The NFL; Only Real Fan Friendly Sport

[Guest FrigidSoul]

After sitting back and reflecting on all the sports after the A-Rod trade I now truly feel the only fan friendly sport left in the U.S.

 

MLB - This championship in this sport is basically George Steinbrenner's to lose. Even before he became owner however the Yankees bought their championships due to their location. They bought Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, Roger Marris from Kansas City, and others. In a city that hosts over 9million people with a sport that has no salary cap how are other teams able to compete? AngleSault can say "Well they should sell the team if they can't afford it" but who are they going to sell it to? If a team can only spend $70 mill due to revenue yet have to spend at least $80mill to be competitive and entertaining then why is somebody going to buy the team in order to lose $10mill a year? That's why so many teams don't bother even spend what they can but just treat it as a way to make money, because of the competitive imbalance due to George. He's great for Yankees fans but I maintain that he'll kill baseball in 4 years now(I made the theory last year that he would kill it in 5 with his spending). Thus why baseball is no longer fun.

 

NBA - All the best teams are in the West thus nobody(except for alfdogg) who is a fan of an Eastern Team cares. The Finals are an absolute crock because everybody knows there isn't an Eastern Team that can compete. Unless there is realignment where they make Western Teams and Eastern Teams able to be in the same conference so an NBA Finals of Sacramento and Minn could occur fans aren't going to be interested. LeBron brings excitement but I'm not watching the NBA playoffs when they still have a system where half the teams in one conference to make the playoffs will always have a losing record.

 

NHL - Greedy Players + Penny Pinching Owners = No fans. Fans are jumping off the NHL like rats fleeing a sinking ship. No player spends their career anywhere now and the worst thing about that is they sign humongous contracts because stupid owners offer them, then leach off that team and put them in financial turmoil before being traded to the next team to do the same thing. The lockout will signify the end.

 

But we have our friend the NFL. Where every team except for maybe 2 has a chance of making the playoffs every year. A hard salary cap with a floor making owners spend money along with their creative franchise and transition tags for FAs make this a good sport. No stupid lottery to determine who gets the biggest impact player...if your team sucked the worst then you get the rights to that player first, and one player could be the difference. Where superstar players are nothing without a good coach who can set up a succesful scheme. Where the games aren't delayed because of rain, or a slippery spot on the floor that takes 8 people on their knees with towels to clean, or a broken frame of glass. The world could be decending into hell with demons breaking through the turf and I guarentee you a RB would run a couple of them over ignoring their were hell spawns cause his job is to make it to the end zone. Ahhh football, the sport where the greatest gladiators take direction from genius chess players before going into battle. Football, the one sport where the Championship game could actually be a national holiday. Football...the sport of Gods.

 

The NFL, where everything is right on any given Sunday

[Guest Choken One]

Well, You skipped the #2 sport right now and the sport that brings in MORE specators then NFL and Dwarfs the NBA and NHL in ratings...

 

 

NASCAR.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

NASCAR is not a sport, I don't care what anybody says. My aunt drove 8hrs up here to visit, does that make her an athlete? No.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Wrong.

 

Oh, and George is really having success at buying those championships huh? 4 straight champio... oh wait. Owned.

 

Anyways, your opinions on baseball seems to be about one team. I hate George and hate how he ruins the sport just as much as anyone, but baseball is still the best sport in the world, and is greatly fan friendly, but thats just my opinion. You have yours.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Fucker, making me miss football even more...

 

(marks calendar for the Hall of Fame Game AGAIN)

[Guest FrigidSoul]

If baseball is so fan friendly then why is it that the Marlins and Angels fanbase was non-existent until the two teams made the playoffs in the past 2 years? I can name you 10 stadiums easily that are always empty.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

If baseball is so fan friendly then why is it that the Marlins and Angels fanbase was non-existent until the two teams made the playoffs in the past 2 years? I can name you 10 stadiums easily that are always empty.

Because wins = fans. And if football is so great, why don't the Arizona Cardinals draw?

 

As a Phillies fan, we won't see the Yankees unless we both make the World Series. Hence, George's spening doesn't worry me. And the team still isn't a lock to win its own division.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

If baseball is so fan friendly then why is it that the Marlins and Angels fanbase was non-existent until the two teams made the playoffs in the past 2 years? I can name you 10 stadiums easily that are always empty.

The Marlins emptyness was because of the previous owner who sold the team after the WS and made the Marlins awful. I could totally understand why the Fans hated to goto the stadium.

 

Anahiem, I don't know.

 

Fan Friendly doesn't have anything to do with filling the seats, there kiddo. Wins fill the seats.

 

Arizona Cardinals doesn't feel the seats in the NFL. So should I say .. OMG~11, NFL isn't friendly!!11?

 

Riight. You can't take a few failing franchises (or, they were - not anymore) as an example.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

And if football is so great, why don't the Arizona Cardinals draw?

Arizona football fans flock to the Collegiate Sun Devils, always have, always will. That's however one team that doesn't draw fans

 

MLB teams that don't draw fans; Tampa Bay, Toronto, Cleveland, KC, Oakland(until the playoffs), Texas, Anaheim(one year removed from their championship and the stadium was empty after May), Florida(until the Playoffs last year), Montreal(unless they're in the Spanish stadium), Mets, Milwaukee, Pitts, Cinci, San Diego, Colorado, LA

 

Fans don't go because there's no competitive balance with the way money is allowed to talk in the sport right now.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

No. Fans don't go because those teams don't win.

 

Oakland draws. Mets draw when the win. Reds draw when they win. Hell, again, every team draws when theres a winning product on the field. You trying to say MLB isnt fan friendly because because dont want to watch loosing teams is crazy in its self.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I agree fans don't want to watch losing teams, what you aren't understanding is the fact I'm saying the reason behind that is the lack of competitive balance due to the rich teams becoming richer, while the other teams sit there and make do with what they have. If there was a salary cap of $90mill(just to start, it would slowly go up until it reached something like $115mill) along with a floor that made owners field a team that cost at least $50mill(once again to start with it moving up to $70mill) then the competitive balance would be alot better. The Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mariners, etc wouldn't be able to keep all the players they have now thus spreading a few of them to other teams, which in turn makes it more competitive and brings in the fans because there's a greater chance of their team winning. However that isn't happening and only a few teams can compete with George's Yankees. However in the end he can freely buy whomever he needs at anytime, thus slowly killing the sport.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

And if football is so great, why don't the Arizona Cardinals draw?

MLB teams that don't draw fans; Tampa Bay, Toronto, Cleveland, KC, Oakland(until the playoffs), Texas, Anaheim(one year removed from their championship and the stadium was empty after May), Florida(until the Playoffs last year), Montreal(unless they're in the Spanish stadium), Mets, Milwaukee, Pitts, Cinci, San Diego, Colorado, LA

 

Fans don't go because there's no competitive balance with the way money is allowed to talk in the sport right now.

I love softballs.

 

Texas drew over 2 million fans last season, an average of over 25,000 a game. Anaheim drew over 3 million. Oakland drew over 2,000,000 fans. The Mets drew over 2 million. The Padres topped two million. Cincinnati drew over 2,000,000. As did Colorado. Los Angeles drew over 3 million. These teams don't draw?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

By the way, this kind of talk has been going on since the dawn on the sport.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

And if football is so great, why don't the Arizona Cardinals draw?

MLB teams that don't draw fans; Tampa Bay, Toronto, Cleveland, KC, Oakland(until the playoffs), Texas, Anaheim(one year removed from their championship and the stadium was empty after May), Florida(until the Playoffs last year), Montreal(unless they're in the Spanish stadium), Mets, Milwaukee, Pitts, Cinci, San Diego, Colorado, LA

 

Fans don't go because there's no competitive balance with the way money is allowed to talk in the sport right now.

I love softballs.

 

Texas drew over 2 million fans last season, an average of over 25,000 a game. Anaheim drew over 3 million. Oakland drew over 2,000,000 fans. The Mets drew over 2 million. The Padres topped two million. Cincinnati drew over 2,000,000. As did Colorado. Los Angeles drew over 3 million. These teams don't draw?

Point. Proven.

 

I guess hes just use to the 60k football draws. I got news for you buddy, theres only 1 game a week in the NFL. If the MLB was that way, they'd draw 60K as well.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

With most of those stadiums that's not even half capacity.

 

By the way, I'm not knocking the sport of baseball. I'm knocking how its run.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Again, have one game a week - and any sport would fill the stadium with 60k.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

With most of those stadiums that's not even half capacity.

 

By the way, I'm not knocking the sport of baseball. I'm knocking how its run.

Capacity isn't the standard of sports attendance. When you run an event 81 times a year, you will rarely sell out every event. You build a stadium that will hold a large number of people adequately for the BIG events (All star game, playoffs, etc.). Besides, your argument is that attendance is decreasing. When have baseball games always been sellouts?

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Attendance for baseball was much better in the 70s-mid 90s. I remember watching several games on TV in the mid 80s-mid 90s where all the stadiums were sold out... even ATLANTA!

[razazteca 0]

With most of those stadiums that's not even half capacity.

 

By the way, I'm not knocking the sport of baseball. I'm knocking how its run.

What do you expect when games are played in the afternoon on week days when everybody is at either work or school.

[Bored 0]

With most of those stadiums that's not even half capacity.

Wrong.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance?s...03&seasonType=2

 

20 out of 30 teams last year sold out at 50% capacity or better.

 

Attendance for baseball was much better in the 70s-mid 90s.

You sure about that? Have you looked at the attendance figures for the 70s? Teams reguarly drew under one million fans then.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Attendance was a big reason why the A's, Dodgers, Giants, and Braves made the move West.

 

Baseball is also the cheapest sport of the major 4 to attend in person.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Attendance for baseball was much better in the 70s-mid 90s. I remember watching several games on TV in the mid 80s-mid 90s where all the stadiums were sold out... even ATLANTA!

 

In 1983, three teams drew UNDER a million fans. Baseball is more popular now than at any time with the exception of the few years before the strike. And its heading up, as three years of exciting playoffs have rejuvenated interest in the game.

 

Attendance figures are available at baseball-reference.com. I suggest using them instead of personal recollection. It makes things a lot easier to comprehend.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Hell, even with the Sox charging $42 per ticket we still sell out most of the time and considering that most teams' ticket prices range from $14-$20, it isn't that costly to attend a game thus that also helps with the high attendance rates.

 

*Figures taken from the site I posted on the previous page*

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

As much as I love football..

 

But we have our friend the NFL. Where every team except for maybe 2 has a chance of making the playoffs every year.

 

2? The Lions Cardinals and Chargers come to mind as perenial losers over the last few years. The Texans can't be expected to make the playoffs in the Same Division with the Colts and Titans. Thats 4 teams right there. I know it means there are still 28 other teams with a chance to make the playoffs, but honestly theres a difference between a chance and a realistic chance. Id say there are probably 20 teams that have realistic chances to make the playoffs in the NFL. Of course, more teams make the playoffs in the NFL than in Baseball but Id still say there are about 16 teams in MLB that have playoff chances this year. The NFL has fewer playoff spots than in the NBA (where you have to be a pretty bad team not to have a least a shot at the playoffs, especially in the East of the NBA)or NHL though..

 

A hard salary cap with a floor making owners spend money along with their creative franchise and transition tags for FAs make this a good sport.

It also means that teams who land the Stud rookies probably won't be able to resign them. Theres also a lot of turnover at the "Non-glamourous" positions because it makes more sense to sign the league minimum guy than resign they guy thats been with the team for more money.

 

No stupid lottery to determine who gets the biggest impact player...if your team sucked the worst then you get the rights to that player first, and one player could be the difference.

 

One player will never be the difference in the NFL, especially a rookie.

And I don't see whats so bad about the NBA lottery. It makes it a gamble for teams who know that they aren't going to make the playoffs to risk tanking the rest of the season for the #1 pick. With the NFL, you knew it was between the Raiders and Chargers for the #1 pick and when one team wins, the first words out of fans mouths is "Damn, they could have lost and they'd have a better shot at the #1 pick"

 

Where superstar players are nothing without a good coach who can set up a succesful scheme.

 

The "Superstar" players are often QB, RB and WR. Well, the QB and RB need an offensive line in front of them and the WR need a capable QB to throw them the ball. Sometimes you have coaches that act like they have a brain fart and ignore their best WR/RB in key situations or they wear their key player down by going to them too much. The coach can be the ruin of the great players just as much as he can be their maker.

 

Where the games aren't delayed because of rain, or a slippery spot on the floor that takes 8 people on their knees with towels to clean, or a broken frame of glass. The world could be decending into hell with demons breaking through the turf and I guarentee you a RB would run a couple of them over ignoring their were hell spawns cause his job is to make it to the end zone.

 

Baseball players can't play in rain or thunderstorms because either the ball gets too wet, the field gets too sloppy and it puts the players at risk of injury. Their cleats are metal and they would be at risk by getting struck by lightning. Conveniently enough, in the September regular season NFL games in warm cities, football is often delayed by thunderstorms for the same reason. Football was made to be played in the snow/mud but I don't see how that makes it better than baseball or hockey.

 

Ahhh football, the sport where the greatest gladiators take direction from genius chess players before going into battle.

 

There are several head coaches who should never be even closely associated with the word "Genius" and there are several who are but probably shouldn't be. For instance, Brian Billick was supposedly an "Offensive Genius", even wrote a book about it, but I want to smack him upside hit slicked back hair sometimes. But its not all his fault *evil glare at Matt Cavanaugh*.

 

Football, the one sport where the Championship game could actually be a national holiday. Football...the sport of Gods.

 

Its only the semi national holiday now because its on Sunday, and people always like an excuse to sit around, eat, drink beer and do nothing for a whole day. And most people don't even watch the Super Bowl for the game. And more people in China watched this years Super Bowl than in the US. And we all know the sport of the Gods is feeding people to lions..or something like that from Ancient Greece.

[geniusMoment 0]

If one looks at the statistics in a broad sense baseball is by far the most popular sport in the US. Each team plays 81 home games, with the average attendance around 25,000. There are thousands of baseball games on television each year, versus a extremely limited number of pro football games. While average ratings will show football to be much higher, total ratings have baseball winning almost 10 to 1. Baseball kills football in merchandise sales, the only thing football has is that great television deal. However, baseball also has a damn good billion dollar deal with fox and a solid deal with ESPN.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

N/M, sorry

[HarleyQuinn 0]

and baseball also has the MLB Extra Innings pack with DirecTV as well as the local channels

[Mik 0]

I still think baseball is a fan friendly sport.

 

Answer this question, what other sport can a family of four afford to attend on a regular basis? Now, the whole point of your post was to say it's not fan friendly. I've only been to 3 stadiums, but when I went to see the A's in Oakland, I got in for $4 and there were $2 hot dogs. Hello, I saw Major League athletes, the best in the world and had a (questionably decent) dinner for under $10. I've also gone to see the Phillies for less than $10 at the Vet (which I'm sure will change with the new park).

 

Baseball is fan friendly, and the arguments of Al et al are right on the money. There are 81 games, some times for two weeks straight. You can't sell out every game, but you will almost always see big crowds for Sunday day games, games when the Yanks are in town or when Pedro is pitching, etc.

 

George isn't ruining anything, because last time I checked... I was the only one gloating on this board in October when my small market team took down the mighty Yankees (Hi Anglesault).

 

Football is no doubt the number one sport in America, but I honestly wouldn't place baseball very far behind.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Since my main thing on MLB was how competitive balance would be helped by a salary cap and a floor thus spreading out the talent more and its being ignored to be spun in several different directions I'll just say "screw it".

[geniusMoment 0]

Well, your point was obvious. If anyone on this board does not know that a salary cap would help competitive balance they are complete morons. Do you want 100 posts of people agreeing with you?