The Black Hole of Sports | Page 2 | The Boneyard

The Black Hole of Sports

Status
Not open for further replies.
zyron said:
I watched a couple of the U.S. games and I hate soccer. It's a once in a four year event and the U.S. team was supposed to be decent (I think, I don't know anything about soccer but what I heard). The same reason people watch the Olympics and cheer for the U.S. in Curling.
Expand ...
This is incredibly silly, you might treat soccer the same as curling but I can assure you the rest of the country doesn't.
 
superjohn said:
Yes, dying would be a better description. The fanbase is also dying off, something needs to be done because young people and especially young black people who are the cultural trendsetters don't give a sh_t about baseball.
Expand ...

I agree, it is an issue facing baseball, but they aren't going to NHL or soccer.
 
zyron said:
I watched a couple of the U.S. games and I hate soccer. It's a once in a four year event and the U.S. team was supposed to be decent (I think, I don't know anything about soccer but what I heard). The same reason people watch the Olympics and cheer for the U.S. in Curling.
Expand ...
Ok that's fair. You can hate soccer too, but don't be blind to the fact that soccer is on the rise and baseball is declining in terms of general interest among newer generations. Just look at how many people on this board are saying they hate/have lost interest in baseball in the last decade-ish.

Soccer is the number one sport in the world (4% of the world's population are actively involved in soccer), and the USA is SLOWLY being engulfed by that similar interest.
 
selles said:
Completely agree with this. Particularly don't understand the soccer vs. baseball thing. As for the whole 'baseball is dying' thing - MLB keeps setting revenue records annually so....
Expand ...

Ironic a growing demographic likes both.
 
superjohn said:
This is incredibly silly, you might treat soccer the same as curling but I can assure you the rest of the country doesn't.
Expand ...

Have you seen the recent MLS record TV ratings? When getting 240,000 -260,000 people watching is looked at as great in a country of 320 million, what would be considered bad?
 
@zyron I used to watch a lot of the sox, I watch maybe a handful of games a year now. I haven't missed a USMNT match since 2013 and that's started me taking an interest in Premier League. I'm just one person, but soccer has absolutely surpassed baseball (for me) in the last 5 years.
 
.-.
zyron said:
Have you seen the recent MLS record TV ratings? When getting 240,000 -260,000 people watching is looked at as great in a country of 320 million, what would be considered bad?
Expand ...
It's not the number that matters. It's the fact that it's increasing. MLS has reached more TV deals lately (ESPN and FOX), more international players are signing, more expansion franchises.

Also, do you realize that this past season, NBC had better English Premier League viewership than NHL on average?
 
zyron said:
Have you seen the recent MLS record TV ratings? When getting 240,000 -260,000 people watching is looked at as great in a country of 320 million, what would be considered bad?
Expand ...
I only have one friend who watches MLS, I have a bunch of friends who are obsessed with Premier League and La Liga.
 
RayIsTheGOAT said:
It's not the number that matters. It's the fact that it's increasing. MLS has reached more TV deals lately (ESPN and FOX), more international players are signing, more expansion franchises.

Also, do you realize that this past season, NBC had better English Premier League viewership than NHL on average?
Expand ...
If the MLS ever got the amount of talent and star players as the top leagues in the world I have no doubt it would be huge over here.
 
zyron said:
Have you seen the recent MLS record TV ratings? When getting 240,000 -260,000 people watching is looked at as great in a country of 320 million, what would be considered bad?
Expand ...
The MLS is increasing in viewership even though it is not even close to the best leagues in the world. There are atleast 7 leagues in the world that are better than MLS. Compared to-
NHL -#1 hockey league in the world
NBA- #1 Basketball league
MLB- #1 baseball
and obviously NFL is #1 too.
 
.-.
June is the beginning of fantasy football magazine reading, Lindy's annual just came out
 
RayIsTheGOAT said:
I'm a diehard Fed fan and I can admit it's just not the same without Nadal at the top of his game. His play style seems to be taking the inevitable physical toll on his body.
Murray is playing some of the best tennis of his career, and he'll be back at home with the crowd behind him. Plus Fed's got to realize he doesn't have too many chances left, and Wimbledon seems to always be his best shot. Then again, Djokovic is at the top of his game, and Stan has been playing great tennis for, really, at least 2 years now. Just so many storylines.
Expand ...
Yeah, unfortunately it seems like Rafa's grinding style is finally catching up with him. We all knew it would happen eventually. That said, I still think he's got one at least one more trademark Nadal comeback left in the tank. He's in the process of changing his racquet and hopefully some tactical changes as well. I wouldn't write him off just yet.

As for Fed, I think it's Wimbledon or nothing at this point, especially with his newly discovered serve and volley game since Edberg came aboard. I thought he had it last year, especially after forcing that 5th set. Alas...

While Murray is playing the best tennis of career outside his '12-'13 run, he's still Andy Murray. And that means he will almost always fold like a chair when playing the Big 3 in a major. I will say I was shocked he actually forced a 5th set after going down 0-2 in the French semis, but he predictably folded in the 5th. Outside of that '12-'13 run he still doesn't have the answers against the Big 3.

I think of anyone on the tour right now Stan actually presents the most problems for Djoker. Stan's flat and hard ground strokes (from both sides) are just brutal, as we saw at Roland Garros. They've played 5 times in majors the last few years and the first 4 meeting were all 5 set epics. When they play it's must see tennis. Can't wait for Wimby.

Ok tennis rant over.
 
The baseball is dying narrative has been said quite a few times in the leagues history. It's endured these ups and downs for 160 years. It's not dying. Unless they want to pack it in despite record revenues.
 
whaler11 said:
Yeah i wouldn't judge soccer on MLS ratings.
Expand ...
This. MLS has made huge strides over the years, but it is still nowhere close to top tier soccer. You can't judge soccer's popularity on MLS ratings.
 
.-.
BUHusky said:
Yeah, unfortunately it seems like Rafa's grinding style is finally catching up with him. We all knew it would happen eventually. That said, I still think he's got one at least one more trademark Nadal comeback left in the tank. He's in the process of changing his racquet and hopefully some tactical changes as well. I wouldn't write him off just yet.

As for Fed, I think it's Wimbledon or nothing at this point, especially with his newly discovered serve and volley game since Edberg came aboard. I thought he had it last year, especially after forcing that 5th set. Alas...

While Murray is playing the best tennis of career outside his '12-'13 run, he's still Andy Murray. And that means he will almost always fold like a chair when playing the Big 3 in a major. I will say I was shocked he actually forced a 5th set after going down 0-2 in the French semis, but he predictably folded in the 5th. Outside of that '12-'13 run he still doesn't have the answers against the Big 3.

I think of anyone on the tour right now Stan actually presents the most problems for Djoker. Stan's flat and hard ground strokes (from both sides) are just brutal, as we saw at Roland Garros. They've played 5 times in majors the last few years and the first 4 meeting were all 5 set epics. When they play it's must see tennis. Can't wait for Wimby.

Ok tennis rant over.
Expand ...
Well Stan just took away a French Open title from Djoker and a chance at the US Open title last year.
 
superjohn said:
Well Stan just took away a French Open title from Djoker and a chance at the US Open title last year.
Expand ...
Actually Nishikori beat Djoker in last year's US Open semis. Stan beat Djoker in last year's Aussie Open quarters on his way to the title.
 
BUHusky said:
This. MLS has made huge strides over the years, but it is still nowhere close to top tier soccer. You can't judge soccer's popularity on MLS ratings.
Expand ...

English Premier League ratings average 414,000 against basically no sport competition when they are aired. To say that soccer or NHL is any threat to overtake MLB in U.S. is absurd. Especially considering baseball revenue was a record $9 Billion in 2014, up 13% from year before.
 
Baseball is alive and thriving in Pittsburgh. Wasn't but 6-7 years ago when you'd find 8K in the stands and if they were wearing team colors, it was a Steelers jersey.

Not now. And plenty of desired demographics in the stands and watching on one screen or another.

Regarding some of baseball's issues, it's become a regional sport. There are no "national" teams anymore, thus the decline in WS ratings, which on a whole, is fairly meaningless. If it weren't for the NHL, MLB would be considered the worst major league for promoting its stars. But owners print money. MLB Advanced Media has done a great job creating mobile revenue streams. And MLB "The Show" is constantly a top selling video game.

As far as young blacks not being interested, Andrew McCutchen is gonna fix that for you.

Just keep the Dan Hurley away from the NL and the sport will be fine.

Otherwise, I'll watch US Open and Wimbledon finals, the Majors and the occasional soccer or rugby game. But summer is for being outside. Or at PNC Park.

And for me, the dead time is between the WS and start of UConn hoops. I turned my back on the NFL a few years ago, no regrets.
 
BUHusky said:
Actually Nishikori beat Djoker in last year's US Open semis. Stan beat Djoker in last year's Aussie Open quarters on his way to the title.
Expand ...
Yup, knew I should have looked it up.
 
BUHusky said:
This. MLS has made huge strides over the years, but it is still nowhere close to top tier soccer.
Expand ...

Over 41 million tickets were sold to minor league baseball games in 2013. Is that top tier baseball?
 
.-.
superjohn said:
Yup, knew I should have looked it up.
Expand ...
Hah, I watch way too much tennis. At this point it's probably my 2nd favorite sport after college basketball.
 
zyron said:
English Premier League ratings average 414,000 against basically no sport competition when they are aired. To say that soccer or NHL is any threat to overtake MLB in U.S. is absurd. Especially considering baseball revenue was a record $9 Billion in 2014, up 13% from year before.
Expand ...
Baseball's revenue #'s last year is deceiving and is just a bandaid for it's problems.
 
BUHusky said:
Hah, I watch way too much tennis. At this point it's probably my 2nd favorite sport after college basketball.
Expand ...
I love tennis, it doesn't seem as popular as it was when I was a kid, probably due to the lack of good Americans. Fed, Nadal and Djoker are as good as it gets.
 
zyron said:
Over 41 million tickets were sold to minor league baseball games in 2013. Is that top tier baseball?
Expand ...

42.4 million tickets bought in 2014, third highest total ever,

superjohn said:
Baseball's revenue #'s last year is deceiving and is just a bandaid for it's problems.
Expand ...

obviously. 2014, Record revenues, # 7 all time in MLB attendance, #3 all time minor league attendance. It's over.
 
I'd wager that there is a big divide regarding the perception of baseballs popularity between demographics. Everybody understands that baseball is a sport watched primarily by older, white people at this point, but I don't get the sense that everybody understands just how diminished the sport's presence has become among the 15-25 crowd. In many regions in the northeast, baseball has fallen behind not only soccer, but lacrosse as well.

Me, I'll still watch baseball, but not nearly as much as I used to. Basketball and football are my favorite sports, but I have grown to love hockey in recent years. I think if ESPN promoted the NHL like they did the other sports, it would surpass baseball relatively quickly. It is a great sport that has some of the same problems baseball is having, but I think the fast-paced nature of the sport makes it more equipped to gain popularity moving forward.
 
superjohn said:
I love tennis, it doesn't seem as popular as it was when I was a kid, probably due to the lack of good Americans. Fed, Nadal and Djoker are as good as it gets.
Expand ...
The lack of any good Americans since Sampras and Agassi has probably hurt the sport in the US, but I think the Williams sisters along with the greatness of Fed/Rafa have helped evened things out to a degree.

Nadal and Federer are probably the 2 greatest players of all time, and Djoker is already top 10, and will arguably end up top 5 of all time. And Serena is the greatest ever in the women's game. It is certainly a golden age in tennis that we probably won't see again for a long time (if ever).
 
Last edited:
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,205
Messages
4,556,836
Members
10,442
Latest member
Virginiafan


Top Bottom