Social Climbers

AS 2016 WINDS DOWN, Instagram has taken stock of which athletes and sports events have made the biggest impression on its users. LeBron James is the most popular American athlete, but he's only fifth globally, behind four European soccer stars.

TOP 5 MOST FOLLOWED U.S. ATHLETES

LeBron James

26.4 million

Stephen Curry

13.9 million

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

13.8 million

Ronda Rousey

8.8 million

Dwyane Wade

8.1 million

MOST LIKED PHOTO

Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal claimed the Euro soccer title

3.6 million likes

MOST INSTAGRAMMED SPORTS VENUE

Madison Square Garden

13th most Instagrammed location in the world

ALL STATS AS OF DEC. 1, 2016

THEY SAID IT

"YOU LOOK AT WHAT BAYLOR WAS ABLE TO DO DURING HIS TENURE, IT FITS PERFECTLY WITH WHERE WE SEE OUR SPORTS PROGRAMS GOING."

Jerry Falwell Jr.

President of Liberty University, introducing his new AD, Ian McCaw, who resigned in Waco amid numerous claims of improper oversight by the athletic department.

SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE

The football team at Del Oro High in Loomis, Calif., did the mannequin challenge—during the first quarter of a 50--10 win over Antelope High on Nov. 25.