A lot of guys I knew who played college football didn’t wear them. I played baseball in college, and guess what, I did not wear one either. I couldn’t imagine pitching while wearing it, too uncomfortable. The one sport that I played, granted at a very low level, where it is a must is hockey. Too many sticks ending up between the legs.
I was a catcher in High School. Catchers wear cups. Catching a foul tip in the “Cup” will still take your breath away.