016 NCAA Men's Final Four

NCAA

Basketball

NRG Stadium

April 2 and 4, 2016

Copa América Centenario

CONMEBOL

Soccer

NRG Stadium

June 11,13, and 21, 2016

Super Bowl LI

NFL

Football

NRG Stadium

February 5, 2017

2017 World Series

MLB

Baseball

Minute Maid Park

October 2017

Taking into account the provided table and the context paragraphs listed.

Respond to the question below: What sport was the venue which hosted Super Bowl VIII soley built for ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

UFC 69 : Shootout was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday , April 7 , 2007 at the Toyota Center in Houston , Texas .
The Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) is an American mixed martial arts ( MMA ) promotion company based in Las Vegas , Nevada , which is owned and operated by parent company William Morris Endeavor . It is the largest MMA promotion company in the world and features on its roster the highest-level fighters in the sport . The UFC produces events worldwide that showcase twelve weight divisions and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts . As of 2019 , the UFC has held over 500 events . Dana White has been UFC president since 2001 . Under White 's stewardship , the UFC has grown into a globally popular multi-billion-dollar enterprise . The first event was held in 1993 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver , Colorado . The purpose of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a contest with minimal rules and no weight classes between competitors of different fighting disciplines like boxing , kickboxing , Brazilian jiu-jitsu , sambo , wrestling , Muay Thai , karate , and judo . In subsequent events , fighters began adopting effective techniques from more than one discipline , which indirectly helped create a separate style of fighting known as present-day mixed martial arts . In 2016 , UFC 's parent company , Zuffa , was sold to a group led by William Morris Endeavor ( WME-IMG ) , including Silver Lake Partners , Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and MSD Capital for US $ 4.025 billion . With a TV deal and expansion in Australia , Asia , Europe , and new markets within the United States , the UFC has increased in popularity , and has achieved greater mainstream media coverage ; the promotion brought in a total revenue of US $ 609 million in 2015 , and its next domestic media rights agreement with ESPN was valued at $ 1.5 billion over a five-year term .
Mixed martial arts ( MMA ) , also known as cage fighting , is a full-contact combat sport that allows striking and grappling , both standing and on the ground , using techniques from various combat sports and martial arts . The first documented use of the term mixed martial arts was in a review of UFC 1 by television critic Howard Rosenberg in 1993 . The term gained popularity when newfullcontact.com , then one of the largest websites covering the sport , hosted and republished the article . The question of who actually coined the term is subject to debate . During the early 20th century , various interstylistic contests took place throughout Japan and in the countries of the Four Asian Tigers . In Brazil , there was the sport of Vale Tudo , in which fighters from various styles fought with little to no rules . The Gracie family was known to promote Vale Tudo matches as a way to promote their own Brazilian jiu-jitsu style . An early high-profile mixed martial arts bout was fought in 1951 , between the judoka Masahiko Kimura and Brazilian jiu-jitsu founder Hélio Gracie in Brazil . In the West , the concept of combining elements of multiple martial arts was popularized by Bruce Lee 's Jeet Kune Do during the late 1960s to early 1970s . A precursor to modern MMA was the 1976 Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki bout , fought between boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Antonio Inoki in Japan , where it later inspired the foundation of Pancrase in 1993 and Pride Fighting Championships in 1997 . In 1980 , CV Productions , Inc. created the first regulated MMA league in the United States , called Tough Guy Contest , which was later renamed Battle of the Superfighters . The company sanctioned ten tournaments in Pennsylvania .
Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Houston , Texas . It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota . The arena is home to the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association , and it was once the home of the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League . Rockets owner Leslie Alexander first began to request a new arena in 1995 , and attempted to release the Rockets from their lease at The Summit , which ran until 2003 . However , he was denied by arena owner Chuck Watson , then-owner of the Aeros , who also wanted control of a new arena . The two sides agreed to equal control over an arena in a deal signed in 1997 , but the proposal was rejected by city voters in a 1999 referendum . It was not until the city and the Rockets signed an amended agreement in 2001 , excluding the Aeros , that the proposal was accepted . Construction began in July 2001 , and the new arena was officially opened in October 2003 . The total costs were $ 235 million , with the city of Houston paying the majority , and the Rockets paying for enhancements . Toyota paid US $ 100 million for the naming rights .
WrestleMania X-Seven was the 17th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) . It took place on April 1 , 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston , Texas , the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas . Twelve matches were contested at the event , including one broadcast exclusively on Sunday Night Heat . The main event was a No Disqualification match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock for the WWF Championship . The undercard included Triple H versus The Undertaker , the second Tables , Ladders , and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship and a Street Fight between Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon with Mick Foley as special guest referee . A record-breaking attendance for the Reliant Astrodome of 67,925 grossed US $ 3.5 million . In addition to its commercial success , the event has received universal acclaim from critics and fans , and is often regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestling pay-per-views of all time , and by many considered the best WrestleMania of all time .
World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. , d/b/a WWE , is an American integrated media and entertainment company that is primarily known for professional wrestling . WWE has also branched out into other fields , including movies , football , and various other business ventures . The WWE name also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself , founded in the 1950s as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation . As of 2019 , it is the largest wrestling promotion in the world , holding over 500 events a year , with the roster divided up into various globally traveling brands , and is available to about 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries . The company 's global headquarters is located in Stamford , Connecticut , with offices in major cities around the world . As in other professional wrestling promotions , WWE shows are not legitimate contests , but purely entertainment-based , featuring storyline-driven , scripted , and choreographed matches , though matches often include moves that can put performers at risk of injury , even death , if not performed correctly . This was first publicly acknowledged by WWE 's owner Vince McMahon in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions . Since the 1980s , WWE publicly has branded its product as sports entertainment , acknowledging the product 's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater . The company 's majority owner is its chairman and CEO , Vince McMahon , who retains a 42% ownership of the company 's outstanding stock and 83% of the voting power . The current entity , incorporated on February 21 , 1980 , was previously known as Titan Sports , Inc. , which was founded that same year in South Yarmouth , Massachusetts . It acquired Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. , the holding company for the World Wrestling Federation , in 1982 . Titan was renamed World Wrestling Federation , Inc. in 1998 , then World Wrestling Federation Entertainment , Inc. in 1999 , and finally the current World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. in 2002 .
Professional wrestling , often shortened to pro wrestling or simply wrestling , is a form of performance art and entertainment that combines athletics with theatrical performance . It takes the form of events , held by touring companies , that mimic a title-match combat sport . The unique form of sport portrayed is fundamentally based on and evolved from classical and catch wrestling , with modern additions of striking attacks , strength-based holds and throws and acrobatic maneuvers . Much of these derive from the influence of various international martial arts . An additional aspect of combat with improvised weaponry is sometimes included . The matches have predetermined outcomes to heighten entertainment value and all combative maneuvers are executed with the full cooperation of those involved and carefully performed in specific manners intended to lessen the chance of actual injury . These facts were once kept highly secret but are now publicly acknowledged by both performers and promotions . To promote and sustain the willing suspension of disbelief by maintaining an aura of verisimilitude , the performing company avoids discussing the true nature of the performance in official media . Fan communications by individual wrestlers and promotions through outside media ( i.e. , interviews ) often directly acknowledge the dramatic and fixed nature of the spectacle . [ citation needed ]
The NRG Astrodome , also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome , is the world 's first multi-purpose , domed sports stadium , located in Houston , Texas . Financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz , mayor of Houston and known for pioneering modern stadiums . Construction on the stadium began in 1962 , and it officially opened in 1965 . It served as home to the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) from its opening in 1965 until 1999 , and the home to the Houston Oilers of the National Football League ( NFL ) from 1968 until 1996 , and also the part-time home of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) from 1971 until 1975 . Additionally , the Astrodome was the primary venue of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1966 until 2002 . When opened , it was named the Harris County Domed Stadium and was nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World . After the original natural grass playing surface died , the Astrodome became the first major sports venue to install artificial turf , which became known as AstroTurf . In another technological first , the Astrodome featured the Astrolite , which was the first animated scoreboard . The Astrodome was renovated in 1988 , expanding seating and altering many original features . By the 1990s , the Astrodome was becoming obsolete . Unable to secure a new stadium , Oilers owner Bud Adams moved the team to Tennessee after the 1996 season , where they eventually became the Tennessee Titans . The Astros played at the dome through the 1999 season , before relocating to Enron Field ( later changed to Minute Maid Park ) in 2000 , while the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continued to be held at the Astrodome until the opening of the adjacent NRG Stadium in 2002 .
WrestleMania XXV ( also marketed as The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania ) was the 25th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . It took place on April 5 , 2009 , at Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas . The event featured talent from all three WWE brands : Raw , SmackDown , and ECW . It was the second WrestleMania to be held in Houston , with the first being WrestleMania X-Seven at the Reliant Astrodome , which was held in 2001 . Eight matches were held on the event 's card , which featured a supercard , a scheduling of more than one main bout . The first of these matches saw The Undertaker defeat Shawn Michaels . The second was a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship , which saw John Cena defeat the champion , Edge , and the third participant in the match , The Big Show , to win the championship . The final match of the night was a singles match for the WWE Championship that featured the champion , Triple H , defeating Randy Orton to retain the title . Featured matches on the undercard included Jeff Hardy versus Matt Hardy in an Extreme Rules match , Chris Jericho versus the team of Roddy Piper , Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka , and the annual Money in the Bank ladder match . Tickets for the event commenced sale to the public on November 8 , 2008 . For the third consecutive year , WrestleMania broke the record for the highest-grossing pay-per-view in WWE history , grossing US $ 6.9 million in ticket sales , which included fans from all 50 U.S. states , 24 countries , and seven Canadian provinces . WrestleMania XXV generated approximately 960,000 pay-per-view buys , grossing $ 21.0 million in revenue .
NRG Stadium ( pronounced as N-R-G Stadium ) , formerly Reliant Stadium , is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston , Texas , United States . It was constructed at the cost of $ 352 million and has a seating capacity of 71,995 . It was the first NFL facility to have a retractable roof . The stadium is the home of the National Football League 's Houston Texans , the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , the Texas Bowl , many of the United States men 's national soccer team 's matches , Mexico national football team friendlies where El Tri serves as the host , and other events . The stadium served as the host facility for Super Bowls XXXVIII ( 2004 ) and LI ( 2017 ) , and WrestleMania XXV ( 2009 ) . NRG Stadium is part of a collection of venues ( including the Astrodome ) , which are collectively called NRG Park . The entire complex is named for NRG Energy under a 32-year , US $ 300 million naming rights deal in 2000 .
Super Bowl VIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion Minnesota Vikings and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion Miami Dolphins to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 1973 season . The Dolphins defeated the Vikings by the score of 24-7 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl , the first team to do so since the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowls I and II , and the first AFL/AFC team to do so . The game was played on January 13 , 1974 at Rice Stadium in Houston , Texas . This was the first time the Super Bowl venue was not home to that of an NFL franchise . This was also the first Super Bowl not to be held in either the Los Angeles , Miami or New Orleans areas . It was also the last Super Bowl , and penultimate game overall ( the 1974 Pro Bowl in Kansas City played the next week was the last ) to feature goal posts at the front of the end zone ( they were moved to the endline , in the back of the endzone , the next season ) . This was the Dolphins ' third consecutive Super Bowl appearance . They posted a 12-2 record during the regular season , then defeated the Cincinnati Bengals and the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs . The Vikings were making their second Super Bowl appearance after also finishing the regular season with a 12-2 record , and posting postseason victories over the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys . Super Bowl VIII was largely dominated by the Dolphins , who scored 24 unanswered points during the first three quarters , including two touchdowns on their first two drives . Minnesota 's best chance to threaten Miami occurred with less than a minute left in the first half , but Vikings running back Oscar Reed fumbled the ball away at the Dolphins ' 6-yard line , and his team was unable to overcome Miami 's lead in the second half . The Dolphins ' Larry Csonka became the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP ; both his 145 rushing yards and his 33 carries were Super Bowl records .
The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held on the first Sunday in February and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . After initially determining champions through end-of-season standings , a playoff system was implemented in 1933 that culminated with the NFL Championship Game until 1966 . Following an agreement to merge the NFL with the American Football League ( AFL ) , the Super Bowl was first held in 1967 to determine a champion between the best teams from the two leagues and has remained as the final game of each NFL season since the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is also among the biggest club sporting events in the world , with the individual games accounting for many of the most watched television programs in American history and all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The Green Bay Packers hold the most combined NFL championships with 13 , winning nine titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowls afterwards . Since the creation of the Super Bowl , the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots both have the most championship titles at six .
American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , [ nb 1 ] is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs or plays ; if they fail , they turn over the football to the defense , but if they succeed , they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . American football evolved in the United States , originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football match was played on November 6 , 1869 , between two college teams , Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time . A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the Father of American Football , established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams , and the concept of downs . Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football . The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game ( although their rules were developed independently from that of Camp 's ) . Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football . The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football .
Rice Stadium is an American football stadium located on the Rice University campus in Houston , Texas . It has been the home of the Rice Owls football team since its completion in 1950 and hosted Super Bowl VIII in 1974 . Architecturally , Rice Stadium is an example of modern architecture , with simple lines and an unadorned , functional design . The lower seating bowl is located below the surrounding ground level . Built solely for football , the stadium has excellent sightlines from almost every seat . To achieve this , the running track was eliminated so that spectators were closer to the action and each side of the upper decks was brought in at a concave angle to provide better sightlines . It is still recognized in many circles as the best stadium in Texas for watching a football game . Entrances and aisles were strategically placed so that the entire stadium could be emptied of spectators in nine minutes . In 2006 , Rice University upgraded the facility by switching from AstroTurf to FieldTurf and adding a modern scoreboard above the north concourse . Seating in the upper deck is in poor condition , which led the university to move home games for which large crowds were expected to nearby NRG Stadium . High school football games , especially neutral-site playoff games , are frequently played at Rice Stadium . It can also be used as a concert venue .
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 2003 season . The Patriots defeated the Panthers by a score of 32-29 . The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas , on February 1 , 2004 . At the time , this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 144.4 million viewers . The Panthers were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11-5 regular season record . They also made it the second straight year that a team from the NFC South division made the Super Bowl , with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning Super Bowl XXXVII . The Patriots were seeking their second Super Bowl title in three years after posting a 14-2 record . NFL fans and sports writers widely consider this game one of the most well-played and thrilling Super Bowls ; Sports Illustrated writer Peter King hailed it as the Greatest Super Bowl of all time . Although neither team could score in the first and third quarters , they ended up with a combined total of 868 yards and 61 points . The game was scoreless for a Super Bowl record 26:55 before the two teams combined for 24 points prior to halftime . The clubs then combined for a Super Bowl record 37 points in the fourth quarter . The contest was finally decided when the Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri 's 41-yard field goal was made with four seconds left .
The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball 's ( MLB ) 2005 season . The 101st edition of the World Series , it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League ( AL ) champion Chicago White Sox and the National League ( NL ) champion Houston Astros . The White Sox swept the Astros in four games , winning their third World Series championship and their first in 88 seasons . Although the series was a sweep , all four games were quite close , being decided by two runs or fewer . The series was played between October 22-26 , 2005 . Home-field advantage was awarded to Chicago by virtue of the AL 's 7-5 victory over the NL in the 2005 MLB All-Star Game . The Astros were attempting to become the fourth consecutive wild card team to win the Series , following the Anaheim Angels ( 2002 ) , Florida Marlins ( 2003 ) and Boston Red Sox ( 2004 ) . Both teams were attempting to overcome decades of disappointment , with a combined 132 years between the two teams without a title . The Astros were making their first Series appearance in 44 years of play , while the White Sox had waited exactly twice as long for a title , having last won the Series in 1917 , and had not been in the Series since 1959 , three years before the Astros ' inaugural season . Like the 1982 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers , the 2005 World Series is one of only two World Series in the modern era ( 1903-present ) with no possibility for a rematch between the two opponents , because the Astros moved to the AL in 2013 . The Astros would return to the World Series in 2017 as an AL franchise , where they would win in seven games against the Los Angeles Dodgers .
Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is a professional baseball organization . It is the oldest of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . A total of 30 teams play in Major League Baseball : 15 teams in the National League ( NL ) and 15 in the American League ( AL ) . The NL and AL were formed as separate legal entities in 1876 and 1901 , respectively . Beginning in 1903 , the two leagues cooperated but remained legally separate entities . In 2000 the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball . MLB also oversees Minor League Baseball , which comprises 256 teams affiliated with the major league clubs . MLB and the World Baseball Softball Confederation jointly manage the international World Baseball Classic tournament . Baseball 's first openly all-professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings founded in 1869 . Before that , some teams had secretly paid some players . The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another . The period before 1920 is known as the dead-ball era , during which players would rarely hit home runs .
Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing teams who take turns batting and fielding . The game proceeds when a player on the fielding team , called the pitcher , throws a ball which a player on the batting team tries to hit with a bat . The objective of the offensive team ( batting team ) is to hit the ball into the field of play , allowing its players to run the bases , having them advance counter-clockwise around four bases to score what are called runs . The objective of the defensive team ( fielding team ) is to prevent batters from becoming runners , and to prevent runners ' advance around the bases . A run is scored when a runner legally advances around the bases in order and touches home plate ( the place where the player started as a batter ) . The team that scores the most runs by the end of the game is the winner . The first objective of the batting team is to have a player reach first base safely . A player on the batting team who reaches first base without being called out can attempt to advance to subsequent bases as a runner , either immediately or during teammates ' turns batting . The fielding team tries to prevent runs by getting batters or runners out , which forces them out of the field of play . Both the pitcher and fielders have methods of getting the batting team 's players out . The opposing teams switch back and forth between batting and fielding ; the batting team 's turn to bat is over once the fielding team records three outs . One turn batting for each team constitutes an inning .
Minute Maid Park , previously known as The Ballpark at Union Station , Enron Field , and Astros Field , is a ballpark in Downtown Houston , Texas , United States , that opened in 2000 as the home stadium for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . The ballpark is Houston 's first retractable-roofed stadium , and features a natural grass playing field . The ballpark was built as a replacement of the Astrodome , the first domed sports stadium ever built , which opened in 1965 . It is named for beverage brand Minute Maid , a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company , which acquired naming rights in 2002 for $ 100 million over 30 years . As of 2016 , Minute Maid Park has a seating capacity of 41,168 , which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 luxury suites .
The 1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 39th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 9 , 1968 , at the Astrodome in Houston , Texas the home of the Houston Astros of the National League , making this the first All-Star Game to be played indoors . The game resulted in the National League defeating the American League 1-0 . It is the only All-Star Game ever played without a run batted in ( RBI ) . This was the first night All-Star Game since 1944 . Apart from the 1969 game ( which was originally scheduled to be played at night but was postponed to the following afternoon due to rain ) , all subsequent All-Star Games have been played at night .
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 15 , 1986 , at the Astrodome in Houston , Texas , the home of the Houston Astros of the National League . The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 3-2 and ended a streak where the NL won 13 of the last 14 games . Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens was named the Most Valuable Player .
The 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 75th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 13 , 2004 at Minute Maid Park in Houston , Texas , the home of the Houston Astros of the National League . The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 9-4 , thus awarding an AL team ( which would eventually be the Boston Red Sox ) home-field advantage in the 2004 World Series .
The 2006 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday , February 19 , 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston , Texas , home of the Houston Rockets . The game was the 55th annual All-Star game . The theme song was by Houston native Chamillionaire who made a new version of his hit Turn It Up . Trailing by 21 points , the East rode the hot shooting of LeBron James and the teamwork of the four All-Stars from the Detroit Pistons to a 122-120 victory over the West . The 21-year-old James , who scored 29 points and grabbed six rebounds , became the youngest player to win MVP . With the score tied , Dwyane Wade , who finished with 20 points , hit the game-winning layup with 16 seconds left . Tracy McGrady of the Houston Rockets led all players with a game-high 36 points . The Detroit Pistons tied a record with the 1962 Boston Celtics ( Sam Jones , Bill Russell , Bob Cousy , Tom Heinsohn ) , 1975 Celtics ( John Havlicek , JoJo White , Dave Cowens , Paul Silas ) , 1983 Philadelphia 76ers ( Julius Erving , Moses Malone , Andrew Toney and Maurice Cheeks ) , 1998 Lakers ( Kobe Bryant , Shaquille O'Neal , Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel ) , and later the 2011 Boston Celtics ( Rajon Rondo , Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce and Ray Allen ) , 2015 Atlanta Hawks ( Al Horford , Jeff Teague , Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver ) , and both the 2017 and 2018 Golden State Warriors ( Stephen Curry , Kevin Durant , Klay Thompson , and Draymond Green ) by sending four players to the All-Star game .
The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is a men 's professional basketball league in North America , composed of 30 teams ( 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ) . It is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world . [ better source needed ] The league was founded in New York City on June 6 , 1946 , as the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3 , 1949 , after merging with the competing National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The NBA 's regular season runs from October to April , with each team playing 82 games . Its playoffs extend into June . NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball ( USAB ) , which is recognized by FIBA ( also known as the International Basketball Federation ) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States . The league 's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices in Midtown Manhattan , while its NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus , New Jersey .
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams , most commonly of five players each , opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball ( approximately 9.4 inches ( 24 cm ) in diameter ) through the defender 's hoop ( a basket 18 inches ( 46 cm ) in diameter mounted 10 feet ( 3.048 m ) high to a backboard at each end of the court ) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop . A field goal is worth two points , unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three . After a foul , timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one or more one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins , but if regulation play expires with the score tied , an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated . Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running ( dribbling ) or by passing it to a teammate , both of which require considerable skill . On offense , players may use a variety of shots - the lay-up , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense , they may steal the ball from a dribbler , intercept passes , or block shots ; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is , a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard . It is a violation to lift or drag one 's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it , or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side at a time fall into five playing positions the tallest player is usually the center , the tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implements the coach 's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays ( player positioning ) . Informally , players may play three-on-three , two-on-two , and one-on-one . Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield , Massachusetts , United States , basketball has evolved to become one of the world 's most popular and widely viewed sports . The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity , salaries , talent , and level of competition . Outside North America , the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas .
The 1971 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men 's NCAA Division I college basketball . It began on March 13 , 1971 , and ended with the championship game on March 27 in Houston , Texas . A total of 29 games were played , including a third place game in each region and a national third place game . UCLA , coached by John Wooden , won the national title with a 68-62 victory in the final game over Villanova , coached by Jack Kraft . Howard Porter of Villanova was named the tournament 's Most Outstanding Player . However , Villanova was disqualified after the tournament for having an ineligible player , Howard Porter , who had signed with an agent prior to the tournament . Having lost to undefeated , second-ranked Penn ( coached by Dick Harter ) twice before , Porter did not think they would make past the regionals where third-ranked South Carolina was also in their path . However , Penn vanquished South Carolina by 15 and then had their worst game of the year against Villanova in the East Regional final , losing 90-47 . Villanova 's first-place finish in the east regional was relinquished to Penn , with the regional consolation game ( 3rd place ) winner , Fordham ( coached by Digger Phelps , a former Penn assistant coach ) , receiving 2nd place .
The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) [ a ] is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletes from 1,268 North American institutions and conferences . It also organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada , and helps more than 480,000 college student-athletes who compete annually in college sports . The organization is headquartered in Indianapolis , Indiana . In its 2016-17 fiscal year the NCAA took in $ 1.06 billion in revenue , over 82% of which was generated by the Division I Men 's Basketball Tournament . In August 1973 , the current three-division system of Division I , Division II , and Division III was adopted by the NCAA membership in a special convention . Under NCAA rules , Division I and Division II schools can offer scholarships to athletes for playing a sport . Division III schools may not offer any athletic scholarships . Generally , larger schools compete in Division I and smaller schools in II and III . Division I football was further divided into I-A and I-AA in 1978 . Subsequently , the term Division I-AAA was briefly added to delineate Division I schools which do not field a football program at all , but that term is no longer officially used by the NCAA . In 2006 , Divisions I-A and I-AA were respectively renamed the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) and Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ) . Controversially , the NCAA severely caps the benefits that collegiate athletes can receive from their schools .
The 2010 Major League Soccer All-Star Game , held on July 28 , 2010 , was the 15th annual Major League Soccer All-Star Game , a soccer match involving all-stars from Major League Soccer . The MLS All-Stars faced Manchester United of the English Premier League in the seventh All-Star Game that featured the league 's best players facing international competition . The match was broadcast in the US on ESPN2 in English and Galavision in Spanish . Manchester United thrashed the MLS All-Stars 5-2 to become the first international club to defeat the All-Stars in regulation time ( fellow Premier League side Everton won the 2009 All-Star Game on penalties ) . United forward Federico Macheda , who scored the game 's first two goals , was named Most Valuable Player . Houston Dynamo and MLS announced Reliant Stadium as the venue on September 8 , 2009 . MLS Commissioner Don Garber speculated the league might have drawn a team from Mexico to play the MLS All-Stars in 2010 , given the close proximity of the country to Houston .
Major League Soccer ( MLS ) is a men 's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation which represents the sport 's highest level in the United States and Canada . The league comprises 26 teams - 23 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues in both countries . The league plans to expand to 30 teams with the additions of Austin FC and Charlotte in 2021 , then Sacramento Republic FC and a St. Louis franchise in 2022 . The regular season starts in late February or early March and goes through mid-October , with each team playing 34 games ; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters ' Shield . Fourteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs through October and November , culminating in the championship game , the MLS Cup . MLS teams also play in domestic competitions against teams from other divisions in the U.S. Open Cup and in the Canadian Championship . MLS teams also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League . With an average attendance of over 20,000 per game , MLS has the third highest average attendance of any sports league in the U.S. after the National Football League ( NFL ) and Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , and is the seventh highest attended professional soccer league worldwide . Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States ' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup . The first season took place in 1996 with ten teams . MLS experienced financial and operational struggles in its first few years : the league lost millions of dollars , teams played in mostly empty American football stadiums , and two teams folded in 2002 . Since then , MLS has expanded to 26 teams , soccer-specific stadiums have proliferated around the league , average attendance exceeds that of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , the Designated Player Rule allows teams to sign star players such as David Beckham , MLS secured national TV contracts , and the league is now profitable .
Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , [ a ] is a team sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players . It is played by approximately 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies , making it the world 's most popular sport . The game is played on a rectangular field called a pitch with a goal at each end . The object of the game is to score by moving the ball beyond the goal line into the opposing goal . Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The ball is 68-70 cm ( 27-28 in ) in circumference and known as the football . The two teams each compete to get the ball into the other team 's goal ( between the posts and under the bar ) , thereby scoring a goal . The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner ; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw . Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by the Laws of the Game : to represent their team in the coin toss prior to kick-off or penalty kicks . Players are not allowed to touch the ball with hands or arms while it is in play , except for the goalkeepers within the penalty area . Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball , but may also use any other part of their body except the hands and the arms . The team that scores most goals by the end of the match wins .
The 2011 NCAA Division I Men 's Basketball Tournament was a single-elimination tournament involving 68 teams to determine the national champion of the 2010-11 NCAA Division I men 's basketball season . The 73rd edition of the NCAA Tournament began on March 15 , 2011 , and concluded with the championship game on April 4 at Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas . This tournament marked the introduction of the First Four round and an expansion of the field of participants from 65 teams to 68 . The South and Midwest regional games were replaced by the monikers Southeast and Southwest for this tournament , due to the geographical location of New Orleans and San Antonio , respectively . The Final Four featured no top seeds for the first time since 2006 , with the highest remaining seed being West Region winner , # 3 Connecticut . For the first time since 2000 , a # 8 seed advanced to the Final Four as Butler , the national runner-up from the year before , won the Southeast Region . For only the third time ever , a # 11 seed advanced to the Final Four as Virginia Commonwealth , one of the First Four teams , won the Southwest Region . Those three teams were joined by East Region champion Kentucky , a # 4 seed . Connecticut won its third national championship in the championship game by defeating Butler 53-41 . Upsets ruled the 2011 tournament . The East Region saw its # 11 seed , Marquette , advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they were downed by North Carolina . The Southwest Region saw four of its double digit seeds win , as VCU was joined by # 12 seed and citymate Richmond , # 10 seed Florida State , and # 13 seed Morehead State as first round winners .
The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference . The game was played each year since the conference 's formation in 1996 until 2010 and returned during the 2017 season . From 1996 to 2010 the championship game pitted the Big 12 North Division champion against the South Division champion in a game held after the regular season was completed . From 2017 onward , the game features the two teams with the best conference records . The Big 12 South led the series 11-4 and outscored the Big 12 North 463-324 in the first 15 years the game was held . In the first eight Big 12 championship games , from 1996 to 2003 , the divisions split four games each , with the north champion winning in every odd-numbered year and the south champion winning in every even-numbered year . However , the North division champion did not win after # 13 Kansas State 's 35-7 upset victory over # 1 Oklahoma in 2003 . The game will be played at AT & T Stadium in Arlington , Texas until at least 2021 . The game 's current title sponsor is Dr Pepper .
The Big 12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Irving , Texas . The conference consists of ten full-member universities . It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) for all sports . Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ; formerly Division I-A ) , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition . Its ten members , in the states of Iowa , Kansas , Oklahoma , Texas , and West Virginia , include eight public and two private , Christian schools . Additionally , the Big 12 has 11 affiliate members - eight for the sport of wrestling , one of which is also a member in women 's equestrianism ; one for women 's gymnastics ; and two for women 's rowing . The Big 12 Conference is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit organization incorporated in Delaware . The Big 12 Conference was founded on February 25 , 1994 . The eight members of the former Big Eight Conference joined with Southwest Conference schools Texas , Texas A & M , Baylor , and Texas Tech to form the new Big 12 Conference , which commenced competition on August 31 , 1996 . The conference 's current 10-campus makeup resulted from the 2010-13 Big 12 Conference realignment , in which Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference , Colorado joined the Pac-12 , and Missouri and Texas A & M joined the Southeastern Conference . TCU and West Virginia joined from the Mountain West and Big East Conferences respectively to offset two of the departing schools , bringing the conference to its current strength . The Big 12 Conference , like others involved in the realignment , has kept its name primarily for marketing purposes ; the conference has high name recognition and remains one of the Power Five conferences which are considered the primary contenders to produce a College Football Playoff champion team in any given year .
The 2013 USA Women 's Sevens - the first edition of the component of the IRB Women 's Sevens World Series tournament USA Women 's Sevens designed for the female national teams in the Rugby 7s . It was held between February 1 to 2 , 2013 for BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston as it was the second stop of the 2012-13 IRB Women 's Sevens World Series . England took home their first win of the season after defeating the host USA 29-12 .
World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union . World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years , the sport 's most recognised and most profitable competition . It also organises a number of other international rugby competitions , such as the World Rugby Sevens Series , the Rugby World Cup Sevens , the World Under 20 Championship , and the Pacific Nations Cup . World Rugby 's headquarters are in Dublin , Ireland . Its membership now comprises 120 national unions . Each member country must also be a member of one of the six regional unions into which the world is divided : Africa , Americas North , Asia , Europe , South America and Oceania . World Rugby was founded as the International Rugby Football Board ( IRFB ) in 1886 by Scotland , Wales and Ireland , with England joining in 1890 . Australia , New Zealand and South Africa became full members in 1949 . France became a member in 1978 and a further eighty members joined from 1987 to 1999 . The body was renamed the International Rugby Board ( IRB ) in 1998 , and took up its current name of World Rugby in November 2014 . In 2009 , the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) voted to include rugby sevens in the 2016 Summer Olympics . World Rugby gained membership of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations ( ASOIF ) in 2010 .
Rugby sevens ( commonly known as simply sevens ) , and originally known as seven-a-side rugby , is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven minute halves , instead of the usual 15 players playing 40 minute halves . Rugby sevens is administered by World Rugby , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide . The game is popular at all levels , with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months . Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby , and is popular in parts of Africa , Asia , Europe , and the Americas , and especially in the South Pacific . Rugby sevens originated in Melrose , Scotland in the 1880s ; the Melrose Sevens tournament is still played annually . The popularity of rugby sevens increased further with the development of the Hong Kong Sevens in the 1970s and was later followed by the inclusion of the sport into the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 1998 and the establishment of the annual World Rugby Sevens Series in 1999 and the World Rugby Women 's Sevens Series in 2012 . In 2016 , rugby sevens was contested in the Summer Olympics for the first time . It has also been played in regional events such as the Pan American Games and the Asian Games , and in 2018 a women 's tournament was played for the first time at the Commonwealth Games .
BBVA Stadium ( formerly BBVA Compass Stadium ) is an American multi-purpose stadium located in Houston , Texas that is home to the Houston Dynamo , a Major League Soccer club , the Houston Dash of the National Women 's Soccer League , and to Texas Southern Tigers football . The stadium is the result of combined commitments of $ 35.5 million from the city of Houston and $ 60 million from the Houston Dynamo . Harris County agreed to pay for half of the land in exchange for the ability to jointly own the stadium after its completion date in May 2012 . BBVA , Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria , is the stadium 's sponsor company . The stadium is located on a tract of land bordered by Texas , Walker , Emancipation , and Hutchins in East Downtown and east of Interstate 69/U.S . Route 59 and Downtown Houston .
The 2013 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 17 , 2013 at Toyota Center in Houston , Texas , the current home of the Houston Rockets . This game was the 62nd edition of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) All-Star Game and was played during the 2012-13 NBA season . The Houston Rockets were awarded the All-Star Game in an announcement by commissioner David Stern on February 8 , 2012 . This was the third time that Houston had hosted the All-Star Game ; the city had previously hosted the event in 1989 at the Astrodome and 2006 at the Toyota Center . The West won the game 143-138 , and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers was named the game 's most valuable player ( MVP ) . Starters for the game were selected by the fans , who could select three frontcourt players and two guards from each conference . Previously , fans selected two forwards and one center instead of generic frontcourt players . Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers received the most overall votes at 1,591,437 . Starting this season , NBA All-Star Saturday Night events became contests between the Eastern and Western Conferences .
The 2016 NCAA Division I Men 's Basketball Tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the men 's National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2015-16 season . The 78th edition of the Tournament began on March 15 , 2016 , and concluded with the championship game on April 4 at NRG Stadium in Houston , Texas . Upsets were the story of the first round of the Tournament ; No . 15 seed Middle Tennessee upset No . 2 seed Michigan State in the biggest upset , just the eighth ever win for a No . 15 seed over a No . 2 . At least one 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , and 15 seed won a first-round game for the third time ever and the first time since 2013 . In the Final Four , Villanova defeated Oklahoma , while North Carolina defeated Syracuse ( the Cinderella team of the tournament ) . Villanova then defeated North Carolina to win the championship on a three-point buzzer beater by Kris Jenkins . Pundits called the game one of the best in tournament history , going on to say this was one of the most competitive finals ever .
The Copa América Centenario ( Portuguese : Copa América Centenário , French : Coupe Amerique Centennaire ( for Haiti ) , English : Centennial Cup America ; literally Centennial America Cup ) was an international men 's association football tournament that was hosted in the United States in 2016 . The competition was a celebration of the centenary of CONMEBOL and the Copa América , and was the first Copa América hosted outside South America . The tournament was a commemorative version of Copa América ( not the 45th edition ) . It was held as part of an agreement between CONMEBOL ( the South American football confederation ) and CONCACAF ( the football confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean ) as a special edition between the usual four-year cycle , and featured an expanded field of 16 teams ( an increase from the usual 12 ) , with all ten teams from CONMEBOL and six teams from CONCACAF . Despite the tournament being an official iteration of the Copa América , the winner would not receive an invitation to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup due to the commemorative nature of the tournament , although eventual winners Chile had already qualified through their 2015 victory . Chile became the fourth nation to win at least two consecutive titles in CONMEBOL tournaments , after Uruguay , Argentina and Brazil . Argentina , meanwhile , lost their third consecutive final in a major tournament , following losses to Germany at the 2014 World Cup and Chile at the 2015 Copa América . When taking into account Argentina 's losses against Brazil ( 2004 Copa América , 2007 Copa América and 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup ) and Denmark ( 1995 King Fahd Cup ) , this is Argentina 's seventh lost final since their last triumph at the 1993 Copa América .
The South American Football Confederation ( CONMEBOL , /ˈkɒnmɪbɒl/ ; Spanish : Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol ; Portuguese : Confederação Sul-Americana de Futebol or CSF ) is the continental governing body of football in South America ( apart from Guyana , Suriname , and French Guiana ) , and it is one of FIFA 's six continental confederations . The oldest continental confederation in the world , its headquarters are located in Luque , Paraguay , near Asunción . CONMEBOL is responsible for the organization and governance of South American football 's major international tournaments . With 10 member football associations , it has the fewest members of all the confederations in FIFA . CONMEBOL national teams have won nine FIFA World Cups ( Brazil five , Uruguay two , and Argentina two ) , and CONMEBOL clubs have won 22 Intercontinental Cups and four FIFA Club World Cups . Argentina and Uruguay have won two Olympic gold medals each , and Brazil has won one Olympic gold medal . It is considered one of the strongest confederations in the world . The World Cup qualifiers of CONMEBOL have been described as the toughest qualifiers in the world for their simple round-robin system , entry of some of the top national teams in the world , leveling of the weaker national teams , climate conditions , geographic conditions , strong home stands , and passionate supporters . Currently , [ when ? ] the Confederation is planning to create the first women 's qualification to the FIFA Women 's World Cup to replace the Copa América Femenina . Juan Ángel Napout ( Paraguay ) was the president of CONMEBOL until 3 December 2015 when he was arrested in a raid in Switzerland as part of the U.S. Justice Department 's bribery case involving FIFA . Wilmar Valdez ( Uruguay ) was interim president until 26 January 2016 when Alejandro Domínguez ( Paraguay ) was elected president .
Super Bowl LI was an American football game played at NRG Stadium in Houston , Texas , on February 5 , 2017 , to determine the champion of the National Football League ( NFL ) for the 2016 season . The American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion New England Patriots , after trailing by as many as 25 points ( 28-3 ) during the third quarter , defeated the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion Atlanta Falcons , 34-28 in overtime . As such , the game is often known as 28-3 after the Falcons ' blown lead . The Patriots ' 25-point comeback is the largest in Super Bowl history , and Super Bowl LI was the first to be decided in overtime . The Patriots ' victory was their fifth , and moved them into a three-way tie with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers for second place on the all-time Super Bowl wins list , and at that time , trailing only the Pittsburgh Steelers who have six victories . New England , after finishing the regular season with a league-best 14-2 record , advanced to their record-setting ninth Super Bowl appearance , their second in three years , and their seventh under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady . The Falcons entered the game after completing an 11-5 regular season record , and were trying to win their first Super Bowl title , having lost their only previous appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII . After a scoreless first quarter , Atlanta scored 21 points before New England made a field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter , to make it a 21-3 halftime lead . The Falcons then increased their lead to 28-3 midway through the third quarter , with quarterback Matt Ryan completing his second touchdown pass . The Patriots then scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game at 28-28 with 57 seconds left in regulation . New England won the overtime coin toss , received the kickoff and drove 75 yards to win with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back James White . When the game ended , more than 30 team and individual Super Bowl records had been either broken or matched .
American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , [ nb 1 ] is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs or plays ; if they fail , they turn over the football to the defense , but if they succeed , they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . American football evolved in the United States , originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football match was played on November 6 , 1869 , between two college teams , Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time . A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the Father of American Football , established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams , and the concept of downs . Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football . The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game ( although their rules were developed independently from that of Camp 's ) . Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football . The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football .
The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball 's ( MLB ) 2017 season . The 113th edition of the World Series , it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League ( NL ) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League ( AL ) champion Houston Astros . It was sponsored by the Internet television service YouTube TV and officially known as the 2017 World Series presented by YouTube TV . The series was played between October 24 and November 1 . The Astros defeated the Dodgers , four games to three , to win their first World Series in franchise history , also becoming the first team from Texas to do so . It was the first time since 2001-2002 when two consecutive World Series went to seven games . Both teams set a World Series record with a combined total of 25 home runs throughout the entire series , including a team record 15 home runs by the Astros , and hit a combined total of eight home runs in Game 2 to set the single game World Series mark . Houston outfielder George Springer was named as the World Series Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) after hitting five home runs in the series to tie a World Series record with Reggie Jackson in 1977 and Chase Utley in 2009 . This was the first World Series in which home-field advantage was decided by the regular season record of the two pennant winners . From 1903 to 2002 , home-field advantage had been determined by coin flips and by alternating between the AL and NL . [ a ] From 2003 to 2016 , it was determined by results from that season 's All-Star Game , when it was awarded to the team from the winning league . The Dodgers earned home-field advantage over the Astros .