The formula is so simple, yet often forgotten.

Yearly debates are inevitable. The “why” behind how some sports captivate us, and others don’t. The questions that surround why, say, the NFL is king and every other sport trails in the United States. The reasons the popularity of the major sports in America fluctuate from decade to decade and year to year.

But over the last month, we’ve seen the why play out in plain sight. There’s a reason why Olympic hockey and the World Baseball Classic have been so much fun to watch.