Top Google Search Trends In Sports For 2016 – Forbes

Google released its annual lists of search trends for 2016 today and the results are fascinating in the world of sports. The end of a historic World Series drought made the Chicago Cubs the top U.S. pro sports team, while Americans gobbled up everything about Michael Phelps’ Rio performance. The greatest Olympian of all-time headed the top athletes in 2016.

Michael Phelps holds the US flag after the podium ceremony of the Men’s swimming 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final at the Rio Olympics. (Photo: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)

The lists are intended to capture the people and topics that captured Americans attention this year. In past years, Google released both trending and most-searched lists. This year is focused on trending only, meaning search queries “that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2016 as compared to 2015.”

Google did release one top ten most-searched list that covers all categories as searched by Americans. Powerball was No. 1, followed by Prince, Hurricane Matthew, Pokémon Go and Slither.io. “Trump” ranked No. 8, two spots ahead of Hillary Clinton with election sandwiched in between. Others in the top 10 were the Olympics and David Bowie.

Here is what Americans searched for on Google in the world of sports.

U.S. Pro Sports Teams

Teams that reach the end of the postseason are bound to see spikes in traffic. Six of the top seven teams made it to the final two in their respective sports in 2016. The exception: the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cubs’ first World Series title since 1908 pushed them to the head of the class.

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
5. Carolina Panthers
6. Denver Broncos
7. San Jose Sharks
8. St. Louis Blues
9. Dallas Stars
10. Los Angeles Rams

Athletes

Olympians dominated the action among athletes on Google in 2016 with six in the top 10, plus Kevin Durant who played for Team USA the last two Olympics. This group has won 63 Olympic medals, including 50 golds (65 and 52 with Durant’s pair of golds).

1. Michael Phelps
2. Ryan Lochte
3. Simone Biles
4. Cam Newton
5. Usain Bolt
6. Kevin Durant
7. Colin Kaepernick
8. Gabby Douglas
9. Conor McGregor
10. Katie Ledecky

MLB Players

Cubs, Cubs and more Cubs. Chicago’s North Side team placed six players in baseball’s top 10, led by National League MVP Kris Bryant. Curt Schilling made the cut for all the wrong reasons. ESPN terminated Schilling as an analyst in April after he posted an anti-transgender meme on social media.

1. Kris Bryant
2. Anthony Rizzo
3. David Ross
4. Curt Schilling
5. Aroldis Chapman
6. Coco Crisp
7. Addison Russell
8. Jake Arrieta
9. Adam Laroche
10. Trevor Story

NFL Players

Quarterbacks dominate the action with six of the 10 slots led by the last season’s MVP Cam Newton and the player, Colin Kaepernick, most credited for supercharing the national anthem protests. Rookies are also popular search topics as fans digest the newest players in the league. Laremy Tunsil makes the cut for some unfortunate draft night photos that emerged of him with a gas mask and a bong.

1. Cam Newton
2. Colin Kaepernick
3. Dak Prescott
4. Carson Wentz
5. Laremy Tunsil
6. Joey Bosa
7. Jimmy Garoppolo
8. Josh Norman
9. Brock Osweiler
10. Derrick Henry

NBA Players

Durant narrowly missed carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 playoffs, but his free agency sent Durant’s Google searches through the roof. Durant’s eventual decision to join Golden State in July stunned the basketball world. Other free agents (Howard, Wade, Horford and Noah) joined rookies (Ingram, Hield and Simmons) among those NBAers trending on Google. Notice no LeBron James or Stephen Curry. Those guys are always trending.

1. Kevin Durant
2. Steven Adams
3. Draymond Green
4. Dwight Howard
5. Dwyane Wade
6. Brandon Ingram
7. Buddy Hield
8. Ben Simmons
9. Al Horford
10. Joakim Noah

Men’s Soccer Players

A pair of global icons who play for Barcelona head the men’s soccer players trending charts. Zlatan Ibrahimović ranks third in large part for his move from PSG to Manchester United over the summer.

1. Lionel Messi
2. Neymar
3. Zlatan Ibrahimović
4. Raheem Sterling
5. Paul Pogba
6. Pepe
7. James Rodríguez
8. Mesut Özil
9. Antoine Griezmann
10. Robert Lewandowsk

NHL Players

Sid the Kid propelled the Penguins to their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history and first since 2009, while the ageless Jaromir Jagr led the Florida Panthers in points at the age of 44.

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Jaromír Jágr
3. Steven Stamkos
4. Phil Kessel
5. Zdeno Chára
6. P. K. Subban
7. Auston Matthews
8. T. J. Oshie
9. Ben Bishop
10. Duncan Keith

MLB Teams

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Francisco Giants

NBA Teams

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Golden State Warriors
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Toronto Raptors

NFL Teams

1. Carolina Panthers
2. Los Angeles Rams
3. Denver Broncos
4. Minnesota Vikings
5. Pittsburgh Steelers

NHL Teams

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. San Jose Sharks
3. St. Louis Blues
4. Dallas Stars
5. Toronto Maple Leafs

MLS Soccer Teams

1. Seattle Sounders FC
2. Toronto FC
3. Portland Timbers
4. Sporting KC
5. D.C. United

Soccer Teams (Global)

1. Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
2. Liverpool F.C.
3. C.D. Guadalajara
4. Leicester City F.C.
5. Borussia Dortmund

Olympic Moments

1. Olympics Opening Ceremony
2. Olympics Closing Ceremony
3. Tonga Flag Bearer
4. Olympic Bike Crash
5. Olympic Refugee Team
6. Olympics Green Pool
7. Olympic Torch Lighting
8. Triplets in Olympics
9. US Disqualified 4×100
10. Olympics Cupping