Sports Merit Badge History

Earned through 20201,184,127

Best year197461,054 earned

All-time popularity#40official, as of 2020#40by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1972. Peak year 1974 with 61,054. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

197220,333 earned#23 of 124

197321,017 earned#26 of 122

197461,054 earned#9 of 121

197559,329 earned#10 of 128

197654,350 earned#11 of 130

197747,601 earned#11 of 130

197841,600 earned#9 of 131

197937,242 earned#10 of 132

198025,728 earned#13 of 132

198137,040 earned#14 of 134

1982No data available

1983No data available

1984No data available

1985No data available

1986No data available

1987No data available

1988No data available

1989No data available

1990No data available

1991No data available

1992No data available

199331,446 earned#22 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

199628,989 earned#27 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

200014,487 earned#45 of 128

200112,162 earned#48 of 129

200213,683 earned#47 of 129

200313,001 earned#47 of 130

200412,609 earned#48 of 121

200512,315 earned#45 of 121

200612,349 earned#45 of 121

200710,968 earned#47 of 121

20089,581 earned#54 of 121

200910,444 earned#50 of 122

20109,550 earned#54 of 125

20119,167 earned#57 of 129

20129,112 earned#55 of 132

20138,950 earned#44 of 129

20148,032 earned#66 of 136

20158,272 earned#65 of 138

20167,626 earned#66 of 138

20176,556 earned#75 of 139

20186,594 earned#74 of 139

20196,133 earned#77 of 139

20203,557 earned#89 of 137

2021No data available#96 of 137

2022No data available#93 of 138

2023No data available#88 of 138

2024No data available#98 of 138

2025No data available#101 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#101 of 141" means the badge was number 101 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

197220,333#23 of 124

197321,017#26 of 122

197461,054#9 of 121

197559,329#10 of 128

197654,350#11 of 130

197747,601#11 of 130

197841,600#9 of 131

197937,242#10 of 132

198025,728#13 of 132

198137,040#14 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

199331,446#22 of 123

1994—

1995—

199628,989#27 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

200014,487#45 of 128

200112,162#48 of 129

200213,683#47 of 129

200313,001#47 of 130

200412,609#48 of 121

200512,315#45 of 121

200612,349#45 of 121

200710,968#47 of 121

20089,581#54 of 121

200910,444#50 of 122

20109,550#54 of 125

20119,167#57 of 129

20129,112#55 of 132

20138,950#44 of 129

20148,032#66 of 136

20158,272#65 of 138

20167,626#66 of 138

20176,556#75 of 139

20186,594#74 of 139

20196,133#77 of 139

20203,557#89 of 137

2021—#96 of 137

2022—#93 of 138

2023—#88 of 138

2024—#98 of 138

2025—#101 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Sports: workbook data

Printings (42)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Run	©	HC	Notes
x	1972	June	8A-1	15M	1972	HCSV1
x	1972	October	8A-1	20M	1972	HCSV1
x	1973	June	8A-1	35M	1972	HCSV1, HCT
	1974	not made
x	1975	January	8A-2	25M	1972
x	1976	August	8A-2	15M	1972
x	1977	October	8A-2	14M	1972	HCT
	1978	not made
x	1979	August	9A	12M	1972
x	1980	August	9A	12M	1972
x	1981	May	9A	15M	1972
	1982	not made
x	1983	May	9A	12M	1972
x	1984	June	9A	12M	1972
x	1985	June	9A	11M	1972
x	1986	July	9A	12M	1972
x	1987	May	9A	10M	1972
x	1988	January	9A	10M	1972
x	1988	October	9A	10M	1972
x	1989	June	9A	16M	1972
	1990	not made
x	1991	February	9A	13M	1972
x	1992	March	9A	13M	1972
x	1993	January	9A	13M	1972
x	1994	April	9A	13M	1972
x	1995	April	9A	13M	1972
x	1996	September	9B-1	13M	1996		has ear ring-recalled printing
x	1997	September	9B-1
x	1998		9
x	1999		9B-2
x	1999		9B-2				2nd printing
x	2000		9B-2
	2001	not made
x	2002		9B-2
x	2003		9B-2
x	2004		9B-2
x	2005		9
x	2006		9C
	2007	not made
x	2008		10A
	2009	not made
x	2010		10C
	2011	not made
x	2012		10C
x	2013		10C
x	2014		10C
	2015	not made
x	2016		10C
	2017	not made
	2018	not made
	2019	not made
x	2020		10D
	2021	not made
x	2022		10D
x	2023		10D
	2024	not made
	2025	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1972	20,333	23	124
1973	21,017	26	122
1974	61,054	9	121
1975	59,329	10	128
1976	54,350	11	130
1977	47,601	11	130
1978	41,600	9	131
1979	37,242	10	132
1980	25,728	13	132
1981	37,040	14	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	31,446	22	123
1994
1995
1996	28,989	27	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	14,487	45	128
2001	12,162	48	129
2002	13,683	47	129
2003	13,001	47	130
2004	12,609	48	121
2005	12,315	45	121
2006	12,349	45	121
2007	10,968	47	121
2008	9,581	54	121
2009	10,444	50	122
2010	9,550	54	125
2011	9,167	57	129
2012	9,112	55	132
2013	8,950	44	129
2014	8,032	66	136
2015	8,272	65	138
2016	7,626	66	138
2017	6,556	75	139
2018	6,594	74	139
2019	6,133	77	139
2020	3,557	89	137
2021		96	137
2022		93	138
2023		88	138
2024		98	138
2025		101	141