Other Sports

[psu_dad]

Yes, it's true. I have a warped sense of humor, but it's not that warped.

[Blue&White]

That's awful. I did not know that.

[psu_dad]

As for the NBA, I'm not sure how big a deal it is outside of NBA cities, but in NBA cities it's a big deal. Half the teams in the league fill their arenas to an average of more than 97% of capacity, despite many of those teams having NO CHANCE of winning the title.

When I was in HS, I could get pretty good seats for a Celtics game on the day of the game. Those days are long gone. Most Celtics games are sell-outs.

[Blue&White]

I took a friend of mine who's from the UK to a Knicks game back in 2012 or thereabouts (against the Celtics). We showed up about 10 minutes after the game started figuring we would be able to scalp tickets pretty cheap if we waited until after the game started. We were mistaken. We got a better deal on them but we still paid over face value, something like $60 for seats with a $40 price. And, the seats were way up there. I swear we went through passport control on our way to them. It was at MSG and that place is immense. It doesn't seem like it from the outside but inside it's freaking huge. We just kept going up and up and up.

Game was fun. The Knicks - and I presume most NBA teams - do a good job keeping you into the action even if you're not a fan. But, that was the first NBA game I've watched since I was a kid and it was probably the last I'll see (although I did see the Washington Generals lose a heartbreaker in the waning seconds to the Harlem Globetrotters since then. Does that count?). When it's on TV, though, I have zero interest in watching. I can't turn the channel quickly enough.

[psu_dad]

It was at MSG and that place is immense.

That's another thing that has changed. When I was younger, most NBA venues seated 12-14K. Now they seat 18-20K.

[Blue&White]

I suspect that suburban sprawl has impacted the popularity of the NBA. My dad grew up in Brooklyn and was a teenager in the 50s. He played basketball all year round. You played in the playground when it was warm and the school or YMCA gym when it was cold. But, you played all the time. Sure, you sometimes played baseball if you could get access to field that wasn't being used, but that wasn't a given. A basketball court was a given. And, as a kid, my dad watched the Knicks. It wasn't always on, but if he was home he would put it on. Mostly he would watch the playoffs. I never really played as a kid so I just never got into it.

I suspect that's true in a lot of the burbs and probably while, outside of the cities, it's not that popular anymore.

[Shore Lion]

It was at MSG and that place is immense.

That's another thing that has changed. When I was younger, most NBA venues seated 12-14K. Now they seat 18-20K.

That's in part because of more demand for seats for the games but also due to the other events that these venues host. I work as a stagehand in DC at Capital One Arena for many shows (my part-time gig). I mostly just do concerts and the occasional large event like AIPAC or Microsoft. But that place hosts about 220 events a year between sports, concerts and other things like the DC Horse Show, ice shows, various graduations etc.

[PSUgrower]

Winning an NBA championship is like a tree falling in the woods. Does anyone even watch the NBA anymore? I haven't followed basketball since the Flint Tropics were disbanded when the old ABA folded. Now, that was a team. Went out in a blaze of glory after winning the Mega Bowl. I saw the trophy they won. It was 12 feet high and it was glorious!

But, the NBA holds no interest for me. None.

NBA rating on the rise. Game is done in 2.5 hours. I DVR them so I watch them in an hour. Game on

[Carl Spackler]

I suspect the prima donna NBA types, like other sports types are the reason that the audience is dwindling. I used to watch the Sixers play Boston in the 60's when they were great games. Wilt the Stilt vs Bill Russell! Those were games on both ends of the court. Now its a run and shoot fest with little defense and fouls are a joke generally as the "stars" don't receive them for any reason and if you look cross ways at a "star" you receive a foul on your team. It has lost the connection to the high school game and even much of the college game. I lost interest long ago and when all I hear from a Cleveland tv station is LBJ day and night it becomes a bit numbing in my kindest terms. No one wants to be badgered incessantly with a personality unless you worship them, which much of Cleveland does but I never will, so that's the nail in the coffin for the NBA for this former viewer.

[PSUgrower]

Nova wins!! This team is going to be back for the most part next year. I love me some Jay Wright!! Dad, how do I celebrate 2 championships in the same year?? I am a novice at this!