Troy Aikman: NFL May Not Remain No. 1 Sport

[Senser81]

If they find it boring to play, why would they want to sit on a couch for three hours and watch slow pitch after slow pitch? The new generation isn't built for that, they need action so they turn to alternative sports and lacrosse, and then for television they turn to NFL and whatever else is fast paced and exciting.

No generation has really enjoyed baseball on television. Baseball's perfect medium is radio...things happen at certain spots on the field, and you can visualize everything. As soon as everyone owned TVs (mid 60's), football surpassed baseball as the national pastime and has never looked back.

[Warner2BruceTD]

No generation has really enjoyed baseball on television. Baseball's perfect medium is radio...things happen at certain spots on the field, and you can visualize everything. As soon as everyone owned TVs (mid 60's), football surpassed baseball as the national pastime and has never looked back.

Bingo.

Football was tailor made for the tv screen. Baseball is the only sport that loses almost nothing on the radio. In fact, some argue it has more charm on the radio.

Baseball is also a far superior live sport in my opinion. It's relaxing and exciting all at the same time, and taking in the ambiance and everything else that goes along with live baseball is impossible on TV.

On the other hand, football is a flat out terrible live experience, which is the reason it failed to explode culturally until TV, because TV masks the lack of action that takes place while sitting in a football stadium, and accentuates the brief spurts of actual gameplay with replays and such. Live football is spent squinting at piles trying to figure out whats going on, staring at players standing around doing nothing during the endless breaks in the action, and looking at the back of the head of the drunkard who stands the whole game in the seat in front of you. No thanks.

[Len B]

No generation has really enjoyed baseball on television. Baseball's perfect medium is radio...things happen at certain spots on the field, and you can visualize everything. As soon as everyone owned TVs (mid 60's), football surpassed baseball as the national pastime and has never looked back.

Either way, less kids won't want to watch/listen to baseball if they don't grow up playing the game and experiencing it for themselves. Point is the game is not exciting for children, and unless MLB runs fantastic promotions getting families to the ballpark, the interest in baseball will decline in the long run.

There's studies done that show the socio and economical factors on baseball's decline are huge. Towns/cities can't afford to keep baseball fields maintained, kids can't afford cleats/bats/gloves, boys without fathers don't have anyone to show them the game, etc. whereas basketball you need a hoop and a ball, football you need a ball, and soccer you need a ball. One of these things is not like the other, and there's a reason a lot of ballparks get shut down these days.

Baseball is a game for historians moreso than it is for the common man. Things change, the game will still be around but if basketball/football ever fall behind baseball I will be shocked.

[Len B]

With all this talk about baseball not being so exciting for certain demographics, MLB doesn't have a problem in getting people to the ballpark, do they? I'm assuming not.

Getting people to the ballpark is only a portion of your audience, though. You need to be able to draw fans through television/radio/internet, and that is tough for baseball to do.

Whereas you have sports like the NFL dominating these markets, and there's obvious reason that they are climbing and climbing while baseball is stagnant.

If the question was which sport is the best to watch in person, I'd obviously go baseball. But that's not the real point here.

[EmpireWF]

Baseball is a game for historians moreso than it is for the common man. Things change, the game will still be around but if basketball/football ever fall behind baseball I will be shocked.

Basketballs been behind baseball for awhile, at least since Jordan was with the Bulls.

[BigBucs]

On the other hand, football is a flat out terrible live experience, which is the reason it failed to explode culturally until TV, because TV masks the lack of action that takes place while sitting in a football stadium, and accentuates the brief spurts of actual gameplay with replays and such. Live football is spent squinting at piles trying to figure out whats going on, staring at players standing around doing nothing during the endless breaks in the action, and looking at the back of the head of the drunkard who stands the whole game in the seat in front of you. No thanks.

I agree and disagree. It all depends on the atmosphere. I went to my 1st Bucs game this past season and aside from being at Ray Jay for my 1st time it was a terrible experience. It was hot, the fans sucked ass simply didnt how up. I know Tampa is a retirement area but it was a bunch of 50+ in there screaming "Down in the front" every time I stood up. Im like mfer its a football game, the action is on the other side of the field, why wouldnt I stand up? They didnt chear or get loud on critical downs and were just generally shitty. Not to mention their terrible parking situation. We parked on some soft, muddy ass grass and had to be pulled out because the wheels where stuck in the mud, we wasted about 45 mins of the game doing that shit.

On the flip side I had one of my more enjoyable experiences at the Bucs/Skins preseason games at fed ex. It was just a perfect night weather wise, a mild summer night, and the fans and atmosphere were great. Met a group of like 6 chicks who were Bucs fans and took notice of me getting riled up and giving the Skins fans shit. They joined in but in the end we loss Great night though. All about atmosphere. You can make the live experience a great one if the people are cool. What I like about the Skins stadium is their fans will talk shit with you and with me giving them shit it adds to the excitement.

[ralaw]

I'm not arguing lacrosse will be more famous than baseball on television. I'm saying people don't play baseball anymore, and when they get older they'll be less likely to watch it. The argument is simply that baseball will dip in views once the new generation gets older. They won't know how to play, and they won't teach their kids either.

If they find it boring to play, why would they want to sit on a couch for three hours and watch slow pitch after slow pitch? The new generation isn't built for that, they need action so they turn to alternative sports and lacrosse, and then for television they turn to NFL and whatever else is fast paced and exciting.

I'm not sure about lacrosse, but I agree with your stance on baseball. It also can't be denied that baseball isn't a sport played by blacks, asians, etc. It is primarily a sport played by hispanics and whites and is probably primarily viewed by older whites.

[Senser81]

Either way, less kids won't want to watch/listen to baseball if they don't grow up playing the game and experiencing it for themselves. Point is the game is not exciting for children, and unless MLB runs fantastic promotions getting families to the ballpark, the interest in baseball will decline in the long run..

Completely disagree and question the relevancy of your post. Kids still grow up playing baseball. Parents are still cautious about putting their kids into youth football leagues, but they do not hesitate to put their kids in softball/baseball/T-ball. I actually followed baseball much more when I was a kid, because I was playing it back then (and I had more time to follow it). MLB has a problem keeping the fans it creates, not attracting new ones.

And what is your point? As has been said, from the mid-70's every boy and girl has been forced to play youth soccer at some point in their childhood, yet the MLS is still a relatively minor league.

[Senser81]

I agree and disagree. It all depends on the atmosphere. I went to my 1st Bucs game this past season and aside from being at Ray Jay for my 1st time it was a terrible experience. It was hot, the fans sucked ass simply didnt how up. I know Tampa is a retirement area but it was a bunch of 50+ in there screaming "Down in the front" every time I stood up. Im like mfer its a football game, the action is on the other side of the field, why wouldnt I stand up? They didnt chear or get loud on critical downs and were just generally shitty. Not to mention their terrible parking situation. We parked on some soft, muddy ass grass and had to be pulled out because the wheels where stuck in the mud, we wasted about 45 mins of the game doing that shit.

On the flip side I had one of my more enjoyable experiences at the Bucs/Skins preseason games at fed ex. It was just a perfect night weather wise, a mild summer night, and the fans and atmosphere were great. Met a group of like 6 chicks who were Bucs fans and took notice of me getting riled up and giving the Skins fans shit. They joined in but in the end we loss Great night though. All about atmosphere. You can make the live experience a great one if the people are cool. What I like about the Skins stadium is their fans will talk shit with you and with me giving them shit it adds to the excitement.

The fact that you attend games means the experience sucks.

[shag773]

Completely disagree and question the relevancy of your post. Kids still grow up playing baseball. Parents are still cautious about putting their kids into youth football leagues, but they do not hesitate to put their kids in softball/baseball/T-ball. I actually followed baseball much more when I was a kid, because I was playing it back then (and I had more time to follow it). MLB has a problem keeping the fans it creates, not attracting new ones.

And what is your point? As has been said, from the mid-70's every boy and girl has been forced to play youth soccer at some point in their childhood, yet the MLS is still a relatively minor league.

Just tried to get my son into a T-Ball league and it was filled up. The little league where I live is huge, they have a complex with 4 fields. They have no problems getting kids to play.

I've been hearing about soccer becoming big in this country since the late eighties. The world cup in 94 was supposed to open the flood gates but I'm not sure it had the desired affect. I have 4-5 Spanish dudes in my office, I don't think we've ever talked about, or heard them talk about soccer.

I don't think the NFL will be supplanted as a number 1 sport anytime soon, but if I had to pick one I'd probably say baseball. I also think adventure sports will be more popular too.

[ZoneBlitz]

Saying the NFL will decline in popularity simply because there is an extra game per week is stupid.

Saying fans will flock from the NFL to another sport is even more stupid.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Bingo.

Football was tailor made for the tv screen. Baseball is the only sport that loses almost nothing on the radio. In fact, some argue it has more charm on the radio.

Baseball is also a far superior live sport in my opinion. It's relaxing and exciting all at the same time, and taking in the ambiance and everything else that goes along with live baseball is impossible on TV.

On the other hand, football is a flat out terrible live experience, which is the reason it failed to explode culturally until TV, because TV masks the lack of action that takes place while sitting in a football stadium, and accentuates the brief spurts of actual gameplay with replays and such. Live football is spent squinting at piles trying to figure out whats going on, staring at players standing around doing nothing during the endless breaks in the action, and looking at the back of the head of the drunkard who stands the whole game in the seat in front of you. No thanks.

Professional Football is a real drag to watch live. It has become a sport that is made to watch at a sports bar (maybe senser's sports bar?) where you only half watch/focus on a game, while being able to divert your attention to other games at the same time, or bullshit with your buddies. The game, is overly boring these days and not ADD friendly, so, the game's best setting is now at a sports bar, where you can watch multiple games and have numerous stimuli during the 4 hour game where 30m of actual game play takes place (maybe).

College Football however, is an experience all its own...its not ADD friendly, but live, the experience can't be beat.

[ralaw]

Just tried to get my son into a T-Ball league and it was filled up. The little league where I live is huge, they have a complex with 4 fields. They have no problems getting kids to play.

I've been hearing about soccer becoming big in this country since the late eighties. The world cup in 94 was supposed to open the flood gates but I'm not sure it had the desired affect. I have 4-5 Spanish dudes in my office, I don't think we've ever talked about, or heard them talk about soccer.

I don't think the NFL will be supplanted as a number 1 sport anytime soon, but if I had to pick one I'd probably say baseball. I also think adventure sports will be more popular too.

Considering where it was during the 80's and 90's I would say the NBA would be next in line, but the NBA suffers from being associated with hip-hop culture and this alienates mainstream society. The league needs a great player with an even greater ability to relate to mainstream society…..like Michael Jordan, which probably isn’t going to happen again.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Either way, less kids won't want to watch/listen to baseball if they don't grow up playing the game and experiencing it for themselves. Point is the game is not exciting for children, and unless MLB runs fantastic promotions getting families to the ballpark, the interest in baseball will decline in the long run.

There's studies done that show the socio and economical factors on baseball's decline are huge. Towns/cities can't afford to keep baseball fields maintained, kids can't afford cleats/bats/gloves, boys without fathers don't have anyone to show them the game, etc. whereas basketball you need a hoop and a ball, football you need a ball, and soccer you need a ball. One of these things is not like the other, and there's a reason a lot of ballparks get shut down these days.

Baseball is a game for historians moreso than it is for the common man. Things change, the game will still be around but if basketball/football ever fall behind baseball I will be shocked.

Playing a sport has no correlation to its popularity on television.

Youth and High School sports are mainly regional. Football isn't the "most popular youth sport" everywhere.

Where I grew up, it was amateur wrestling.

In South Florida, football is huge...but you know what else is huge? Baseball. Just as big as football.

In certain parts of the country...its hockey, or LAX. And every kid in the country has probably played soccer at some point.

It just has no correlation to its popularity nationally.

Also, I'm pretty sure your "studies" are made up, or crap, as football is, without question, the most expensive youth sport to get up and running (sans Ice Hockey). LOL @ just a ball. The equipment costs are near as high as ice hockey, but you need to equip more players.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Considering where it was during the 80's and 90's I would say the NBA would be next in line, but the NBA suffers from being associated with hip-hop culture and this alienates mainstream society. The league needs a great player with an even greater ability to relate to mainstream society…..like Michael Jordan, which probably isn’t going to happen again.

You'd think a player like LeBron would be that guy...I don't exactly see a guy loaded with street cred, but for some reason, I don't see LeBron ever taking that next step as an ambassador of the sport like Jordan was. Jordan defied black/white/purple/rich/poor/men/women.

Its tough to capture that lightening in a bottle. Plus, you had Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem. It was an era of players that crossed social and race barriers.

The players today, as you mentioned, kind of stick in that hip hop culture and they don't appeal to the masses like that group in the 80's/early 90's did. Hell, even in the early 90's players like Penny and Grandmama had a bit more mainstream, cross appeal than players seemingly do today.