It’s Masters week, and that means a few things – the biggest golf tournament of the year, the dawn of Spring, and one of the best and most recognizable themes in all of sports.  That got the gears spinning in my sometimey working brain as to where the iconic Augusta theme ranks among the best in sports on television.  So, here are the Top 10 current themes for sporting events on American television.  Sorry to our Hockey Night in Canada fans or holdouts for the classic NBA on NBC theme.  This list is about as subjective as you can get, so leave us a comment below on your personal favorite theme!

10) Wimbledon (NBC)
-The Wimbledon theme is one of the most unique out there and its longevity has seen it as a Summer mainstay.  Anything with a trumpet fanfare has to be a winner, right?

9) NBA on TNT
-You know a theme is good when you can hear it night after night after night for two months straight and it doesn’t get old.  The NBA Playoffs, coming soon!




8) CBS College Football
-Believe it or not, this theme goes back to at least 1987.  Thankfully, CBS has stuck with it for over two decades and for good reason.  Thankfully, they haven’t devolved their theme into becoming a mindless SEC chant.

7) 2010 World Cup (ESPN)
-I know this slightly breaks our “current themes” rule, but you can make an argument for it as the current World Cup theme since we’re closer to 2010 than 2014.  Oh well, with the South African flavor, it’s an awesome theme nevertheless.

6) NFL on Fox
-The NFL on Fox theme has been around seemingly forever.  It’s infinitely better than its network brethren at CBS and gives me goosebumps whenever the Saints are playing in a huge game.  Although who knows, maybe fans of AFC teams prefer the CBS theme.  Fox has even used it in other sports as well, but it doesn’t quite have the same impact as for the NFL.  Sadly, it may have to cross to Fox News if we miss games this year…

5) March Madness (CBS)
-The NCAA Tournament theme has always been a classic, but it’s gone through some minor tweaks throughout the years including an update for this year’s tournament with Turner.  Count me as a fan of the new version that sounds modern while keeping the same classic tune.



4) The Ryder Cup (NBC)
-Here’s the hidden gym of the crowd.  I LOVE the Ryder Cup theme.  There’s just something about hearing this theme during those tense Sunday singles with the Cup on the line that strikes the perfect note.



3) Monday Night Football (ESPN)
-While Hank Williams may be the man associated most with MNF music, this old school theme is amazing and has been used as one of the main building blocks to ESPN’s successful reboot of the franchise.



2) The Olympics (NBC)
 
-The Olympics is perhaps the most known sports theme in the world. It’s perfect for the event, and has the big guns of John Williams behind it.  I wonder if it would have the same prestige if it were Danny Elfman, hmmm.

1) The Masters (CBS)
-As great as the Olympic theme is, to quote our friend Jim Nantz, the Masters theme is a tradition unlike any other.  Don’t worry, I’ll spare you any more Nantzisms or puns.  The Masters theme is unlike your typical bombastic sports theme, but hearing this music and seeing the beauty of Augusta is always a highlight of the sports year, and it stands out as the best of all the sports themes.

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