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As spring unfolds, the sports world braces for a season teeming with high-stakes tournaments, nail-biting playoffs, and historic events that captivate fans worldwide.
2024 is a packed year in the world of sport, however, a lot of emphasis has been placed on the summer with competitions such as the UEFA European Championships, and the Copa America - which takes place in the United States for the first time since 2016 - and the Pars 2024 Olympic Games. However, to look that far ahead would bypass the plethora of sporting events that are already upon us.
So without further ado, here is everything you should be getting excited about in the coming weeks.
NCAA Final Four
The NCAA's March Madness is more than just a basketball tournament; it's a nationwide phenomenon that grips college sports fans every spring. As we inch closer to the Final Four, scheduled to take place in Phoenix this April, the excitement reaches a fever pitch.
As the Sweet 16 reshuffles the deck, powerhouse teams like the reigning champions Connecticut, Houston, and Purdue have emerged as favorites, thanks to their depth, experience, and sheer talent. Online basketball odds have made the UConn Huskies the short-priced +200 favorites to win it all once again this term, just as they did last year, becoming the first time since the 2006 and 2007 Florida Gators to successfully go back-to-back. However, the beauty of March Madness lies in its unpredictability, with Cinderella stories waiting to unfold.
NBA Playoffs
As the NBA regular season winds down, the playoffs loom large, promising intense battles on the court. The Eastern Conference sees fierce competition among giants as the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks battle it out for top-seed status.
Last year, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. that claimed that honor, but they were immediately downed in the first round of the playoffs by an eighth-seed Miami Heat side that made it all the way to the NBA Finals. They will be aiming to put that memory firmly in the rearview mirror once this year's postseason gets underway.
Over in the Western Conference, it has been the season of the underdog. The reigning champion Denver Nuggets currently tops the pile however, it has been the rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New Orleans Pelicans that has shocked everybody. They currently sit second to fourth in the conference respectively, despite the fact that they have known nothing but pain in the league in recent years.
For OKC, they are without a postseason series victory since reaching the Finals back in 2016, while you have to go back 20 years for the Wolves' last playoff victory. Both sides will be aiming to end their respective droughts once the title-determining showdown gets underway on April 20th.
WrestleMania 40
The wacky world of professional wrestling is currently at its most popular since the Attitude Era over 20 years ago. The current buzz surrounding the WWE will culminate on April 6th and April 7th when WrestleMania XL takes place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
A recent return from a certain Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has transported the company into the mainstream and the Great One will compete in an official match for the first time in eight years when he teams with real-life cousin Roman Reigns against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
That particular contest will take place on night one before Reigns and Rhodes face off against each other in the main event on night two for the second straight year. Back at WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the Tribal Chiief successfully defended his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against the American Nightmare in shocking fashion. This year, he will be hoping to do the same, while the challenger Rhodes has one last shot at immortality and to finally finish the story.
UEFA Champions League
There is plenty of excitement regarding America's upcoming sporting events however, across the pond, there is also a lot to be decided. No tournament has higher stakes than the UEFA Champions League, Europe's premier club football competition. The tournament has just reached the quarterfinal stage, and the continent's eight finest teams will battle it out to lift the famed 'Big-Eared' trophy on June 1st at Wembley Stadium in London.
Manchester City heads into the last eight as the reigning champions and the odds-on favorites to retain their crown. However, if they are to do exactly that, they will need to make their way past the record 14-time champions Real Madrid, a team that they will meet for the third straight year. Last time around, it was Pep Guardiola's Blues that ran out victorious, but the year before it was Los Blancos.
Elsewhere, there is plenty to be excited about. Arsenal will battle it out with Bayern Munich, and Paris Sant-Germain will face off against Barcelona in a mouthwatering battle between the champions of France and the champions of Spain. Rounding out the quarterfinals, Atletico Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund, with both sides considered ranked outsiders, it will be interesting to see which of them make it to the semifinals.
