[6bear6]

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish...cas-no-1-sport

Troy Aikman thinks the product may rapidly become diluted in the next few years. The NFL Network is having problems attracting subscribers and this he feels is a warning sign that too much product may be out there. He says you get games on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and late in the season also on Saturday. That's a lot of football to digest.

Los Angeles does not have a team and many here don't miss it. We get all the games, because there is no blackout rule in effect. There are so many other activities that Angelenos can take part in that the game is not missed. The same thing cannot be said about Pittsburgh or Minneapolis or Buffalo in November and December.

In contrast, college football is rigidly constrained to a specific period of time. It makes each game all that more important and interesting. With the new Pac12 Network, I hope we won't be diluting a great sport. Probably not, in that it encompasses all the college sports, not just football and basketball.

[ohsooso]

Yeah, in like 1990.

[BobbyGBear]

I don't like Troy Aikman but I agree with him on this.

[59bear]

My interest in the pro game has definitely declined over the years, to the point where I only watch a minority of the games available and only if I feel a tie (e.g., 49'ers, AR, etc) or if it's a really compelling match-up. Some of this I equate with the way the game is played (too pass heavy), some free-agency (roster churning dilutes team allegiance), some the ridiculous compensation demanded/offered players, some the Diva culture afflicting all pro sports and entertainment generally. Probably "information overload" underlies much of my dissatisfaction. I'm sure plenty of this S*** went on in the old days but, as fans, we were shielded from a lot, maybe most. It's hard to get to caught up in these guys with all their warts out there for all to see.

[okaydo]

Originally Posted by BobbyGBear

I don't like Troy Aikman but I agree with him on this.

I like Troy Aikman but I disagree with him on this.

[SacCityBear]

Unless he thinks that interest will decrease in sports, I'm not sure where he expects the interest to go. The NBA and MLB have the same overexposure issue along with the issue of a massively uneven playing field, so it cannot go there.

I suppose it could shift to college sports, but I doubt it goes that way.

[6bear6]

Originally Posted by SacCityBear

Unless he thinks that interest will decrease in sports, I'm not sure where he expects the interest to go. The NBA and MLB have the same overexposure issue along with the issue of a massively uneven playing field, so it cannot go there.

I suppose it could shift to college sports, but I doubt it goes that way.

I'm no fan, but what about soccer? An ever enlarging Latino population in the US, coupled with many immigrants from Europe and Asia. It could be the wave of the future.

[SacCityBear]

Originally Posted by 6bear6

I'm no fan, but what about soccer? An ever enlarging Latino population in the US, coupled with many immigrants from Europe and Asia. It could be the wave of the future.

Until they get rid of the off-sides rule in soccer which is one of the worst rules in sports, I doubt soccer becomes a mainstream sport in the U.S.

[GB54]

I think he is confusing over exposure with popularity. The league is probably over exposed and as a result ratings may suffer for some games but the league is still fantastically popular; in addition the league is probably the best run of all sports leagues. The college game is similar; you can see any number of crappy games all over tv, all day but people are still going to turn out and watch rival and big games in person and on tv.

[oddlou]

Originally Posted by 6bear6

I'm no fan, but what about soccer? An ever enlarging Latino population in the US, coupled with many immigrants from Europe and Asia. It could be the wave of the future.

I am a huge fan of soccer and the NFL...and soccer has been the wave of the future since the 1970s. The NFL isn't going anywhere any time soon. As a child of (now American) Mexican immigrants, I can tell you that, while keeping a love for soccer, most Latino immigrants and their children grow to love the NFL as much as the rest of Americans.

[GranadaHillsBear]

Originally Posted by SacCityBear

Until they get rid of the off-sides rule in soccer which is one of the worst rules in sports, I doubt soccer becomes a mainstream sport in the U.S.

I think the failure to stamp out the obvious flopping and fake injuries complete with the ridiculous stretchers is an even bigger turnoff to Americans.

[Brainsmile]

You mean like how we have 9,824 college bowl games?

[kiddynamite]

Why would anyone watch a full NFL game with those pesky things like huddles, commercials, and time outs when you can just watch the greatest channel ever-NFL Redzone?

Redzone has every game, no commercial, and non-stop action. Its beautiful.

[FingeroftheBear]

Everything runs on a cycle so decline will happen.

IMO the problem with the NFL is the planned parity, over-engineering of its brand and a communist cartel of super rich guys asking for public funding for private enterprise.

The parity thing is goofy and the branding thing is gross and both are based on the NASCAR business model. The thing is NASCAR is in heavy decline right now so you can look at it and apply it to the NFL.

[SacCityBear]

The NFL's parity is goofy? I could see how the shifting rosters could get frustrating, but I'd say that is infinitely better than sports where only the teams with the richest owners who are willing to go tens of millions into the red each year can compete for a championship.

With the exception of the most mismanaged teams, every NFL team has a chance of making the playofffs each year and that is great for keeping fans interested. I can't even imagine how small market MLB fans can maintain interest in a sport in which their team is almost guaranteed to never have any success.