Why Doesn't The NBA Sell the Game Instead of Stars

[Wurider2004]

You figure that they would have learened their after Jordan Left the game. I see the damn tv scheldue and it is all lakers, cavs, and Heat. shouldn't they promote the league as a whole?? That is why the NBA is in the shape that it is in right now. what if Kobe goes to jail (a high probability). Just look at the NFL-the number one league in the world and look at their marketing. If they sell the game instead of selling it as the sport that Kobe plays or the sport that the Lakers play they wouldn't have to worry about sagging ratings. they could have one of the stations offering the best matchup. What if the Lkaers or heat suffer a disappointing season then we will be stuck with crappy games. Th league is heading for doom. I would rather see a good game rather than so-called superstars in what is the ultimate team sport. Then they wonder why some fans and players accuse the league of wanting certain teams to succeed (lakers) and some others not too. Remember when they changed the number of first round games when it looked as if the Lakers weren't going to waltz to the finals.

[TheDude]

here here.

they think they have to sell the stars but honestly, giving some sort of variety would be a better method. i personally like to see other teams play even if they're only halfway decent just to see their players...

plus with fantasy basketball rising people like to see their players play.

[Diesel]

Stern made the game what it is today by marketing Stars and not the teams.

He marketed Magic instead of the Lakers and Bird instead of the Celtics. He hated Detroit because they marketed themselves as "The bad boys". Then came Jordan. Jordan carried the game to where it is now, really beyond where it is now.

So Stern is waiting for more stars.

He got them..

KG, Tmac, Duncan, Mello, Bron, Wade, and Hinrich.

Right now, the league has more marketable stars than ever...

Unfortunately, J-Smooth will have to prove to be Dominique before Atlanta recieves any love from Stern and his croonies. The reason is because ABC/ESPN/TNT pays for viewership, not for the purity of the game.

SO we will see more:

Minn, Houston, San Anton, Denver, Cleveland, Miami, and Chicago games than we will see Atlanta, Utah, and Seattle games...

[Plainview1981]

Because the NBA isnt real basketball. It seems most

people prefer the college game over the NBA game and

this has to be part of the reason.

[Weez]

people prefer the college game, in general, more than the pros because the follow TEAMS not stars. Stars are traded, they get older...thus, eventually, your "team" is without the reason that you followed them in the first place (aka the star).

I'm slightly different. I gave up trying to follow college ball to a large degree...cause I couldnt' follow the team anymore, as most players there just did a quick stent and moved on to the NBA. It got tiresome, trying to see the program rebuild on the fly, not be able to anticipate any sort of future...cause their best players would be leaving sooner rather than later. See Melo. Steph. the list goes on, and on, and on...

how the NBA can work on changing this...I'm not sure. I'd love to hear some ideas. THe one idea I do agree in his Fantasy sports. I joined my first fantasy baseball league this year, for one simple reason: that I realized I didn't follow players/teams/the game much beyong what sportscenter showed me...and therefore could understand a lot of what friends were talking about, thigns that were happening, etc. It's been good for me, it's why I joined. now Iknow how certain gys are doing...and I look to see who's around them, affecting their performance.

[Diesel]

I don't believe this crap about People liking the "real" basketball over the NBA for if this were true, the WNBA would be huge.

NCAA is easy to explain.

A lot of people go to college and thus they affliate themselve s with a school or conference. That's very easy to do. I went to VA Tech so I have lots of Love for the Hokies and M Vick and now ACC Football (not that I didn't like it before).

That same is true of a lot of others.... There are a lot of GA Tech Fans on this board. They would love to see the Hawks get:

Travis Best, Jon Barry, Kenny Anderson, Matt Harpring, Chris Bosh, or Marbury...

Ask them.

If Antoine Walker/1st could get us Marbury, people would praise the ground that BK walked on. IF he followed that by sending Diaw/2 1st to Toronto for Chris Bosh... BK would have a 24 hour parade going on in his honor...

Stern had hoped the college game would be included into the pro settings for such a purpose. That's why he wanted James to go to Cleveland and Howard to go to a team in the South.

[Plainview1981]

basketball over the NBA for if this were true, the WNBA would be huge."

The WNBA is just bad and it has women...Not even attractive

women. That's why nobody watches it.

"If Antoine Walker/1st could get us Marbury, people would praise the ground that BK walked on. IF he followed that by sending Diaw/2 1st to Toronto for Chris Bosh... BK would have a 24 hour parade going on in his honor...

Stern had hoped the college game would be included into the pro settings for such a purpose. That's why he wanted James to go to Cleveland and Howard to go to a team in the South."

Right....right.... those stands would surely fill. Surely

you don't really believe that.

[Diesel]

Quote:

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The WNBA is just bad and it has women.

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IF you were a basketball "Purist" you would be watching. The games are not bad. Not bad at all. They have some really good players. They are very disciplined and they run plays that I wish the NBA could run.

I bet the USA womens team won't lose a game this year?!

Fundamentally, those women play really good ball, whereas the guys don't. A PG in the WNBA knows what to do and how to create.

You might not see a dunk, but you will see good basketball.

[Plainview1981]

IF you were a basketball "Purist" you would be watching. The games are not bad. Not bad at all. They have some really good players. They are very disciplined and they run plays that I wish the NBA could run.

I bet the USA womens team won't lose a game this year?!"

It might be pure..... But the games still are not taken

seriousally by most because they are women. If it's the

right way to look at it or not I don't know. But, most

people just don't take the WNBA seriousally. I've watched

a game or two and even though it is more pure than the

NBA the games are still bad.

[KB21]

In college, it's all about the name on the front of the jersey.

In the pros, it's all about the name on the back of the jersey.

[macdaddy]

The good WNBA teams play really good ball. If the league sticks it out it will become successful and it will produce better and better players. People forget that the men's pro leagues have been in development for 50-100 years (in the case of baseball) and you know when they first started play was not that great. You can't expect a pro sports league to be wildly popular in just a few years.

Most NBA fans just want to see the marquee players. Just look at the attendance.

People like to watch the college game because the players don't get paid and its easier to understand. I don't like it that much because they get too many uncontested shots and layups. People used to complain about the NBA not playing defense but now players have to fight to get open jumpers. 20 years ago there were 15 footers to be had.

[Packfill]

Sadly (for the NBA), this is true. I am from the northeast and became a Hawks fan originially because of Dominique, Doc and Spud. After they left, I questioned why I remain a fan, but for some reason I still do. I am partial to the Knicks because they are my local team, but even during the peek Patrick Ewing days the Hawks still remained number one. The only Hawks games I have seen in person were at MSG, the Hartford Civic Center and Boston Garden.

Unfortunately there is very little loyalty in sports anymore, let alone in life.

[AHF]

I think the NBA is improving since they eliminated a lot of the ARTICIFICIAL play from the NBA's illegal defense rules. That is why I always preferred the college game - you didn't see two guys going one on one while everyone else stood around on the other side of the court. I love the NBA's athleticism but it is even better when you also reward team defense and ball movement on offense.

[Nicholasp27]

Quote:

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If Antoine Walker/1st could get us Marbury, people would praise the ground that BK walked on. IF he followed that by sending Diaw/2 1st to Toronto for Chris Bosh... BK would have a 24 hour parade going on in his honor...

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we'd like that, whether we follow Tech or not...

Marbury/Delk/Ivey

Chill/Delk/Danta

Harrington/Smooth/CC

Bosh/CC

Dampier/Collier

altho, now that ny got crawford, marbury is more expendable...prolly only for VC tho, not walker