Sports Arenas all over the world are places of joy and heartbreak, places where a few people symbolise the hopes and dreams of an entire nation. Many sports arenas have become symbolic of the major events which are held there, just as Wimbledon denotes tennis and Lord’s is representative of cricket.
Here are ten of the most famous sports arenas in the world:
1. Lords, London:
Every cricketer dreams of the day when he will step on the cricket field at Lords in England. Owned by the Marylebone Cricket Club, it is known as the “home of Cricket” and houses one of the world’s oldest sporting museums. The first cricket match was played here in 1814, and today after it has moved thrice, in it’s latest location, it can accommodate up to 32000 spectators.
2. Madison Square Garden:
Popularly known as the Garden, Madison Square Garden is probably the world’s most famous arena. Here on any given day you can see either a music concert or a hockey game or a basketball game. Situated above the Pennsylvania Station, it has been the site of many a battle between sporting teams and also between the authorities and owners of the building. It has seen renovations and additions and today it is the world’s third busiest sports arena in terms of ticket sales.
3. Wimbledon:
Tennis players all over the world have said that there is a special thrill when you play at the Wimbledon Centre Court. These hallowed grounds have seen many an epic battle between the greats of tennis. Even though the actual name is the All England Club, yet we only know them as The Championships, Wimbledon. No other sports are played here, and the courts are all out in the open, yet it is one of the famous arenas in the world.
4. Maracana, Rio De Janeiro:
The largest stadium in Brazil and South America, this stadium was built in 1950 to hold the FIFA World Cup. It has a seating capacity of over 82,000 spectators and it is now being prepared to host the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup. Originally it was meant only for football but now it has become a multi-disciplinary centre and many other games such as volleyball are played there.
5. Ascot Racecourse:
You may not want to term it as a sports arena, but the fact remains that it is the world’s most famous racecourse and it stages most of England’s prestigious races. It is a part of folklore and Audrey Hepburn in her black and white dress in My Fair Lady, made the racecourse even more famous than before. The racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne and even today it is closely associated with the British Royal Family.
This cemetery is in Argentina and is the resting place of many famous personalities, politicians and poets. It is designed beautifully and consists of several alleyways that are scattered with ‘houses’, mostly meant for families. The sculptures are stunning, albeit slightly eerie and the ghostly element comes to life when a well-fed black cat scurries past you and you are all alone
The Saint Louis Cemetery encompasses three graveyards in Louisiana. All of them are placed above the ground but the first one is slightly above the rest and is the one to visit if you are interested. It is mostly in ruins which is what makes it so creepy.
This graveyard is the resting place of famous deceased celebrities and will be found in Los Angeles, California. Sculptures created by famous painters and replicas of artwork can be found here. The creators of this graveyard obviously went a little far with the design as it looks like an unusual theme park- the theme here being death.
This cemetery extends over 478 acres of land and is a well-known tourist attraction in Brooklyn, New York. The tombs are beautiful in a way and the decorations are elaborate and carefully sculpted. It also features war memorials and was initially constructed only for those people that did something worthwhile when they were alive and kicking.
This is definitely the oldest graveyard that should be visited in Josefov, Chzech Republic as it was constructed in 1439. Therefore, it is not surprising that the headstones are placed at odd angles and are extremely worn out. The headstones are kept away from the walkway with the help of a thick rope. While most Hitler destroyed every Jewish cemetery he could lay his hands on, he left this one as it was because he said that he wanted to build a museum in its place once he conquered the world.
Sholay was directed by Ramesh Sippy and released in 1975. The cast includes legendary actors like Amitabh Bachan, Jaya Bachan, Hema Malini and Dharmendra. Sholay is the biggest Bollywood film in terms of both its popularity and the amount of money it still continues to make.
Mughal-e-Azam was directed by K.Asif and came out in 1960. The budget of the movie was very high at the time and the sets were so complicated, that it took over 15 years to make the film. It was said to be the best film created by Indian cinema till Sholay hit the theatres.
This film starred the likes of Sunil Dutt, Nargis and Rajendra Kumar. Directed by Mehboob Khan, it won the hearts of many in the country and is a must-watch for those who need a good cry!
Guide released in 1965 and was produced by the legendary actor Dev Anand who was also part of the star cast. It was based on a novel with the same name by R.K. Narayan and was among the few Hindi films that had the privilege of being a part of the Cannes Film Festival.
This film was directed by Raj Kapoor was released in 1951. It was a part of a few nomination during the Cannes Film Festival 2 years later and is doted on by people all over the world.
This one is pretty sober when compared to the rest on this list and has been associated with those who belong to the lower strata of the society. However, it was quite popular during the 80s and if you are deranged enough to try it out, have your hair cut very short in the front and leave it long from the back.
Those who want to embarrass their friends and family members tend to go for this hairstyle. All you need to do is take some extra-durable gel and slap it all over your hair. Next, pull up different sections and mold them in such a way that they are thick at the base and point at the top.
This remarkably bizarre hairstyle is also known as the mowie or Mohican and was popular during the 80s as well. Those who want this hairstyle should first shave off their heads but not completely- they must leave out a section in the middle which will then be spiked up or gelled. The best part is that it is usually held up with hairspray and streaked with neon hair color.
This hairstyle will make you look as though you are raising a tiny lizard at the back of your neck. It basically involves a long section of the hair to be left long at the nape of the neck. This was very popular in the 80s and people would braid or perm this long section.
The Hi-top Fade made the individual look as though his head was a pencil and the hair, the pencil eraser. Those who had it would first shave most of their hair off and puff it up at the top.
Joseph Crater disappeared in 1930 when he was on a vacation in Maine. He got a phone call from a stranger and told his wife that he had to return to New York City immediately. He was leaving a restaurant with his friends and mistress and got into a taxi alone. He disappeared after that and his mistress vanished a month later.
Lady Lucan was covered in her own blood when she ran into a pub screaming about how her husband had tried to murder her. The police searched the Lucan house and found the nanny lying dead along side a bloodstained pipe. Lord Lucan said that he was in the house when the woman was attacked. He disappeared a few days later and a similar pope was found in his bloodstained car.
This man was the captain of a ship found in the Atlantic Ocean. The Mary Celeste was abandoned and its crew members, Briggs, his children and his wife were all missing. This disappearance is among the most famous historical mysteries.
Etta Place was Harry Longabaugh’s girlfriend- the notorious man who was also known as The Sundance Kid. People around her were never sure what her real name was as she changed it often. She was a prostitute and the first female landowner in Argentina. Etta Place disappeared after procuring her boyfriend’s death certificate. She did this to settle the problems surrounding the property he owned.
These usually come in large boxes with neat segregations and it’s all hunky dory till the kid opens the box. The beads spill out and go everywhere. The child then starts making mismatched and odd bracelets which the parent then has to wear because unfortunately, that’s what they expect.
The most annoying electronic noisemakers are those that are in the form of chickens and dance about saying things like “I Can Dance” and “I Can Sing”. The battery cavity is screwed in and a parent may think the company does that to prevent the child from swallowing the batteries but in reality, they are saving the parent’s sanity as the child will not know how to open it up without help.
Slime is made with some awful material which slips off the child’s hand and amuses him for some reason. However, he will get bored of it soon and leave it lying about on the carpet and the parent will either slip on it and break his skull or spend hours trying to get it off.
Every little girl in the world plays with Barbie dolls today. These are available in different avatars, for different occasions and so much more. Once the child receives the doll, she throws it about, twists its limbs, cuts the hair or removes all the clothes. Let’s not even get started on the box it comes in- you may as well be dismantling a bomb- it’s that complicated.
A Lite Brite is some annoying toy that allows the child to draw pictures on it. The image then lights up and the colors used could not be brighter. If the parent happens to step on this toy in the middle of the night, he will definitely throw it out of the window and watch it break into pieces with a smile on his face.
This Caroline Herrera fragrance is heavenly, to say the least. The aroma is sophisticated and created especially for formal parties or dinners. Scents like ginger, musk, grapefruit and sandalwood come together to create this divine cologne.
The best part about this cologne is that it is minty fresh and natural- no strings attached. The citrus smell of lemon mixes with that of rose and lavender which complements the delicious scent of sandalwood perfectly. This fragrance is perfect for every day use.
Everybody is familiar with the products created by Davidoff. It has a very strong aquatic aroma which is delicate and manly at the same time. Rosemary and musk is added as well and if you want to smell different and unique, go out and buy it.
Even if you don’t particularly like this one, you can be sure that your wife or girlfriend will adore it. Clove, lime, lavender and musk unite to make sure that this Liz Claiborne cologne stays on your clothes even after the sun goes down.
This was a burger created by McDonalds especially for Japan. It contained mashed potatoes, Macaroni that had been fried silly and shrimp and all of it was served on cabbage. The name was unappetizing enough and it tasted quite odd.
This burger was introduced in 1963 and their target customers were those Roman Catholics who did not eat non-vegetarian food on Fridays. Therefore, the company inserted a thin slice of pineapple between the bread instead of the meat. Needless to say, it was quite a failure.
McDLT was quite a marvel during its time. The company sold it in a two-sided container- while the bottom part include the bottom half of the bread and the meat, the top part consisted of the other half as well as the tomato, pickles, lettuce, cheese and sauces. Those who were curious enough to buy it had to assemble it all together before eating it. You know what they should’ve done? Walked over to the nearest dumpster and binned it.
This burger was meant for adults and the advertisements that were made to promote it showed children turning up their noses and walking past it. Ronald was also shown playing pool and golf- so-called adult sports. The burger was okay but not good enough to help the company earn profits.
The name says it all. The company took some lobster bits, added tomato and lettuce and mixed it all up with some sauces. Let’s just say that it was not an attractive burger to look at. It wasn’t big enough to satiate the consumer who had to pay 5.99 dollars for it.
With over 3.5 billion fans, football (or soccer) is undeniably the most watched sport in the world. Football has the maximum stadiums, greatest numbers of people buying football merchandise, number of competitions and events held – such as the world cup, UEFA League, American Cup, etc. Also there are the maximum number of teams, leagues and clubs for football all over the world. The current football world cup 2010 has about 715.1 million people who watched the final. It is the world’s most widely viewed sports event today.
Immensely popular from the beginning, since its inception in England in the 16th century. Cricket is more popular in Test playing countries, and is the second most watched sport after football. The Cricket world cup in 2007, had 672,000 spectators in the stadiums alone and about 2.2 billion TV viewers, with the matches being telecast in 200 countries. The 2011 Cricket world cup will be broadcasted in 220 countries.
Basketball has about 2 billion spectators worldwide, though most are in USA and Europe. The NBA is the most popular league with all its matches being closely watched. The NBA has a viewership of 1.5 – 2 million per match, and a total viewership of 15 million per season. The NCCA drew a viewership of 12 million viewers.
Wimbledon matches had about 2.2 million viewers per match, whereas the US Open had a viewership of 63.5 in all, with each match having 10 million viewers. The game of tennis originated in the United kingdom and spread among the English speaking population in the world and now is an Olympic sport. Tennis has some major tournaments, Grand Slam Tournaments, Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open which are widely watched.
Auto racing, also called car racing or motor racing, is one of the most televised sports. Formula One is the most popular kind of single-seat car racing tournament and is a World Championship. Single seat racing is not only about teams, there are also car racing clubs like Monoposto Racing Club. The other kind of single seat racing is Kart Racing which is on smaller machines on low cost tracks. The Grand Prix began in France in 1894, and was an endurance test for the car and driver. Grand prix evolved into formula racing and later Formula 1. Formula one championships are called Grand prix.
Horse racing is an equestrian sport, that has evolved from the ancient chariot races. Horse racing is associated with gambling and generated $ 115 billion during the last season. Horse racing can be broadly categorised into thoroughbred horses racing, endurance racing or quarter horse racing. An important race is the Kentucky Derby race. Along with others it is held in June each year. This is a sport usually associated with the elite, models and celebrities are the usual faces seen on the race-course.
The 2009 World Series, the most prestigious tournament of Baseball in the United States and Canada, had a viewership of 19.1 million viewers. Baseball was initially played in England in the mid-nineteenth century. In North America, various versions of the game developed. It is the national sport of the United States.
Athletics is a collection of running, jumping, walking and throwing games. It is inexpensive and one of the most 
Golf is a precision Club-and–Ball sport, using various types of clubs to hit balls in the holes. The golf course consists of either 9 or 18 holes. Finding its origin in Rome, China and Scotland, Golf has evolved to a spectator sport over the years. Tiger Woods was the face of Golf for a long time until his personal life dragged his career to a standstill.
Boxing is a combat sport. During the game, two people fight using their fists. Originating in 2nd and 3rd millennium BC, it was popular in Roman and Greek cultures, where the only entertainment for masses was to watch humans and animals combat. Muhammed Ali was the face of boxing. Today boxing has a viewership of over 2 million fanatics.
Their’s was a sad breakup, after nearly 14 years of marriage. According to popular sources, their marriage ‘wasn’t working out’. They had supported each other through important events in each other’s life. Both Hollywood actors, they have 2 children together.
King is a Talk show host, while Southwick is an actress. They have 2 children together. In his divorce filing, the TV host is seeking shared custody of their two sons. Rumours surfaced that the reason for the couple`s split was an alleged affair between King and his wife`s sister.
Considered among Hollywood’s happiest couples, Jim Carrey and Jenny’s breakup came as a surprise to most people. In their 5 years together they shared a special bond, with each other and their respective children.
The on-again, off-again pair, Ryan Phillippe and Abbey Cornish — who were seeing each other when Phillippe split from Reese Witherspoon, 31, last October still have a ton of chemistry. Cornish, 25, has been bonding with Phillippe’s kids. The actress, Abbey Cornish, was spotted removing her belongings from the house she shared with actor Phillippe. The split follows months of paparazzi speculation that Phillippe had been regularly hitting the nightclubs and being linked to other women.
Vincent is playing the lead role of `Phineas` on Disney`s new hit animated series, ‘Phineas and Ferb’, and is now Emmy nominated. He is shooting the fourth season of ‘Everybody Hates Chris’.
