Troy Aikman: NFL May Not Remain No. 1 Sport

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

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.

If theres one thing being in NY the last 3 weeks has taught me....people think the NBA is full of thug darkies. Jeremy Lins bandwagon filled up so fast and got people with ZERO interest in the NBA watching , buying jerseys , and getting tix. Noone gave two flying fucks when Carmelo came over or the knicks in general for eons. All the borderline off color comments about Lin not being covered in tats , educated guy not a street kid , respectful nba player really spoke volumes on NBAs image.

Years of college wasted....first, majoring in "grassroots sports" (was Andy Katzenmoyer in your class?)...second, even with years of college under your belt, you aren't able to comprehend or compose a simple forum post.

Last I checked, a majority of paying customers to baseball games and a majority of the target audience for TV/radio advertisers are middle-class white males. I didn't know the economic structure of baseball had fatherless children and low-income blacks as its foundation.

And your post is again irrelevent. You say participation impacts fan totals...I agreed! But again, the problem with baseball isn't attracting new fans from the orphanage...its keeping the fans it creates through Little League.

I am amazed that, through being a casual fan, I have a greater understanding of this topic than someone such as yourself who majored in "grassroots sports". I don't know what college you went to, but the education you received wasn't worth a dime.

The fatherless low income guys are usually the pool of talent not the ticket buyers.
I honestly dont know what money has to do with it. In Dominican Republic and Cuba kids are playing with carved out tree limbs and cardboard gloves. If its in the culture and the love is there people will find a way to play the sport.

I know I grew up LOVING baseball. I still love the sport , would play it all summer if I could. But I have zero interest in watching a game or following a team. I lost interest after the 94 strike. Unlike the NFL MLB/NBA push individual stars over teams. Its a weird rollercoaster to ride. As less people watch live tv and more people gravitate towards the internet and updates I dont see MLB being as limited as it is now. Theres no reason it cant find a new way to captivate and keep an audience in the next 2 decades. How we consume our sports now wont be the same in 15 years.


Sidenote Have you guys been to a non televised football game ?
Its ridiculous how much faster the game is paced without the TV timeouts.

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.

You need to introduce yourself to the law of scarcity.

[Len B]

You still don't get the point though. Sports psychologists and marketers do these studies because they notice trends and changes in society and know baseball is in a critical state. I was telling you they focus on big picture and not Joe Male who can afford everything. You are speaking for the casual male who can post on forums, and I'm merely pointing out its not that easy to say 'soccer is played! Soccer isn't watched!' I will side with the experts, not Captain Awesome.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Anyone who says football is boring to watch will get a groan from me.

It is a great TV sport. No question. The time between plays is tailor made for replays, it fits the screen perfectly, everything about football works on TV.

But live NFL games are the worst live experience in all of sports. Even a large percentage of people who attend NFL games will tell you that the tailgating is far more enjoyable than the actual game. Shit, at any NFL game, you can find 1,000 people who stay outside and never even enter the building, and watch the game on black & white TV's and their smartphones. Do you see people doing this at NBA games, for instance?

There is no action at a football game. Constant breaks, constant commercials, constant timeouts.

And the other thing, is NFL games are the least family friendly, by far, of any live event. More drunks per capita, and its not even close. More rowdy behavior per capita, and its not even close. I'm telling you right now, from being to multiple NFL games in NY & Philly, if I had kids I wouldn't take them to an NFL game unless I had very expensive tickets far far away from the upper decks and the cretins who are drunk before they come through the gate.

Baseball is fantastic live. NBA is better live than on TV. College basketball is an awesome live product. I've never been to CFB, but I assume due to the atmosphere is blows away mundane NFL stadiums. I'm not even a big tennis fan, but I used to go to the US Open all the time, and big time tennis is a great, great live experience.

I've been to all sorts of events, and the only two sports that are better on TV than they are live are the NFL, and MMA.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

I love football....but I refuse to go to a game. Only place I would go is Texas Stadium because I could watch the game on a ginormous HD screen while occasionally looking down to see the actual game.

Also IMO Hockey is very very fun to watch live ((granted there were min. 7 goals in the 2 games I went)). Theres alot of action and hitting away from the puck you never see on TV.

Also with Widescreens and Zip line cameras NFL needs to change its default view from the sideline cam to behind the QB.

[jms493]

Actually isnt NASCAR like the #1 spectator sport?

[Senser81]

You still don't get the point though. Sports psychologists and marketers do these studies because they notice trends and changes in society and know baseball is in a critical state. I was telling you they focus on big picture and not Joe Male who can afford everything. You are speaking for the casual male who can post on forums, and I'm merely pointing out its not that easy to say 'soccer is played! Soccer isn't watched!' I will side with the experts, not a rent a center employee.

Yeah, I guess I don't get it. Again, I didn't major in forum posting or grassroots arguing, but I think its pretty easy to say "soccer is played! soccer isn't watched!" in the United States. How many people play soccer? How many people watch professional soccer? Compare the two totals. Duh.

Please let me know what the "experts" have to say about this.

[ram29jackson]

Yeah, I guess I don't get it. Again, I didn't major in forum posting or grassroots arguing, but I think its pretty easy to say "soccer is played! soccer isn't watched!" in the United States. How many people play soccer? How many people watch professional soccer? Compare the two totals. Duh.

Please let me know what the "experts" have to say about this.

soccer in America is to give lazy moms and kids under 9th grade something to do..and coed adult leagues to stay in shape/get excercise...the only ones who take it seriously are the Mexicans on the teams..after 8th grade, I stopped playing soccer at recess..actually, it might have been after 6th grade


football needs more tv time because one day a week plus a monday isnt enough for a 3 month season..especially if you dont get the NFL network or ESPN at home and they should let all regions watch 4 games every sunday on the 2 major networks that televise games

[Goober]

Apparently it's not cool to hate on the NFL. If you guys want to watch games where every big hit is a flag, and defenses can't stop a damn thing be my guest. But the product that the NFL is producing has severely declined, and in my opinion there's better options to fill my sports fix.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

You still don't get the point though. Sports psychologists and marketers do these studies because they notice trends and changes in society and know baseball is in a critical state. I was telling you they focus on big picture and not Joe Male who can afford everything. You are speaking for the casual male who can post on forums, and I'm merely pointing out its not that easy to say 'soccer is played! Soccer isn't watched!' I will side with the experts, not Captain Awesome.

In the black American community...yes...they are just going to other sports like basketball and football. Elsewhere in America...no. Elsewhere in the world...no...why else would poor Cuban kids and kids from the DR or PR or Japan still be able to play the damn game.

Your post doesn't even make common sense, nevermind pass the eyeball test of a possible scientific study.

Show me your work, please, I do not believe these "experts" exist.

[EmpireWF]

the product that the NFL is producing has severely declined

:olhoss:

[ralaw]

Anybody know where I can find a schedule of the combine events and what groups run what days?

Pfff and people say the NFL is overexposed and going down hill yet people will tune in to watch late round picks run, jump and do position drills all day.

______________________

BTW this is why Goodell has "changed the way the game is played"

Family of former Bear Dave Duerson sues over his suicide

Former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson’s family today sued the NFL over his suicide last year, claiming the league for decades had known that concussions from playing football cause brain damage but deliberately concealed that information from players, coaches and fans.

Duerson, a Pro Bowl safety, sustained at least three concussions during his 11-year playing career and suffered from progressive, advanced brain damage known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, according to the lawsuit.

[FirstTimer]

Pfff and people say the NFL is overexposed and going down hill yet people will tune in to watch late round picks run, jump and do position drills all day.

Wrong.

I just want to know when I will know Floyd's 40 time.

[ralaw]

Wrong.

I just want to know when I will know Floyd's 40 time.

Being the informed ND fan you are I'm sure you have a good idea what he'll run within a few .00010 of a second.

[FirstTimer]

Being the informed ND fan you are I'm sure you have a good idea what he'll run within a few .00010 of a second.

4.10?

[ralaw]

4.10?

Are we talking about Floyd or a VSN(D)/MMer?