AHC: European International Sports Leagues By 1700

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Challenge is, with a pod no earlier than 1500, how can Europe have international sports leagues by 1700? Requirements are:

- At least 5 international sports leagues
- At least two of the leagues are popular with the poor classes.
- They all have a committee that runs the league.
- International competition must take place at least once a year every year for at least three of the leagues.

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Bumping.

- Obviously the easiest sport to internationalize would be a fox hunting league. This would be for aristocrats only though.
- Perhaps we could also see a early fencing league, but once again that'd be for aristocrats.
- When did boxing become a internationally recognized sport in otl?

 

[Plaidmoon]

I don’t think you could have teams or even single individuals traveling internationally fast enough for leagues to have games often enough until you have trains or steamships. Two or three events per year isn’t going to be enough. I don’t think you could develop the technological advancements for trains and powered ships by 1700.

Communications will be a big issue too. Getting match results to all the involved countries will take time. If the sport committees are comprised of members from all the countries involved, getting them together for discussions will be a major undertaking.