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Politicans Who Are Sports Fans

Will Brown by Will Brown, December 16, 2025

American flag on sports stadium field

While politics in the USA remains more divided than ever, sports continue to have the powerful ability to bring people together, no matter their views. As representatives of entire cities, states, and even the country, it makes sense that there are many notable politician sports fans who fervently back their local teams. In this guide, we’ve discussed the politicians who have earned a reputation for being die-hard fans of sports, from

Who Are the Biggest President Sports Fans?

Since Abraham Lincoln first hosted games of baseball on the White House lawn, there has been a long line of president sports fans who have sat in the Oval Office. It’s not just presidents, though, with everyone from city mayors to House Representatives known to cheer on their local teams.

To get this guide started, we’ve discussed how politics and sports go hand in hand before breaking down our list of the top 10 politician sports fans of the modern political era. To round out this guide, we’ve shared some interesting stories about how sports have played a major role in global politics.

The Blending of Politics and Sports

With the huge crowd turnouts at campaign rallies, merchandising with political slogans, and tough competitions for electoral victory, it’s not hard to find similarities between politics and sports. There is also, of course, the localized nature of elections and sports franchises that bind the two together.

With many politicians being lifelong residents of their constituencies, it only makes sense that they’d be such ardent supporters of their local teams. Often, their fandom can appear endearing to voters and unite them in a shared cause, while at other times, sports fans may question whether their backing is authentic or exaggerated for political currency.

In this article, we’ve purely focused on the politicians who have a bona fide record of supporting local teams. We’ve looked at their most notable appearances at games, sports-related controversies, and even influence over leagues or teams. Interestingly, politics has even entered the sports betting arena.

In countries such as England and Australia, it’s possible to wager on the outcome of elections at online sports betting apps. It was initially banned in the USA, but after a federal judge overturned a ban on politics sports betting in 2024, we wouldn’t be surprised if major betting sites start offering odds for the 2026 midterms or the 2028 federal elections.

The Top 10 Politicians Who Are Die-Hard Sports Fans

The following list of political sports fans includes presidents, governors, and senators across the political spectrum who earned reputations for their love of sports. As you’ll learn, their interests vary greatly and often stem from their experience playing in college.

1. George W. Bush

George W. Bush was perhaps best known for his love of baseball. Before his presidency, he was a co-owner of the Texas Rangers, helping to secure public funding for the team’s ballpark while a managing partner between 1989 and 1994. He even credited his experience co-owning and managing the team to helping him prepare for his political career. Most famously, Bush’s first pitch at Yankee Stadium after 9/11 became an iconic symbol of unity before a grieving nation.

2. Barack Obama

Former president Barack Obama was known to be hugely loyal to the major league teams of Chicago, expressing a strong loyalty to both the NFL’s Chicago Bears and MLB’s Chicago White Sox. Throughout his presidency, the devoted politician sports fan regularly discussed his team’s performances, while he has since expressed his love for NCAA basketball and openly shares his bracket picks. Obama’s sports acumen, however, is somewhat infamous, earning derision for his somewhat unflattering first pitches.

3. Chris Christie

When Chris Christie was governor of New Jersey, he courted controversy by openly cheering for the heated rival of the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, despite the Giants’ home stadium being in the state. Christie has been a lifelong fan of the Cowboys and even became good friends with team owner Jerry Jones. The former governor wasn’t always welcome at games, though, and was famously heckled throughout his appearance at a 2019 Cowboys-Eagles game.

4. Donald Trump

Native New Yorker Donald Trump stands out for being one of the most die-hard president sports fans, having been seen in attendance at New York Yankees games for decades. It’s not just baseball that has displayed a love for though. Trump has often been seen at major boxing and UFC events, and several golf courses owned by the president have hosted major PGA tournaments. While he has regularly attended college football games, he has long held a tense relationship with the NFL.

5. Cory Booker

Before he was a State Senator for New Jersey, Cory Booker was known for his storied college football career at Stanford University. After his career, Booker became an advocate for college football players, introducing a Bill of Rights Act that would protect student athletes from exploitation. Outside of college football, Booker is a confessed fan of the New York Yankees.

6. Ted Cruz

Politician sports fan and Texas State Senator Ted Cruz has earned controversy for being a die-hard Houston Astros fan. His appearance at the games has often been met with boos from the crowd, while fans of the Houston Cougars even launched a petition to prevent him from attending the team’s NBA games. Because his presence at Houston games has often coincided with losses for the team, fans have dubbed it the “Cruz Curse”.

7. Jimmy Carter

Former President and Georgia-native Jimmy Carter was known to be a baseball obsessive, having admitted to a lifelong loyalty to the Atlanta Braves. Carter was regularly seen at games, and he was once given a standing ovation for catching a foul ball. In addition to the Braves, Carter also supported Atlanta’s Falcons and Hawks.

8. Bernie Sanders

Like many New Englanders, Bernie Sanders is a supporter of the Boston Red Sox. However, the Vermont Senator has also been a strong advocate for minor league baseball since the early 1980s. He once successfully campaigned to establish the Vermont Reds minor league team and was a vocal opponent to the MLB’s plan to cut 42 minor league teams during his 2020 presidential campaign.

9. Gerald Ford

Former President Gerald Ford’s love of football can be traced back to when he played for the University of Michigan, helping them through undefeated seasons and national titles. His success on the field was so notable that he was even offered contracts by the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Ford is considered to be the most successful college athlete to sit in the Oval Office.

10. Richard Nixon

Last but not least on our list of politician sports fans is Richard Nixon, whose devotion to football has become legendary. During his presidency, he was known to attend practices for the Washington Commanders, even offering unsolicited advice and drawing up plays. He was regularly seen at baseball games in Washington, and famously called the Baltimore Colts’ locker room after their win in Super Bowl V.

Sports’ Impact on Global Politics

Outside of conceptual similarities between sports and politics, both have actually been intertwined in meaningful ways. One of the best examples can be found during apartheid-era South Africa, where an international sports boycott against competing with South African teams became an effective tool to express opposition to the policies.

Of course, the Olympics have always been hugely influential in politics. The earliest example of this was at the 1936 Olympic Games, where black athlete Jesse Owens famously won in defiance of Germany’s Nazi propaganda. In more recent years, the botching of the Athens and Rio Olympics saw voters punish politicians for overspending and corruption.

Since Russia’s war in Ukraine, the nation’s athletes have been prevented from competing under the nation’s banner, which was hoped to be a tool to shame the nation on the international stage. Another controversial topic of late has been “sportswashing”, where oppressive regimes have been seen to use sports to clean their public image.

Nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been accused of sportswashing, with Saudi Arabia’s heavy investment in Formula 1, FIFA World Cup, LIV Golf, and a new ATP tournament courting backlash. What remains clear is that often, sports have far more serious implications than simple competitive games.

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