In 2022, sports fans saw quite frankly the best NFL playoff game ever, a spirited holiday edition of the World Cup and arguably the greatest World Cup Final ever, a number of notable retirements, and several record-breaking and age-defying performances. In short, 2022 was a year to remember in sports.
As we gear up for yet another sports year, here's our 2023 sports calendar, which includes notable sporting events to help journalists and bloggers plan their coverage or to help readers stay updated with their favorite sports teams.
If you're a PR pro, save the dates and use these sporting events to fuel your content calendar and media outreach strategy.
Australian Open
When: Jan. 16- 29
Where: Melbourne, Australia
The Australian Open is the first major sports event to kick off the 2023 calendar year. The 111th entry of the Open is underway as last year's champions, Rafael Nadal (Men’s) and Ashley Bartley (Women’s), look to repeat as champions.
Super Bowl LVII (57)
When: Feb. 12
Where: Glendale, Arizona
The NFL regular season has concluded and the playoffs started on January 14. We will certainly see a new champion since the defending champions, the Los Angeles Rams, failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs have the best odds at +320 to win it all with the Buffalo Bills right behind them at +380. Regarding the Halftime Show, Rihanna has the honor of leading this year's performance, following up Dr. Dre’s West Cost tribute from last year's half-time performance.
Other notable NFL dates:
- NFL Draft: April 17-19
NBA All-Star Weekend
When: Feb. 17-19
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
In my opinion, there’s no question that the most entertaining All-Star event amongst the major leagues is that of the NBA. The All-Star Weekend marks the halfway mark of the NBA season. View the weekend schedule for all the festivities! It culminates with the 72nd All-Star game on February 19.
World Baseball Classic
When: March 8-21
Where: Taichung, Taiwan; Phoenix, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Tokyo, Japan
The International Baseball Tournament returns for the first time since 2017. The event was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament showcases the best worldwide baseball talent with stakes as high as they have ever been. The event begins on March 8 in several different regions, culminating on March 21 in Miami, Florida.
NCAA Tournament – March Madness
When: Men’s Tournament (March 14-April 3), Women’s Tournament (March 12-April 2)
Where: Various Locations
The men’s and women’s annual basketball tournament brings excitement and heartbreak every March and 2023 will be no different. The field is still TBD with a month and a half to go in the season. If you are like me and can’t wait to fill out your brackets, you can practice with the blank printable March Madness brackets until it’s tip-off time.
The Masters
When: April 3-9
Where: Augusta, Georgia
I can hear the sounds of The Masters now. Also, be on the lookout for an invitation because you or I may be on the list! Last year’s winner, Scottie Scheffler, used his Masters win to catapult him to the top spot on the PGA Tour. Scheffler currently sits in the 2nd spot as the 2023 tour kicks off.
Kentucky Derby
When: May 5-6
Where: Churchill Downs – Louisville, Kentucky
Rich Strike, the second-biggest longshot in Derby history, recently resumed training in preparation for the 149th Run for the Roses. Rich Strike isn’t the only colt preparing. There were 15 other Derby prospects who ran in six races the weekend of January 14. Forte currently holds the best odds to win it all.
Indianapolis 500
When: May 28
Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana
The winner of the 106th Indy 500, Marcus Ericsson, had himself quite the year in 2022 with the Indy 500 win and five Top 5 finishes throughout the year. The 2023 season is shaping up to be one to remember with several new rookies added to the mix, a new circuit as racing returns to Detroit, replaced circuits at several tracks, and a difficult road to the championship of the IndyCar Series with eight races in the last nine weeks.
NBA Finals
When: June 1
Where: TBD
The current NBA season has been one of parity, with a number of contenders (the LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, and Golden State Warriors) on the outside looking in or clinging to a Play-In spot. We’ve also seen the resurgence of some franchises that have missed the playoffs over the past few years (like the Sacramento Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers). As of January 17, the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics hold the top records in their respective conferences.
Other Notable NBA Dates:
- Feb. 9: Trade Deadline
- Feb. 9: LeBron chases the scoring title (Expected Date)
- April 15: Playoffs begin
- June 22: NBA Draft
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
When: July 20-Aug. 20
Where: Australia and New Zealand
The groups are officially set and so is the schedule! This is primed to be the biggest Women’s World Cup ever. The playoff tournament begins on February 17.
Summer X-Games 2023
When: July 21-25 (Tentative)
Where: TBD
The 2023 X Games are still in the planning stages. Stay informed on the updates regarding the X-Games here!
US Open
When: Aug. 28-Sept. 1
Where: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center – New York City
The upcoming tennis season has a bit of a different buzz with the recent release of the new Netflix series, "Break Point." The show follows several up-and-coming tennis stars like Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berritinni, and Ayla Tomljanivic on their journey through the 2022 season as they competed for the top prizes on several different tours. Fans also saw the ‘farewell’ of Serena Williams and the arrival of a rising star, Carlos Alcaraz, in 2022. The 2023 season will also be without Naomi Osaka, who recently announced her pregnancy and stated she “can’t wait to get back on the court."
Other Notable Tennis Dates:
- Wimbledon: July 3-16, London, England
U.S. Grand Prix (Formula 1)
When: Oct. 22
Where: Austin, Texas
The 2023 season kicks off on February 23 with 19 stops on the road to the U.S. Grand Prix in October. Also of note, the new Las Vegas Grand Prix (Nov. 18) will join the calendar a week before the season finale. Prepare for the adrenaline-pumping event with highlights from last year's event, which saw Max Verstappen take the checkered flag.
World Series
When: TBD
Where: TBD
The road to the 2022 World Series was exhilarating and saw a lot of unexpected big plays and big wins. The upcoming season is getting close with Spring Training kicking off on February 24. Participants in the October Classic are TBD until another fantastic MLB season wraps up in early October.
NCAA Football Bowl Series
When: December 2023 – January 2024
Where: Various Venues
The Georgia Bulldogs are back-to-back National Champions after a dominating 65-7 performance over TCU. Can they three-peat? Odds-makers have the Bulldogs coming out on top again, with The Ohio State and Alabama in the second and third spots, respectfully. Also of note: this upcoming season will be the last iteration of the playoffs before the expansion to 12 teams takes effect in the 2024-2025 season.
This is an updated version of a post originally published on Beyond Bylines.
