Welcome to our Sporting Nerd Guide to the 2022 Sporting Calendar, a brief run down of the best sport on offer in 2022. In our opinion.
A new sporting year is here, and that brings the usual excitement, plus the now standard dread of what Coronavirus will take away. Nevertheless there’s sport to be watched, listened to and analysed, and our Sporting Nerd Guide offers the choicest cuts.
The term sporting nerd of course to us is one of endearment, and our Sporting Nerd Guide to the 2022 Sporting Calendar will highlight those events we feel is worth the effort. And of course, a potential small wager via GurglerBet.
You may also notice that not all sports are listed here. This is mainly because we don’t think it passes the sporting nerd test, or it is either a snobs game or such generic meh interest event (Winter Olympics) that it doesn’t warrant a place here. Or it is a US Sport with way too many games to know which ones to add.
So get your calendars ready to mark out the Sporting Nerd highlights for 2022.
FORMULA ONE
We may as well start off with one of the nerdiest sports on the calendar.
Whilst motorsport in general can usually be summarised by groups of people shouting car manufacturers at each other, F1 tends to get more of a nerdish following.
2021 saw possibly the greatest title battle of all time, and to follow that up in 2022 is the all new car. The new car is meant to increase racing/overtaking
Although, we’ve heard all this before….
Anyways, more on F1 in detail later, but here are the sporting nerd highlights for 2022.
MARCH 20 – BAHRAIN GP
First Grand Prix of the season, and sadly it is Bahrain which is one of the dullest tracks of the season, and a shocker for those not in Europe. Won’t stop the sporting nerd watching every available session minute as they try and keep the excitement of the new car and colour schemes down to a minimum.
APRIL 10 – AUSTRALIAN GP
First Australian Grand Prix for a while, and improvements have been made to the circuits too, which will help it become not quite so dull now it isn’t the first race of the season.
MAY 8 – MIAMI GP
A new track will always get the sporting nerd inside excited. Although, a track running in the carpark of an NFL stadium doesn’t sound that great.
MAY 29 – MONACO GP
It may be cliched, and the dullest race of the season if dry and teams plan pit stops properly, but it is still the Monaco GP.
JUNE 19 – CANADIAN GP
The Canadian GP returns, and this is a track where traditionally stuff happens. Don’t let the 3am timeslot (in Australia) deter you.
OCTOBER 9 – JAPANESE GP
Another track to make a Covid return. Chosen for the Sporting Nerds calendar not only because it is a figure eight track, and one not designed by the Tilke-drone, but it is also a rare daytime GP for those in Asia/Australia.
FORMULA 2
Before we leave Formula One, the sporting nerd has to mention Formula 2.
F2 is like F1, except the cars are slower, smaller, can overtake, appear to like being driven three and four wide into corners and a driven by a wider range of abilities. And the Championship and race wins are very rarely dominated by a team or driver.
Hopefully Dan Ticktum goes around again, he’s a driver to watch. On the track and over the team radio. But there’s always the joy of watching the next batch of F1 drivers. For some.
F2 races at a lot of the F1 tracks throughout the season, mainly in European and Middle East races, and they have two races. Both usually worth a watch.
F2 Races (GP Weekend) – Bahrain, Jeddah, Imola, Barcelona, Monaco, Baku, Silverstone, Red Bull Ring, Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Russia, Abu Dhabi.
FOOTBALL
A sporting nerd loves football. Particularly on the other side of the world watching games at the ungodly hours of mid-dawn.
It’s a big year for football with the World Cup on in November. The sporting nerd can overlook the battle lines drawn up by borders to search for those obscure games between sides you may not get to see play for another 4, 8 , or even 12 years.
Outside of Qatar’s big party there’s some choice English and European events to keep an eye on.
JAN 8 / FEB 5 / MAY 14 – FA CUP
Possibly one of the best sporting weekends of the season for the football sporting nerd is January 8 for the 3rd Round of the FA Cup (and to a lesser degree Feb 5 for 4th round).
This is where the mighty Premier League teams comes into the draw to face off with second to fourth division teams, and a few from outside the top league.
Of course TV stations will televise the all Premier League clashes with boring predictability, and the best games won’t be televised at all, but you’ll still follow all the games via the Who Scored app, or an illegal stream of Soccer Saturday.
The final on May 14 is also worth a sporting nerd look, as the title race in the EPL looks over already.
MAY 18 / MAY 28 – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE / EUROPA LEAGUE FINALS
Sporting nerds love both Champions League and the Europa League, often because they feature some of the great European clubs.
Although, if we’re honest, the best football is played in the Round of 16 and Quarter Finals, but invested so much time throughout the season, you have to watch the finals.
NOVEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 18 – FOOTBALL WORLD CUP
Possibly sport’s most uniting event.
It ticks the major news boxes, the diehard fans, the over-the-top obnoxious punchy fans, and the sporting nerd alike.
Those in the nerd territory will rant and rave about players for obscure countries that have been playing in the Italian top flight, the Spanish second tier, and the third and fourth divisions of UK football.
And have exhaustive stats on matches like Sweden v Egypt and Costa Rica v Russia.
They also may not sleep for at least the group stages. Catching up as the knockout stages start.
Others will be happy to bet on results and watch social media videos of Cristiano Ronaldo.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Rugby league is a working person’s game, but that doesn’t mean a sporting nerd doesn’t love it.
There’s the usual NRL competition this season in Australia, and the UK Super League will feature two French teams for the first time ever.
But there’s more on offer this year than ever, as listed below.
MARCH 10 – NRL SEASON COMMENCES
For a brief period, every person’s team will be in the running for something good this season, so Round One is as good as it gets. Early season enthusiasm of watching every minute of every game will eventually wear off (around 4pm on a Sunday), but early on too much league is barely enough.
MAY 13 – NRL MAGIC ROUND @ SUNCORP STADIUM
There’s nothing better than three straight days of rugby league at the same ground.
Unless dickhead NRL bosses decide on another crackdown this year.
Surely the buffoons won’t spoil this year’s edition.
JUNE 8 / JUNE 26 / JULY 13 – STATE OF ORIGIN
One of sport’s best rivalries continues, with hopefully games being played across more than one state this season. Although, Perth is one of the venues there, so good luck.
NSW pulled down Queensland’s pants in the first two games last season, and somehow the Maroons won game three, which sets up this series nicely.
JUNE 24 – WOMEN’S STATE OF ORIGIN
The Women’s State of Origin is played with no passion or intensity than the men’s version, and is always worth a sporting nerd’s attention.
JULY 23 – QUEENSLAND CUP COUNTRY WEEK
The HostPlus Cup aka Queensland Cup is a great competition for sporting nerds and rugby league romantics alike.
There’s up and coming talent mixed with weekend warriors, and all grounds with leg room, and cheap beer and food.
Whilst every round is great, we recommend the Country Week round in July.
This is where all the games are played in distant and regional/rural locations. Some are played in towns with populations not much bigger than a usual crowd at a Queensland Cup game, some in places far flung from the regular home of the teams.
All in all it’s a great initiative that other codes should follow but won’t.
OCTOBER 2 – NRL GRAND FINAL
Well your team may not have made it, but you’ve probably seen 75% of the games for the season, so despite having to put up with Channel Nein for the fourth and final time of the season, you’ll soak it all up.
Except for the half time entertainment, which will be awful.
OCTOBER 15 – RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP
All the rugby league nations meet in England for the postponed World Cup from last year.
Sporting nerd’s will love seeing the second tier nations fight for attention, and the occasional upset.
Of course we’ll be behind the PNG Kumuls as ever, and our bold prediction that the Kumuls can make the last four at this World Cup.
AFL
Not everyone is Australia follows the rugby league, most people in Melbourne don’t despite protests to the contrary.
AFL is a great game, and certainly one for the sporting nerds.
The week to week competition is great, but unlike league it doesn’t have the draw card of a decent State of Origin or a World Cup.
MARCH 16 – ROUND 1
The season starts off on a Wednesday which is different.
OCTOBER 1 – AFL GRAND FINAL
Still the premium event of the two AFL/NRL Grand Finals, as the AFL have been brave enough to stick to their Saturday afternoon timeslot. Allowing the BBQs, the casual catch ups at friends places, and distinguished drinking competitions to continue and thrive.
GOLF
Golf is certainly sporting nerd heaven, but even we get sick of too much Golf. Maybe it’s the lack of personalities these days.
To be honest, the Seniors/Champions Tour is the best fun to watch with all the Bernard Langers, Miguel Angel Jiminezs, Fuzzy Zoellers, and all your favoruites from 10-30 years ago. And you know there will be a sighting of Mark Calcavecchia.
But as for the non Champions Tour golf, we recommend the two premium majors as the Sporting Nerd’s best golfing events.
APRIL 7 – US MASTERS
There’s just something about the US Masters. The history, the scenery, that music they play when the leaderboard goes up, Greg Norman’s choke back when he played golf and wore clothes. All of it good. It doesn’t need an Australian to be going well. Which is good, because it doesn’t happen that much.
JULY 14 – THE OPEN aka BRITISH OPEN
Back at St Andrews aka Home of Golf for this year’s edition makes The Open a must watch more than ever.
SNOOKER
APRIL 16 – WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Snooker you say?
Yeah, this slow paced sporting tournament is perfect for the sporting nerd. Although, you’ll do well to find it anywhere to watch.
Worth keeping an eye on is the eccentric Ronnie O’Sullivan.
DARTS
DECEMBER – WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The other pub game.
With the 2021 tournament body still warm from the recent finish, we don’t need to convince you why a sporting nerd needs to tune into the Darts World Championships at Ally Pally.
If you haven’t sampled yet, you should next year.
NFL
FEBRUARY 13 – SUPER BOWL
We’ll admit, as a sporting nerd we should like NFL more, but don’t. It just seems needlessly long and complicated.
But we put all that aside to jump on the bandwagon that is the Super Bowl LVI.
MOTORSPORTS
MAY 29 – INDY 500
Watching cars go round and round in circles is usually pretty boring, which is why NASCARs doesn’t feature here in the Sporting Nerd’s list for 2022.
But the Indy 500 is a premium event and worth giving up a little of your early morning for.
There’s a good range of Indy drivers you’ve heard of, ex F1 drivers you didn’t know were in the series, and complete smokies you’ve never heard of.
The safety car periods do get tedious, but the ending is usually manufactured well enough to see a good little sprint at the end.
Sounds a little like F1.
OCTOBER 9 – BATHURST 1000
The greatest day of sloth in the 2022 sporting calendar.
By claiming one needs to see the start of the Bathurst, much like one needs to see the first ball of the Boxing Day test or start of the Sydney to Hobart despite having zero interest in sailing for the other 525,585 minutes of the year, you have opened the TV to an all day Bathurst slow TV marathon.
There’ll be loads of pitstops, prangs, safety cars, too much Mark Larkham, interesting strategy, and good racing to keep your half an eye on. In between the Andy Capp naps that is.
Hopefully next year Bathurst keeps at least one dickhead out. We’re sure his Supercar ride was free.
CYCLING
JUY 24 – TOUR DE FRANCE
Sure some cyclists can be annoying, but these ones are the very good ones who do it for a living.
A great night time filler for those on the other side of the world, or a riveting contest between the best cyclists in the world.
Either way, works for us a sporting nerd event.
Sporting Nerd 2022 Sporting Calendar
By Date
