Why is the NBA the least popular sport nowadays?

[Godfather]

The NBA is the most popular sports franchise in the world...Why? China.

[ikoiko]

Every single time I try to watch an NBA game with someone they always won't watch it because the players are completely covered with tattoos and they look like gang bangers or convicts. All the tattoo covered players puts out a really bad image.

this is ridiculous to me. granted, i am not an american, but this is a common reaction in the USA? 'oh no, those guys have tattoos, we can't "relate" to that!' seriously, what is that?

[ForceOfNature]

The NBA definitely isn't the least popular sport, at least not in NY. If we're talking about internationally, it's the second most popular sport in the world.

[Hammertime]

Slam 13's point was to illustrate how deceiving it is to go by sole numbers to judge popularity. Having such huge disparity among population in each country is a legitimate claim for inaccurate evidence. IMO, checking individual popularity of sports in each nation would be more precise

How would that be more precise? If you want to find out what the global popularity of a sport is, why wouldn't you look at total global numbers?

[Alonzo Magic]

How would that be more precise? If you want to find out what the global popularity of a sport is, why wouldn't you look at total global numbers?

Unfair disparity in population between different nations.

[RaininThrees]

the nba might be more popular then the NHL but it is not by a wide gap that a lot of you think. The Nhl has rebounded since its work stopage and is seeing higher numbers at the gates outdrawing the Nba in many markets.

Average NBA attendance this year: 17,183 (89% capacity)
Average NHL Attendance this year: 17,198 (94 % capacity)

So, yes they aren't as far apart as you'd think in terms of attendance.

The issue is that Hockey is not as popular throughout the whole of the US as it is in the cities in which it is hosted. The cities that have teams like it, but not on a nation-wide scale.

The NBA and NHL both have markets which are thriving, and markets which are struggling. As for the OP's original assertion, this season the Blackhawks are drawing an average of 21,552, whereas the Bulls are playing in front of 21,413.

Here are the facts to-date:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2009
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance

[Hammertime]

Unfair disparity in population between different nations.

So? We are trying to figure out what sport is played/watched by more people. Does it matter where they live?

[AJnAtlanta13]

I also think it depends on if your teams in your city are good. Because now in the ATL people are going crazy for the Hawks and Falcons and no matter what the Braves will be popular here, but not so much the Thrashers right now (there are people at the games, but they arne't being talked about locally as much as Hawks/Falcons.)

[stephanieg]

How would that be more precise? If you want to find out what the global popularity of a sport is, why wouldn't you look at total global numbers?

Unfair disparity in population between different nations.

[76ers4life]

Because of the NFL.

[Tuvi]

Thats probably because you live in Chicago, people talk about the bears???

[JJ81]

My oppinion

1. NBA





2. NFL


3. NHL

4. MLB

[sammdogg]

In my opinion and seems to be popular:
1)NFL


2/3)NBA/MLB







4)NHL
maybe thats just cuz im from LA lol

[big baller]

No. Cricket, Rugby, etc.. are all more popular then basketball. So is hockey, because hockey includes field hockey, and field hockey is more popular then basketball, as it's played by billions of people (main sport in India and many asian countries).

Are you crazy? Like my father always used to say, "Stop making up statistics!!!!!"


I found this page, take a look at it:

Tell me where rugby and cricket are compared to basketball

I am not sure if it is 100% accurate, but still..



Oh and here is for America

[Alonzo Magic]

So? We are trying to figure out what sport is played/watched by more people. Does it matter where they live?

Of course it matters. For example, say 1/3 of the world's population lived in Melbourne, Australia. Now in Melbourne the No. 1 sport is AFL Football (Aussie rules Football) and it is pretty much a clear Number one in Melbourne and Melbourne only. Since they have a third of the pop, would that make AFL Football the biggest sport in the world?