Why is the NBA the least popular sport nowadays?

[Legend of Josh]

In DC, NHL>>>>NBA. Mainly because our hockey team is actually good

In DC ...

Redskins Redskins Redskins (most loyal fanbase of any team minus the Steelers).

[Legend of Josh]

In NY it's more about Baseball then really basketball. I can hardly find people who watch basketball. I'm thinking about following college basketball.

Due to the Yankees, NYC will always be a baseball town, but make no mistake about it - NYC is the mecca of basketball, and there are millions of Knicks fans right there. Some loyal, some fair weather and some to be new now that they're back to being a quality team again (and haven't been in over a decade).

[Javat_90]

Too many blacks

[PHX_Phan]

For me, it's:

NFL
NBA
MMA
NHL

As far as certain markets, I'd say the Suns were up there for a while in Arizona until the Cards started doing good.

[VishaltotheG]

For me:

1. NBA
2. NFL
3. ATP
4. MMA

baseball does not compute

[Lakers Legend#32]

Conservatives will always hate the NBA because they feel there are too many blacks in it.

[JtotheIzzo]

NBA less popular than NHL? What in the world is the NHL anyway, is that the silly thing they play on ice that I see on like the Outdoor Network and VS?

My thought is

NFL
MLB
NBA
NHL

However, MLB popularity is on the way down and NBA is on the way up.

Your rankings are pretty accurate for the US.

But the NHL has more fans in Canada than the NBA does in the US (with 10X the population), so the NBA still has a long way to go.

NBA is far and away my favorite, but it is so gayed up now in its presentation, the way it is officiated, the way they space playoff games apart etc... it seems like they want to test the hardcore fans patience.

The NBA runs the risk of being to sterile. This whole 'family friendly environment' they want to create at games works up to a point, but then you get diminishing returns. If they sterilize it too much, going to an NBA game will be like going to a movie.

Fans at NHL games and NFL games are a 1000X better than in stadium NBA fans, even the NBA's two trendiest markets right now (Miami and LA...sorry NY and Boston) have fairweather fans.

People want their live sports to be confrontational and edgy, the NBA doesn't want this, and it will hurt their ability to grow. Passion is the key.