NBA Playoffs

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by taboga, May 12, 2007.

  1. taboga

    taboga Member

    Dec 17, 2005
    When I look at the NBA playoffs it makes me think about all those European athletes who have decided to play a much cooler and hip game called basketball. Not only is basketball more accesible to inner cities but it is much more fast pace than soccer will ever be. Just look at the facts atleast 25 % of NBA players are foreign born. Is that not a sign for the future when basketball will be dominated by France (Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Pietrus), Spain(Garbajosa, Gasol, Calderon), Germany (lol Dirk Norwitzki), and all the rest of the world. Does this mean that basetball will eventually become more popular than soccer in say 20 to 25 years from now. Heck just look at baseball during the peak of its popularity in the 1950s and 1960s and notice how American football took over as the most popular sport during the late 70s up to now. As websites like Youtube show up and the access to other sports in the world all by internet it seems that basketball will become the most popular sport in the world especially since China and its 1.3 billion people country buy each year over 200 million NBA related products each year! I hate to say this guys but there is no doubt that basketball will take over Europe and Asia in the future. OH by the way there will be a new "Yao in the NBA draft who can run and gun like the Phoenix Suns" Check these links out if you don't belleive what I am saying! Oh by the way I am a Dynamo fan and would rather watch MLS games over baseball and football. I am just trying to inform all of you "old school soccer fans about the reality of basketball taking over the world" Give or take 20 to 30 years.

    http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php/NBA_in_China
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6plJTvMW04
     
  2. Microwave

    Microwave New Member

    Sep 22, 1999
    After seeing the Euro playoffs, it appears that Basketball is close to Soccer in popularity, those fans are crazy! Panathinaikos

    [​IMG]
     
  3. taboga

    taboga Member

    Dec 17, 2005
    And On TOP of that there are European players turning down offers from the NBA! This is because teams in Europe are paying more for their players than ever before! I am glad you put that picture above!
     
  4. MUTINYFAN

    MUTINYFAN Member

    Apr 18, 1999
    Orlando
    Yeah soccer sucks. It is behind the times when it comes to rules and such. I mean what other sport gives a team a point for a 0-0 tie. Soccer will go the way of boxing and horse racing.
     
  5. el chingon

    el chingon Member

    Dec 31, 2005
    Chicago
    Club:
    Club América
    No way Basketball will reach soccer's popularity.
     
  6. Azuran

    Azuran Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Toronto, ON
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    More like Irk "I like kicking exercise bikes because I choke all the time in important games and TV commercials" Nowitzki.
     
  7. taboga

    taboga Member

    Dec 17, 2005
    The NBA Playoffs this year have been very exciting to watch. I wish MLS could some how make the game more energetic or more fast pace where scoring is more rewarding than defending. Notice how the NBA allowed zone defense starting in 2003 and ever since then scoring and speed of the NBA has gone up significantly and all the slow pace teams are losing. (AKA my Houston Rockets....Go away Jeff Van Gundy! Bring in a Don Nelson!) I still love soccer but I must admit that I will always love basketball just a little more. Sorry guys, this comes from a person who has played both division 1 club soccer and division 1 AAU basketball so I have seen it all. But I will say this soccer should and will be more popular than baseball and hockey in 20 to 30 years time. Well soccer is already more popular than hockey! lol There is no question behind that!
     
  8. mrecint

    mrecint New Member

    May 31, 2006
    Fishers, IN
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Actually, if both defenses hold off a goal, it's deserving a point. Just because there is no score doesn't mean it's not deserving. Now if both teams score on own goals...I don't think that deserves a point (Denver/RSL)

    I like the tie rule too... Look at the top of the tables in EPL and La Liga. Then think of how much the table race would be boring if the teams were just Win/Lose... the 3,1 or 0 point games really gets fans to follow other games.

    I love the pace of basketball...MLS mostly isn't exciting to me...yet. But the LA/Revs game was ok. But I'd rank up an EPL game up there with and NBA pace. They really go at it in Premier. That last Arsenal/Chelsea game was fantastic.
     
  9. SideshowBob

    SideshowBob Member

    Jan 12, 2007
    Maryland
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Greece is particularly known for its enthusiastic basketball followings. The sport certainly is on the rise there, but I wouldn't base too much on the Euroleague atmosphere compared to general enthusiasm. That's like using the World Cup 1996 to descibe the consensus attitude towards soccer in the US.
     
  10. MUTINYFAN

    MUTINYFAN Member

    Apr 18, 1999
    Orlando
    Well basketball has been very popular in Greece since the late 80s. It is not a recent phenomena. I remember in 1988, there was much euphoria in the country when the national team went to the semis of the Euro Championships. For a while it seemed like basketball was going to overtake soccer during the 90s, h-v Euro 2002 put soccer back in the forefront.

    The problem with Greek soccer is that the same team seems to win year after year and the local game is filled with corruption and crowd violence.
     
  11. MUTINYFAN

    MUTINYFAN Member

    Apr 18, 1999
    Orlando
    I always am of the assumption that scoring is the whole point of any sport. If you can't score then there should be no points. Defensive displays to obtain an away tie do not make the highlights. People don't pay to see defenders and goalies.
     
  12. taboga

    taboga Member

    Dec 17, 2005
    I agree that Champions League is very fast pace like basketball but most soccer matches will never replicate the speed and quickness of basketball.
     
  13. MNAFETSC

    MNAFETSC Member

    Feb 5, 2000
    Blacksburg
    It is the fastest growing sport in the world so dont ever say never...
     
  14. shookem

    shookem New Member

    Jan 18, 2007
    Toronto
    They are paying better but the horrible buyouts teams put on players contracts does more to prevent euro players from coming into the NBA. The best do anyway. Who cares if Fran Vaquez (sp?) doesn't want to play for the Magic, most still want to make it in the NBA. That's not to say euro domestic leagues aren't thriving because as you suggested, they seem to be.
     
  15. Salop

    Salop New Member

    Nov 11, 2006
    Shrewsbury, UK
    Basketball's growing in popularity in a few countries but by no means Europe wide. I don't doubt that it's popularity will continue to grow, I just don't think it'll be at the expense of football. As far as I'm aware, a high number of the clubs are off shoots of existing football clubs and a lot of the rivalry between clubs relates to football fans looking for another excuse to have a go at their rivals (this is particularly true in Greece).
     
  16. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Is that true that "at least 25% of NBA players" are foriegn born?
     
  17. davideyak

    davideyak New Member

    Dec 13, 2006
    The major problem with basketball is that it is too easy to gain points and therefore it doesn't represent a big deal when it happens. A lot is made of goal-less draws in soccer but these games can sometimes be very tense as there is always a chance of a team breaking out and scoring a goal particularly in the closing stages of a game. On the other hand, in a game of basketball if say a team is 82 to 61 up then you might as well go home early.
     
  18. shookem

    shookem New Member

    Jan 18, 2007
    Toronto
    I'd rather be down 82-61 than I would three or four nothing in a soccer game.
     
  19. MUTINYFAN

    MUTINYFAN Member

    Apr 18, 1999
    Orlando
    I like basketball alot. H-v, for some reason, IMHO outdoor sports tend to have more passion than indoor sports.
     
  20. Shopping Cart Man

    Sep 21, 2006
    Jacksonville, FL
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Worldwide, basketball can easily reach soccer's popularity with time. But I think they face the same challenge we have here in MLS: keeping their best players home. Doing that could boost popularity significantly.

    The advantage global soccer has over basketball is the urgency that exists throughout the season. With fewer games during the season, the urgency and pressure exists in every soccer game. NBA games are often shootaround sessions up untill the final minutes.

    Basketball and soccer can coexist around the world; it's not like one sport's popularity depends on the other sport's downfall.
     
  21. stingbee30

    stingbee30 Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    Yes, basketball was growing at a faster pace in the late 1980s and 1990s. The reason was players like Michael Jordan taking the game to another level. However, the passion that there is for soccer games is far superior that Basketball. When the World Cup comes around, almost everything comes to standstill in majority of the European countries. The NBA finals was outscored by the 2006 World Cup ratings in the USA. The 2007 playoffs for NBA is actully down on ABC and ESPN. In key Demos, it is either flat or down a little from last year. NBA finals don't get the same ratings anymore when you had players like Jordan. While in 2006-2007 season, NBA did very well in Attendance, and i believe with an average capacity attendance in 90%. But, the ratings for NBA playoffs and Finals are way down from its peak years. As for NBA finals, it is only watched by 200-250 million at most. The World Cup is 3-4 times higher NBA.

    In china, the world's most populated country, World Cup soccer ratings were huge. In India, the last world cup was seen by more people than ever. The point is that Basketball will always be #2 behind soccer. In most countries, Futbol is part of their lives and it is in there genes. It is a religion and a passion that cannot be duplicated by any other sport.
     
  22. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Easily reach soccer's popularity?
     
  23. TFC4LIFE

    TFC4LIFE New Member

    May 12, 2007
    Milwaukee
    Put $20-50 bucks down on an NCAA Basketball pool.. Watch your team winning 82-61 and watch as in the final 15 minutes.. you slowly are dismantled to a score of 90-92..

    I love soccer.. I love the tension and the release of finally nailing that goal..

    However, basketball is not to be taken lightly.. The chinese love it and frankly, what the chinese do in the next 10-20 yrs will pretty much control tons of companies and their support of the game.. ie. Nike, Adidas, etc.. 2 billion people is just too good to pass up..

    The real reason I like watching soccer though is the Champions League and the World Cup.. and the chance to see teams promoted and demoted..

    If only that could happen in the NBA in the US....
     
  24. TFC4LIFE

    TFC4LIFE New Member

    May 12, 2007
    Milwaukee

    Exactly, there are tons of case studies on how the league rose to stardom during the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird era.. continued skyrocketing during the Jordan era.. and then has been on a free fall since..

    Hence.. DP in the MLS should not be good defenders.. but FLASHY Players who people can be entertained by...

    The NBA has stars these days but none that can match the iconic silhouette of Jordan dunking.. You could show that silhouette to kids in Ghana and they would instantly say.. Michael Jordan...

    Philadelphia's attendence has gone down since Allen Iverson has left...
    Some presidential hopeful was boo'd off the stage for saying that Manning was the best quarterback... in the most rabbid football area in the US.. Packerland.. ie. Favre's temple..


    In the world cup, each country has at least one STAR that they hope can save the team.. MLS needs one for each team.. and needs them to get marketed so they become a common name around the city..
     
  25. kebzach

    kebzach Member

    Dec 30, 2000
    Greenfield, WI
    And I don't think that newfangled thing called a television will last too long either.
     

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