Who was the biggest sports star in the 80s?

[tjwettem]

Hulk Hogan might have been the biggest in terms of star power and mainstream appeal during that decade.

Tyson/Gretzky were probably the most dominant athletes in their respective sports during that decade IMO

 

[Gilver]

Worldwide it's easily Maradona/Tyson. Sorry #Sports fans.

 

[fifth column]

World: maradona with Tyson 2nd
USA: duo of Magic/Bird

 

[FukkaPaidEmail]

It’s Maradona,Tyson then Gretzky

 

[bucks3115]

im not americain
i grew up in africa
but globally its was iron mike

 

[dtownreppin214]

The big networks were still showing NBA playoff games on tape delay up until 1986.

The correct answer is probably Maradona then Tyson.

 

[aceboon]

How many people making picks in this thread were actually of a "certain age" in the 80s?

 

[Copy Ninja]

Tyson.

Boxing was huge back then (more popular than any of the major sports league). Tyson was the HW champion and every fight was like the SB.

 

[Ukbrotha]

80s was Magic or Tyson.

 

[Ukbrotha]

Maradona should be on the list. It’s a toss up between him & Tyson

If we're talking worldwide, its Maradona, Magic and Iron Mike in whatever order.

 

[Jplaya2023]

Wheres LT?

 

[Menna]

Joe Montana was huge he second or first in this I know he white but ......

 

[Rob's al Ghul]

Iron Mike, but honorable mention to Doc Gooden. From his rookie year to about '88, his starts were events to not be missed. Even my sports-ignorant mom knew who he was and adored him.

 

[The Devil's Advocate]

Y'all tripping hard.. Magic was not bigger than Jordan and it wasn't even close. Maybe in the USA only.. Globally NBA wasn't popular like that, endorsers were not pushing them as stars, and the game hadn't expanded worldwide....

Until Jordan showed up. Then he got the full power of the NBA, Nike, and every other product known to man, behind him and his brand. Other stars couldn't even get a commercial. Dude was getting mobbed overseas and they wasn't even watching basketball on TV yet.

 

[mbewane]

For what it's worth, as a kid who was living in CAR at the time and had no interest whatsoever in sports, I knew who Tyson was before I knew of the other guys. MJ took over in the early 90s and it was a wrap post Dream Team.