Is Basketball a dying sport?

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Rx Wizard
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I think the generation now coming up does not have near the interest that my generation (I am 35) had for baseball and from what I have noticed (and I may be wrong) basketball is slowly dying.

Though the tournament can be exciting with it's do or die finishes and I wish football would adopt a playoff, I think the game of hoop (CBB and NBA) are very boring as compared to years ago.

I hate bringing this up because I never liked it when I was younger when older folks would say this but I have done an unofficial poll among people I know and I am just floored how little interst anyone has of this tournament or hoops in general.

Am I the only one noticing this? I have felt this way for a few years but this past week reaffimmed it to me. Basketball is NOWHERE what is use to be across the U.S as compared to 10 years ago (IMO).
 

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I don't think it is.

As you grow older you get more and more responsibilities, and therefore less time to spend on other interests. I used to love watching college basketball all of the time, but now with a daughter, girlfriend, full time job, and extra curricular activities, I rarely watch until tourney time.

As a side note, I think the NBA is far more exciting now than a few years ago...though far worse than it was in the 80's. College game has gone downhill, as they have gotten more like the NBA (2 shot fouls, the increase in timeouts recently, and the advent of the 30 second timeout).
 

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I think like most things now, it's watered down, and combine that with so much more to do (internet, electronic games, 500 TV channels etc) For us 'old folks' here it will never be any different.

OT a little just look at the baseball diamonds at any school yard on any summer day now....they're freaking empty, where as we played baseball all day long.
 

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Seems to me that the NBA is doing a good job...


The NBA appears to be improving a great deal...it really bottomed out about 4 years ago, but with the rule changes to force teams to shoot faster really helped and the game doesn't appear as stale at all.
 

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I think that you and your unofficial poll may be losing interest in basketball, but basketball is not dying.

My college campus, which is not involved in the tournament this year, is nothing but talk about the tournament. Go to our gym any day of the year and there are 15 basketball courts always full.

Ice you admitted to not knowing 5 players names right? Of course you feel like basketball is dying. How can you be interested in a sport you know nothing about?
 
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Thugs and kids playing in the NBA now....aint what it used to be like when Johnson and Bird played.....
 

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As part of the baby boomer generation, I think pro sports in general has declined in interest for me anyway due to one Major reason. The players don't seem (again to me) to play 100% each and every game like the players of my youth. No matter which sport. Basketball--Russell. Baseball-Rose. Football--Too many to mention.

College sports far better!
 

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Not even close buddy. A lot of people do not like the NBA and college is not the same since everyone leaves early. But dieing? Not even hurting. NBA is actually on an upswing.
 

Self appointed RX World Champion Handicapper
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college basketball would be the greatest game on earth if kids went to college and stayed all 4 years. the nba shouldnt allow any kid under 21 to join the league.

back in the 70's and 80's you had 4 year dynastys that were fun to watch.
 

Rx Realist
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I think that you and your unofficial poll may be losing interest in basketball, but basketball is not dying.

My college campus, which is not involved in the tournament this year, is nothing but talk about the tournament. Go to our gym any day of the year and there are 15 basketball courts always full.

Ice you admitted to not knowing 5 players names right? Of course you feel like basketball is dying. How can you be interested in a sport you know nothing about?

Agree with this post wholeheartedly but it seems with some of your posts that you try to take digs at basketball as a whole, Ice. I can somewhat understand why someone would not like the NBA but the NCAA tourney??

The good thing about March Madness that nearly everyone has an interest in it. I went to ODU, Skins went to VCU as well as some UF and OSU alums as well as others went to schools that are in the tourney. Even if there isnt a team thats in the tourney, there has to be someone or something to root for (or against)

In football everyone cannot say that since some schools dont even have a football team (yes they do exist).

Please tell us the demographics of this unofficial poll you made. Inquiring minds want to know.
 

RX Senior
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college basketball would be the greatest game on earth if kids went to college and stayed all 4 years. the nba shouldnt allow any kid under 21 to join the league.

back in the 70's and 80's you had 4 year dynastys that were fun to watch.
Exactly. Theres not even one brand name player in college hoops. Hasnt been for a while.
 

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Basketball aint dying. Its the second biggest sport in the world besides soccer and NBA is getting better and better IMO.
 

The Rev
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wow...far from not...ratings have been great for the NBA of late...and college basketball still has the biggest event (other than super bowl) in sports.

not too sure how this can even be talked about...especially when HOCKEY is almost flat lining in the States.
 

Rx Wizard
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I guess here is my problem: I have not or never was your typical fan. I was a FANATIC in every sense of the word. I took it to the extreme, always have as a fan. I knew everything about every team in both NBA and CBB.

I just dont sense that people take the sport as serious as they did from 10 years ago. Something is missing to me. A few of you guys hit it on the head, espically the part where guys dont play 4 years anymore in CBB. That is my whole point. There is no idenity.

Maybe I should be Joe average fan and just watch from a distance. It is all or nothing for me and like Journey said maybe their is just more distractions nowadays.

I am willing to say (the deomgraphic I talked to) that most 30-40 year olds (and believe me these guys were big time fans also) dont know 1/5 of what they used to know.

There is no question the players are bigger, stronger and faster and the talent is way better than just 10 years ago but there is no way to convince me that the fanbase across the United States is as passionate as 10 years ago. The college game has almost zero idenity. Like when the Fab Five, UNLV, Duke and those teams were there.


I aree with most statements on here about this subject. As for the gambling portion of this , no sport treats me better and there isn't one that I follow more closely betting wise. I used to think CBB and football were close for excitement but not anymore as this is NOWHERE near what it was.
 

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college basketball-Almost every college in the US has a team except for the community colleges? So that means more moms and dads watch than in college football where LOTS of small college don't have a team.

Excitement vs. Amusement (ie watching) are 2 entirely different things.
 

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Can't stand the NBA, seems like it drags on way too long. 2*20 mins in College is about right for a basketball game imo
 

Rx Realist
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I guess here is my problem: I have not or never was your typical fan. I was a FANATIC in every sense of the word. I took it to the extreme, always have as a fan. I knew everything about every team in both NBA and CBB.

I just dont sense that people take the sport as serious as they did from 10 years ago. Something is missing to me. A few of you guys hit it on the head, espically the part where guys dont play 4 years anymore in CBB. That is my whole point. There is no idenity.

Maybe I should be Joe average fan and just watch from a distance. It is all or nothing for me and like Journey said maybe their is just more distractions nowadays.

I am willing to say (the deomgraphic I talked to) that most 30-40 year olds (and believe me these guys were big time fans also) dont know 1/5 of what they used to know.

There is no question the players are bigger, stronger and faster and the talent is way better than just 10 years ago but there is no way to convince me that the fanbase across the United States is as passionate as 10 years ago. The college game has almost zero idenity. Like when the Fab Five, UNLV, Duke and those teams were there.


I aree with most statements on here about this subject. As for the gambling portion of this , no sport treats me better and there isn't one that I follow more closely betting wise. I used to think CBB and football were close for excitement but not anymore as this is NOWHERE near what it was.

No disrespect Ice, you can easily replace baseball, hockey, or football and still be correct.

The rivalries are still the same than they were 10 years ago. MSU hates Michigan, Dook hates UNC; etc, etc. As mentioned before, (and you didnt respond to it) that everyone has a rooting interest in the NCAA tourney that NCAA football lacks. I'm sorry Ice, if you cant get interested in this weekend you don't have a pulse.

I think you just replaced basketball with something else in your life
 

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