
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.