NBA vs. NFL?

[Brutus1]

No way. The NBA playoffs draw nowhere near the interest that their college basketball rivals do for March Madness. Is it because of gambling? Partly, but it's also more interesting to watch knowing that one loss and you're gone.

The NFL is a weekly huge event. The NBA is not a huge event, except maybe All-Star weekend. That's the only area that the NBA betters the NFL.

I watch almost every Cavs game, but I'll watch any NFL game over any non-Cavs game any day of the week.

To me, college football is still the best. Aside from the Buckeyes, I can watch just about any D1 game. I love watching the MAC and the Big East on Thursday nights and the new ABC Saturday night football is great. This year especially, the matchups have been can't miss (except for week 3).

 

[Piney]

I think "never" is strong as well...I guess it's debateable, but I think NBA was king during Jordan's run. Less than 10 years ago...

Based on what?

AKAK is right... NBA was NOT the king during Jordan's run. Jordan helped the NBA breakthrough to the national audience but still was 3rd to the NFL & Baseball even during the peak of Jordan years.

To think the NBA can overtake the NFL in a few years is laughable. The NBA still has a problem that alot of people think the league fixes games and plays favorites and pulls strings to make them win. That is a VERY hard stigma to overcome and dwarfs any problems the NFL has.

 

[AKAK]

AKAK is right... NBA was NOT the king during Jordan's run. Jordan helped the NBA breakthrough to the national audience but still was 3rd to the NFL & Baseball even during the peak of Jordan years.

To think the NBA can overtake the NFL in a few years is laughable. The NBA still has a problem that alot of people think the league fixes games and plays favorites and pulls strings to make them win. That is a VERY hard stigma to overcome and dwarfs any problems the NFL has.

I don't have time to do the research, but, pulling TV ratings figures and more importantly total TV revenue... and... I'm guessing the difference (even in- and just after- the Jordan years) is staggering.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the NFL generating 5x the TV revenue of the NBA in 1/5th the number of games.

 

[OH10]

The NBA can never overtake the NFL no matter how much self-inflicted damage the NFL suffers. Football has solidified itself as America's sport... in small towns on Friday Nights ... In big states and all regions on Saturdays ... and all over on Sundays.

It's America's culture now.

Now, individually, basketball players are more popular than football players. They are athletes that go by just one name - Lebron, Shaq, Kobe - and outside of the phenomenon known as Peyton Manning, they are far more marketable because they are more recognizable.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

nope.

its the nfl all alone, not even close.

then nba, mlb then nhl

then mls is next

then pro bowling, pro lacrosse and pro rodeo.

 

[ScarletBlood31]

Anyone else think the NBA could overtake the NFL as most popular professinal sport in the next 3-4 years?

Not a chance.

3. Over-saturation of the game. How many fans can honestly watch ESPN on Monday's? Starting at 3pm on Monday, you have wall to wall coverage of Monday Night Football. All week you have to listen to pundits make terrible predictions and act lik ethey know what is going to happen in a week to week league. Are the Cowboys still undefeated?

Why exactly would that be the NFL's fault? Just because ESPN airs coverage all week long about the games and matchups, doesn't mean you have to watch them. I think it's an irrelevant argument to say that somehow people are forced to sit and watch analysts all week, and that it take away from the league.

3. High School players have to play 1 year of college ball. We now know who Greg Oden is. We know who Kevin Durant is. Derrick Rose is now a player to follow in Chicago. What kind of NBA player will Kevin Love be? OJ Mayo? It creates more interest.

College football players have to stay for atleast 3 years, and most of them stay for 4 or even 5. I don't see how this gives the NBA anything that the NFL doesn't already have.

 

[BuckeyeMafia]

People just don't watch basketball as much as they do football. I do think they could be close, especially after watching the NFL try to steal a win from my small market Panthers last night. The fumble where the whistle blew early damn close to cost us the game. I hate Tampa Bay, and losing to them on a bullshit call wouldn't have made me appreciate the NFL anymore. Right now I think we Cleveland fans are saying this because the Cavs are doing so well right now and, let's face it, many here have lacking NFL squads. Although I do not think it will surpass the NFL, football in general really- it will be where it should soon. Ahead of the MLB. :tongue2:

 

[Jake]

As I watch this circus act called the NBA All Star game - it's a Sunday night in February, after all - the notion that this league is going to pass the NFL is even more absurd than the first time I read it.

This production, including the introductions and the halftime show, is bordering on satire of the game of basketball itself. What a joke.

I root for the Celtics when the games are played, but as a sport the NBA is on par with the NHL in my book. To compare it to the NFL is laughable.

 

[mross34]

I think it's all regional. The Northeast, baseball is king. Mid-Atlantic is probably college b-ball. The Southeast, college football. The Midwest probably leans towards NFL, with college football being more popular in the state of Ohio. I'd say the West Coast is probably NBA country.

Overall though, the NFL is definitely king. Where it's not #1, it's either #2 or #3.

 

[jlb1705]

As I watch this circus act called the NBA All Star game - it's a Sunday night in February, after all - the notion that this league is going to pass the NFL is even more absurd than the first time I read it.

This production, including the introductions and the halftime show, is bordering on satire of the game of basketball itself. What a joke.

I root for the Celtics when the games are played, but as a sport the NBA is on par with the NHL in my book. To compare it to the NFL is laughable.

What part of the NFL is not a circus?

 

[billmac91]

MORE RULE CHANGES TO PROTECT PLAYERS?

Posted by Sheil Kapadia on March 22, 2009, 12:15 p.m.
Player safety will be a major focus at the NFL owners meetings, according to ESPN?s Chris Mortensen.
Specifically, the league could pass rule changes pertaining to the violent nature of special teams plays.
Per Mortensen, the league is expected to banish three-man wedges on kickoff returns. And a rule change prohibiting bunch formations during onside kicks is also likely to be passed.
The league could take another step towards protecting quarterbacks as well.
A potential rule change would make it illegal for defensive players on their knees to lunge at quarterbacks.
The specific play Mortensen referenced was Bernard Pollard?s hit on Tom Brady last season. Under the new rule, a similar play would draw a penalty and possibly a fine from the league.

More ridiculousness from the NFL.....seriously, at what point do they just put flags on the QB's waist, and you have to pull the flag for a sack??

 

[LitlBuck]

May be the NFL should just go to flag football or that might even be too rough for them. I wonder what the guys in the 50s, 60s, and 70s think about all of these rule changes. Talk about pansies:!

 

[OHSportsFan]

What an awful set of proposed changes.

Then again, isn't the NBA getting rid of traveling next season?

 

[Jake]

What an awful set of proposed changes.

Then again, isn't the NBA getting rid of traveling next season?

Yep - going the team handball route. Who wants a little thing like taking 4 steps to get in the way of a neat dunk?

 

[billmac91]

What an awful set of proposed changes.

Then again, isn't the NBA getting rid of traveling next season?

Point taken, but in defense of the NBA, they are just clarifying the rules, as to not continue to make a mockery of their rule book.

For instance, the book states a player may have 1.5 steps in route the hoop. It will now be clarafied as 2 steps b/c that is what is understood.

And they want to clarify it with FIBA so our NBA guys don't continue to get called for traveling in international competition when they go in for a breakaway dunk.