Wynalda tell hime Rome to suck his ****!

I don't agree with what he's saying, Chuck, but the NBA truly can't afford many more missteps. It's not the same rock-solid league that is was with Jordan in his prime. And I think back then, the NBA was No. 2; now it's No. 3.

 

Chuck, you've proven not to have a clue when it comes to baseball, so lets just leave that one alone, mmmkay?

 

I just don't think they could afford a stirke on the scale of the latest hockey strike. Basketball is losing ground as the pick up sport du jour in urban areas in this country. Am I saying this will happen? No, but it is certainly possible if soccer continues the path it has taken in the past five years.

 

True. But I think the NBA's reformation is inevitable. Yeah, it dosn't look like it right now, but 20 years from now, the NBA will extremely popular. Not only here, but around the world.

 

See, this is an example. You're just like one of those baseball fans who keep thinking that there's nothing wrong with baseball. Wakeup Zeke, no kid wants to play baseball. It's just not popular. 20 years from now, the MLB will be screwed.

 

What path, Matt? MLS has trouble filling 20,000-seat stadiums, and an outdoor sport with a limited schedule has to do better than that. The NASL tried the small-stadium approach for a while, and it did not work.

And Chuck, your argument is more of an argument in favor of overseas leagues becoming more popular.

 

No kid you know wants to play baseball, Chuck. You don't speak for the entire country.

I dislike baseball, but even I can admit it's pretty safe as far as popularity goes.

 

As far as baseball, there are tons of little leagues and traveling teams, and Khoury Leagues, and Cal Ripken Leagues, and Dizzy Dean Leagues, and so on. Plus it is growing among hispanics. If your argument was strictly the popularity among African-Americans, you probably have a point.

 

Chuck, you're clueless.

That worldwide audience that you keep predicting for the NBA? Baseball already has it.

Baseball sells more tickets every year. Record numbers at the ballparks.

Where do you get this information that kids don't play baseball? What are you basing your argument on? The fact that you didn't play baseball?

It's truly ridiculous.

 

I'm curious to know the popularity for little league is these days.
Come on now. Find me one kid who'd rather go and watch their high school's baseball team rather than their football or basketball team.

 

Well, that's because kids would rather be doing stuff in the spring than watching sports. Spring sports in general aren't good draws. Apples and oranges and pears.

 

But as soccer haters will tell you, popularity around the world means ZERO in the US.

The MLS reportedly sold $150M in merchandise last year. Sure, that's 1/10th of the NFL's sales figures but it's a nice chunk of change.