ProfessionalsportsarenotonlyverypopularintheUnitedStates,butalsoabigbusiness.Themostpopularsportsarebaseball,footballandbasketball.Eachsporthasitsownseasonandindividualteamshavemillionsofsupporters.Professionalteamsarenamedforthecitieswheretheyarelocated.Forexample,theLakersareinLosAngeles.ThestrongestsupportersoftheLakersareresidentsofLosAngelesandSouthernCalifornia.WhentheLakersplay,manypeopleinLosAnglesenthusiasticallyfollowthegame.Whenwemention“NBA”,almosteveryoneknowsithassomerelationshipwithU.S.professionalbasketball.However,whatdoesitreallystandfor?N.B.A.isshortfortheNationalBasketballAssociation.TheNBAisgainingnewfansandsupportersaroundtheworld.BasketballisanotherpopularAmericansport.IntheU.S.,basketballhasbeencalledthe“nationalpastime”.However,footballisthemostpopularprofessionalsportintheU.S..Americanfootballisdifferentfrominternationalfootball,whichAmericanscall“soccer”.Bothgamesrequirestrengthandspecializedskills.