How is the populatiry of the NBA doing?

[fordraceing_man]

I logged on today because I watched the pacers game over the weekend and actually enjoyed it last time I looked in this sight was Jan 2007 so figued I would watch a little basketball this year, I know its early in the season but watching some highlights on sportscenter it looked like most games had a lot of empty seats just curious if NBA is losing viewers or if its still going strong.

[Bodhi]

Some teams have trouble selling out their arenas, but it's always been that way. You can check out the reported attendance figures here
http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

[MavsSuperFan]

I think the NBA is now the 2nd most popular sport, surpassing baseball. Also the Baseball fan base is usually over 30-40 in my experience and they aren't getting young fans.

The NFL is still king though by a wide margin. Its popular with all age groups.

Edit: Maybe college football is more popular than the NBA but I am not sure.

[BasedTom]

The NBA seems to have more excitement around it than baseball today. Blame the media hyping up players like Lebron, Rose, Durant, etc and all the drama compared to how the MLB's most covered stories this year were about Ryan Braun washed up A-Roid getting caught for cheating. It's not a good look.

Despite Bettman's desires, it's very unlikely that the NHL reaches a new level of commercial appeal because not many people play hockey due to the climate, and need to buy special gear. Anyone in any place can play basketball or football. You can't say the same thing with hockey.

As for the NFL...well I'm starting to see more whining about how Goodell is killing the league. No celebrations, fines for big hits, rules changing to coddle the offense. It'll still be king in the USA for the forseeable future, but I expect the NBA's total popularity (as in across the world) to blow out the NFL's since American football doesn't have much international appeal.

[Awkrewen]

Actually According to the Harris Poll NFL is number #1, MLB #2, College Football #3, Auto- Racing #4, NBA #5, NHL #6, and College Basketball #7.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/21511690/poll-finds-baseball-as-secondmost-popular-american-sport

This is an improvement for the NBA as the previous year it was NFL #1, MLB and College Football tied at #2, Auto Racing #4, and NBA, NHL, and College Basketball all tied at #5.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/34585550

This past year NBA grew while NHL stayed the same percentage and College Basketball faded.

[BasedTom]

Actually According to the Harris Poll NFL is number #1, MLB #2, College Football #3, Auto- Racing #4, NBA #5, NHL #6, and College Basketball #7.

Does auto-racing also include F1?

I had no idea that many people actually cared about NASCAR.

[MavsSuperFan]

Actually According to the Harris Poll NFL is number #1, MLB #2, College Football #3, Auto- Racing #4, NBA #5, NHL #6, and College Basketball #7.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/21511690/poll-finds-baseball-as-secondmost-popular-american-sport

This is an improvement for the NBA as the previous year it was NFL #1, MLB and College Football tied at #2, Auto Racing #4, and NBA, NHL, and College Basketball all tied at #5.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/34585550

This past year NBA grew while NHL stayed the same percentage and College Basketball faded.

baseball's problem is that all of their fans are old. They are like fox news. Fox news has the best ratings of all the news stations, but problem is their average viewer is like 68 years old.

MLB is still super popular among older people. they will be fine for awhile, but they aren't attracting young people.


Does auto-racing also include F1?

I had no idea that many people actually cared about NASCAR.

Its an american poll so I doubt it. NASCAR is pretty big in the south and midwest among white people there.

[BasedTom]

Its an american poll so I doubt it. NASCAR is pretty big in the south and midwest among white people there.
I technically live in the South, and NASCAR has their HQ in my state. Yet I've met more hockey and (association) football enthusiasts than NASCAR.

I'm really surprised by how popular it supposedly is.

[inclinerator]

all time high right now, almost every game has been crazy this season

[MavsSuperFan]

I technically live in the South, and NASCAR has their HQ in my state. Yet I've met more hockey and (association) football enthusiasts than NASCAR.

I'm really surprised by how popular it supposedly is.
Its pretty popular, I am surprised that you haven't heard it was popular. Its broadcast on fox to a national audience. I dont think Roger Ailes would waste his network's time on something that couldnt get ratings. They arent NBC :lol

Also sometimes during elections certain voting blocks are referred to as nascar dads or nascar moms.

I have no idea why anyone would want to watch nascar or golf, but some people must love it.

[KyrieTheFuture]

NASCAR was the most watched sport on a per event basis if I remember correctly.

[Duderonomy]

The NBA problem is the many bandwagoners of the 5 contending teams, but none of them are buying tickets, meanwhile the average person in Minnesota or Memphis can't name one player on the current roster.

[MavsSuperFan]

The NBA problem is the many bandwagoners of the 5 contending teams, but none of them are buying tickets, meanwhile the average person in Minnesota or Memphis can't name one player on the current roster.
This is also true.

There are probably more Miami heat fans in charlotte than bobcat fans. None of these fans are going to go to a Miami heat game. That is not true for the NFL. Even terrible teams in the NFL maintain loyal fanbases somehow.

Eg. Raiders

Edit; honestly I cant remember an NFL game that wasn't filled up.

[Anfernee]

I never understood why NASCAR is considered a sport. There is skill and competition involved, sure, but no athleticism. But then ESPN does broadcast poker....

[KyrieTheFuture]

You can't compare NFL and NBA stadium attendance at all. NFL is once a week and generally on a sunday when most people are off work. Basketball has almost 70 more games and most are during the week your expect there to be full attendance with any regularity?

[KyrieTheFuture]

I never understood why NASCAR is considered a sport. There is skill and competition involved, sure, but no athleticism. But then ESPN does broadcast poker....
You actually need to have excellent cardiovascular endurance to drive in nascar.

[Jameerthefear]

I live in hickville alabama and I literally only know of one person that watches Nascar.

[MavsSuperFan]

You can't compare NFL and NBA stadium attendance at all. NFL is once a week and generally on a sunday when most people are off work. Basketball has almost 70 more games and most are during the week your expect there to be full attendance with any regularity?
Yeah alright that is fair, but you dont admit there is more fan loyalty in the NFL?

I think it has to do with the fact that in the NFL with the salary cap and parity teams can turn it around super fast.

Look at the Chiefs, they were terrible for a long time and 2-14 last year, now they are undefeated. All of their fans stayed loyal because they knew in the NFL it is possible for quick turnarounds.

In the NBA, its always just a handful of teams that are good. And there tends to be very little shifting of that hierarchy.

[MavsSuperFan]

I never understood why NASCAR is considered a sport. There is skill and competition involved, sure, but no athleticism. But then ESPN does broadcast poker....
Agreed. Its more of a competition of skill to me.

I dont consider these sports either:
Golf - competition requiring lots of skill
Rifle Shooting
Darts
Bowling
Pool
Poker -broadcast on espn
Chess - talk about including it in the olympics
Archery

[FKAri]

When people say things like "2nd most popular sport in the world", it needs to understood that alot of ppl play basketball but not alot of ppl seem to watch basketball.

[Psileas]

BTW, when it comes to comparing sports' popularity, people have to stop separating college basketball (or football, etc) from pro basketball (or football, etc), as if we're talking about 2 different sports. Yes, I can understand the separation if we're comparing different leagues and it's known that rules differ a bit as well, but they're still the same sport.

In the same spirit, auto-racing shouldn't be considered a singular sport. It's a ridiculous generalization, it's almost like putting together all sports involving a ball or all sports involving water.

[KDthunderup]

NBA would have to be far more popular world wide compared to the NFL surely?

[flipogb]

NBA would have to be far more popular world wide compared to the NFL surely?
of course it is, most people have never even seen a football and have certainly never heard of the NFL.

[Anfernee]

of course it is, most people have never even seen a football and have certainly never heard of the NFL.

Exactly. Outside of the U.S. this is football:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Thierry_Henry_control_cropped.jpg