#1 Sports Event
With American Pharoah winning the race en route to the Triple Crown—the first horse to do so since Affirmed in 1978—this year’s stakes entered the history books. The 140th running also made history with a record attendance of 131,680 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Next: May 21, 2016
#2 Sports Event
The P.G.A. Tour tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods and benefiting the golfer’s foundation, moved to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, for the first time. Troy Merritt won the tournament, which offered a purse of 6.5 million. The tournament moves to Congressional Country Club in Bethesda next year. Next: June 20-26, 2016
#3 Sports Event
The tennis tournament, an ATP World Tour 500 level event, draws about 72,000 fans each year to Rock Creek Tennis Center. A summertime favorite that began in 1969, the tournament draws top players including this year’s singles champions Kei Nishikori of Japan and Sloane Stephens of the United States. Next: July 16-24, 2016
#4 Sports Event
The marathon celebrates its 40th anniversary this year as the “People’s Marathon.” The race course begins in Arlington, Virginia, and crosses into Washington, passing many national monuments along the way. The race is one of the nation’s largest marathons, recording 19,661 finishers in 2014. Despite not offering prize money, the race sells out its 30,000 registration slots within hours. Next: October 25, 2015
#6 Sports Event (new to the list)
Started in 2008 as the Congressional Bowl, the postseason football game features a matchup between an Atlantic Coast Conference team and the American Athletic Conference. Virginia Tech is the reigning champion, winning the title in front of a sellout crowd of 34,277 fans. Organized by the DC Bowl Committee, the game was renamed in 2010 and is now played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. Next: December 28, 2015
