[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Thanks for taking my invitation to flame away. I appreciate your point of view but you really couldn't be further from the point as to what I am thinking or why I wrote the post.

Given your ability to decide for me how I am thinking I'm sure this response will result in some totally off base response from you. That's okay. Go for it if you must.

First, it's not strange at all to post something in an off topic forum and then explain why you feel that way. That's all I did here.

Second, your boiling it down comment is just plain off base. I am not one of those who is frozen in the past and hates everything new and wishes everything is as it used to be in the "good old days". That kind of thinking is not realistic. Things change and nothing is going to stop change. Living in the past and hating the future does not make sense to me at all. Why hate what precious time we have left on this earth because it isn't the same as it was before? Not me. Never once did I say pro sports should be like it used to be so I would be happy. I just said it can't keep on its current trajectory without some type of financial implosion. I don't expect pro sports to change for me. I simply won't partake anymore. They are free to dispense a product of their liking and I am free to not buy it. It's really that simple

Lastly, I posted because I was interested in knowing whether or not there are other forum members who are also fed up with what pro sports has become.

I suspect we probably agree more than you think. The amount of money in pro sports is ridiculous.

Since I'm an NBA guy, one of the things that cracks me up is all the players wanting a shorter season..........but they never seem to admit less games should equal less money. Or that means tickets will become even more expensive if they want to earn the same yearly salary for fewer games.

I was looking at a 10 game package for the fiance and I for the Thunder. $2500 for decent tickets.

Although now that I think about it, that's less per game than what we pay for season tickets to OK ST football. But that's supporting our Alma Mater, so I don't mind as much.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

I suspect we probably agree more than you think. The amount of money in pro sports is ridiculous.

Since I'm an NBA guy, one of the things that cracks me up is all the players wanting a shorter season..........but they never seem to admit less games should equal less money. Or that means tickets will become even more expensive if they want to earn the same yearly salary for fewer games.

I was looking at a 10 game package for the fiance and I for the Thunder. $2500 for decent tickets.

Although now that I think about it, that's less per game than what we pay for season tickets to OK ST football. But that's supporting our Alma Mater, so I don't mind as much.

Well put.

At some point, something has to give. This notion that athletes are worth more because somebody else got a bigger contract is flawed when viewed in the long term. At some point, the prices of seeing a game in person or on a flat screen will be past even the most diehard fans such as yourself.

Fans continue to feed the greed. I get that. But until they stop, it will keep getting worse.

I suppose I'm part of the problem too. I took my grandson to a NHRA drag race in Sonoma yesterday. The ticket prices were fine at $75 for me and $25 for him. Even the NHRA hat for him was fine at $28. It looks great and he loves it. But, I stood in line for 20 minutes to get my grandson a hotdog and curly fries. $19 for one hot dog and another $19 for the curly fries (a brick and it's huge). No smaller choice available. Sadly, I paid it, paving the way for $22 hot dogs next year.

All in all, we had a great so no regrets.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

I suspect we probably agree more than you think. The amount of money in pro sports is ridiculous.

Since I'm an NBA guy, one of the things that cracks me up is all the players wanting a shorter season..........but they never seem to admit less games should equal less money. Or that means tickets will become even more expensive if they want to earn the same yearly salary for fewer games.

I was looking at a 10 game package for the fiance and I for the Thunder. $2500 for decent tickets.

Although now that I think about it, that's less per game than what we pay for season tickets to OK ST football. But that's supporting our Alma Mater, so I don't mind as much.

ticket sales make up a very small portion of the revenue. its all the sponsorships and tv/media deals that bring in the big bucks.

nba made $10bill last season. only about $50mill was from tickets.

like it or not, the nba/nfl are going to continue to make a ton of money off media deals and athletes will be getting more and more money because of it

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

ticket sales make up a very small portion of the revenue. its all the sponsorships and tv/media deals that bring in the big bucks.

nba made $10bill last season. only about $50mill was from tickets.

like it or not, the nba/nfl are going to continue to make a ton of money off media deals and athletes will be getting more and more money because of it

Oh I know, but still it's pretty crazy the money that is generated from ad revenue, which is why the TV contracts are so lucrative.

The valuations are also pretty crazy. For my home town team, it's crazy to think that Clay Bennett paid $350 million for the Supersonics and in less than two decades the team is valued at $1.7 billion.

[eliphil]

This is all indicative of how screwed up our culture has become and its getting worse. Pro Sports are the least of my worries, its something any of us can ignore if we want but I am going to continue to watch and not complain. I will continue to scratch my head about the high salaries, lack of effort by many athletes, analytics making baseball and basketball far less enjoyable, boring regular seasons in basketball amongst other things.............

[AmuroRay]

Originally Posted by damack

Pro sports...I watch for the entertainment. I watch the game. I don't really care what player x did last week, if player y is a good person. Who cares? I'm entertained by the game and don't really care what's going on off the track, court, field, pitch, ice etc.

This.
it's their job and I encourage them to do what's best for themselves, as the owners and coaches have no loyalty and are even more self centered.

[UncleWede]

And yet, I still went to Dodger stadium yesterday. Took my youngest son (22) and his GF. When he got to the seats, he complained to mom "I spent almost $90 on 2 hotdogs, 2 sodas, and your nachos"
Yeah, you didn't even bring me a Ranch Water either, you'd have been over 100 then.

[eliphil]

yup u cant complain if u go pay the prices

[Germanauto]

I'm mostly with you man, but most of my ire is directed at the NBA. I used to follow basketball religiously, then when Lebron pulled his super team bs and Adam Silver became Commissioner, the league changed entirely. The game isn't the same and nor is the culture. The players I enjoyed watching during my youth retired, the new players are very self-centered in comparison and have far too much empower thanks to Silver's pussy a$$. They take nights off despite fans spending hundreds just to walk through the door, they jump ship from team to team, and worst of all they turned the league into a social justice/political circus. Their antics of 2020 was the final straw for me.

I'm still firm in the camp that sports should be a reprieve from all the political shitfest in our world. It has always been something that united us fans and players regardless of our personal differences. But nothing can be holy anymore in today's American society. EVERYTHING must be politicized, even my hobbies.

And in general, I just care about sports less than I used to. As I grew older I realized it's just another industry meant to extract my money. I do still enjoy the NFL and NCAA F (Go Blue). I've given up hope of my Lions ever winning anything, so I don't get as emotionally invested anymore. The NFL flag shit was bothersome but overall I feel the league did a much better job handling it than the NBA did.

[aj_g80]

had the same sentiments actually. Players in pro sports get paid way too much. Period. And all of them are whiners.

[aj_g80]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

I suspect we probably agree more than you think. The amount of money in pro sports is ridiculous.

Since I'm an NBA guy, one of the things that cracks me up is all the players wanting a shorter season..........but they never seem to admit less games should equal less money. Or that means tickets will become even more expensive if they want to earn the same yearly salary for fewer games.

I was looking at a 10 game package for the fiance and I for the Thunder. $2500 for decent tickets.

Although now that I think about it, that's less per game than what we pay for season tickets to OK ST football. But that's supporting our Alma Mater, so I don't mind as much.

Well college isn't much that far off from ripping people off than pro sports games either. Let's be honest.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by aj_g80

Well college isn't much that far off from ripping people off than pro sports games either. Let's be honest.

Yes, but that last sentence of what you quoted is key.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

While its the biggest total amount ever, its #10 in average salary per year. For a 23yo who is one of the best in the league, its a pretty big lowball offer by the nationals. its $14mill per year less than the #1 guy, and pretty much everyone agrees he should be paid top dollar, if not more than top dollar. He'll get $440mill/10years or more most likely.

Thanks for saying it....YES, it seems like a ton of money but in the grand scheme of MLB contracts he was getting low-balled (by a crappy team, at that). He can go to a big market team, make more, and actually win.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

I'm mostly with you man, but most of my ire is directed at the NBA. I used to follow basketball religiously, then when Lebron pulled his super team bs and Adam Silver became Commissioner, the league changed entirely. The game isn't the same and nor is the culture. The players I enjoyed watching during my youth retired, the new players are very self-centered in comparison and have far too much empower thanks to Silver's pussy a$$. They take nights off despite fans spending hundreds just to walk through the door, they jump ship from team to team, and worst of all they turned the league into a social justice/political circus. Their antics of 2020 was the final straw for me.

I'm still firm in the camp that sports should be a reprieve from all the political shitfest in our world. It has always been something that united us fans and players regardless of our personal differences. But nothing can be holy anymore in today's American society. EVERYTHING must be politicized, even my hobbies.

And in general, I just care about sports less than I used to. As I grew older I realized it's just another industry meant to extract my money. I do still enjoy the NFL and NCAA F (Go Blue). I've given up hope of my Lions ever winning anything, so I don't get as emotionally invested anymore. The NFL flag shit was bothersome but overall I feel the league did a much better job handling it than the NBA did.

I get your sentiment but the great thing about sports is there is a difference between the actual champions every year and the "paper champions". How were Lebron's GM skills last year? Not very good. How did Kevin Durant and his "superteam" do?

Those types of things rarely actually work out.

Same in baseball and football...the super stacked teams and those who spend the most rarely win.

[cotmfk]

Lots of viewpoints I agree with in this thread.

I think free agency is part of the problem. Not only did it help encourage exorbitant salaries, but it also made it so the casual fan doesn't know who is on their team from one year to the next. Players used to be developed by and stay with a certain team for their career. That is a rarity now.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

Lots of viewpoints I agree with in this thread.

I think free agency is part of the problem. Not only did it help encourage exorbitant salaries, but it also made it so the casual fan doesn't know who is on their team from one year to the next. Players used to be developed by and stay with a certain team for their career. That is a rarity now.

Well put. It is what it is and good for the players for getting all they can, but modern pro sports do not have teams anymore. Instead, they have a momentary assemblage of players. What fans have to root for is the brand, because the actual players move though a revolving door. To actually get to know they players when you go to a game, you get to spend $30 or more on a program to see who they've changed since the last time. This whole mess is a hard hell no for me.

[mikado463]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Will he play better if they pay him more?

LOL, I was thinking the same thing !

As someone in their late sixties my caring for professional sports has long subsided. I got far greater enjoyment watching my grandson get to within one game of going to Williamsport this year for the LLWS.

[garyfried]

I only watch sports that are on TV and are included in my monthly payment. Obviously I do pay something but minimal compared to streaming.

But the bottom line is professional sports are nothing but a business. The players are over payed compared to any other tradesmen or professional. I would rather pay millions a year to a cardiac surgeon than a hockey player anytime.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by garyfried

I only watch sports that are on TV and are included in my monthly payment. Obviously I do pay something but minimal compared to streaming.

But the bottom line is professional sports are nothing but a business. The players are over payed compared to any other tradesmen or professional. I would rather pay millions a year to a cardiac surgeon than a hockey player anytime.

to be fair, there are ~4k cardiothoracic surgeons in the USA and only about 700 players in the NHL. So just by that a lone, NHL level players are in much shorter supply. And the NHL brings in over $2billion a year, mainly due to its players. Theres a reason they are paid what they are paid. Its not because they are saving lives or are "necessary" in society, its because only a few can do it, and they generate a ton of money.

[ASAP]

You need to ask yourself... when shit hit the fan during Covid how valuable were athletes or frankly any entertainers? It was literally back of the line for them... why? because they are in to way needed other than to occupy our time

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by ASAP

You need to ask yourself... when shit hit the fan during Covid how valuable were athletes or frankly any entertainers? It was literally back of the line for them... why? because they are in to way needed other than to occupy our time

how many professional leagues shut down from covid? NBA kept playing, MLB played, NHL played and the NFL played.

if anything, they helped a good chunk of the country forget about all the shit that was going on at the time.

They arent necessary, but there is a reason they are the most popular thing on the planet.

[F32Fleet]

Professional sports appeal to the basic human trait of tribalism. It's hard to shake that unless you're borderline sociopath.