Yeah I think starting to soon, starting then having to stop, or starting with controversy such as NBA hogging testing could harm long term. Delaying the start or canceling the season won't hurt long term but it will hurt in the short term.
Not sure if I agree. The longer an entertainment venue is out-of-sight / out-of-mind, the more people will find other things to do their “entertainment time”. There are so many outlets for entertainment at this point that they could lose big chunks of fans just who fall off because they found something else to do. Only the less casual fans are “itching” for sports to return, others have probably discovered things to do already. Its why the NFL does what they do, and the NBA has always tried to emulate it, make it so there is news year round so they never really exit peoples minds. The NBA will probably be fime, but doesnt seem far-fetched to think their presence will diminish if they lose a season or more.
it's not a comparison of the sports as much as which is sustainable financially...we're going to see changes in entertainment practices in my view...particularly in the way we participate amd the travel ..music changed from giant bands to trios in the 50s....the economy just couldn't support big bands anymore..that is what I think we don't want to see happen but is entirely possible
It seems like from almost every article I read that the thought is to restart the league around July and have the playoffs wrap up in September. I think the Disney World bubble venue makes the most sense. By then, there should be enough tests available that the league won't look bad by doing the constant testing that will be needed. I also think that a play-in along the lines of @Wizard Mentor 's suggestion makes the most sense. There isn't enough time to play out the regular season and there's no reason to play for the teams like the Warriors who are out of contention, or the other bad teams who have no realistic shot at making the playoffs anyway.
Yup, we disagree. Of course they've found other things to do--so have the "hardcore" fans. They have to find other things to do because there is no basketball. They do that every year when the NBA is in the off-season too. Finding things to do while there's no basketball doesn't mean that when basketball returns they decide "Well, I found other things to do when there wasn't any--I'm done with basketball." If the league disappeared for 5-10 years, maybe everyone would lose interest permanently. Even then, I doubt it. I think when basketball came back, people would start watching again. A partial season lost, or even a full season lost, is not going to be the end of the NBA.
This will be like a lockout season...my question is whether they feel the need to alter the way it's viewed and scheduled...I think they will change a lot of things we've grown used to
But the NBA wasn't struggling. It was doing extremely well. It's not in hiatus now because "the economy can't support it" or because it's having financial issues. It's in hiatus because we have a global pandemic and it's not safe for players or fans to congregate. So I don't understand how you think this is an issue of sustainability. Also, while it's a bit of a side issue, I have to disagree with you that big band music died out because the "economy couldn't support" big bands. Big bands died out because fashion and taste changed. Bebop jazz became a bigger thing and then, obviously, rock and roll. Someday, maybe, basketball will become unfashionable--but right now it's as popular as it's ever been.
Agreed, to an extent. And the lockout season didn't cause the NBA any serious long-term harm. Also, as I noted before, lockouts/strikes tend to engender ill will with fans because they don't like labor strife. A pandemic causing basketball to close for a time isn't even going to create that ill will.
Well during the off-season of the NFL / NBA look at how much basketball there is to talk about, Summer league, the draft, combines, power-rankings of next year for the NBA the only month of the year that's quiet is August and that's if no big trades happen in August. Months/weeks of no real news are not good for business whether that means the end or not. Speaking for myself most NBA off-seasons are not "NBA-less" I'm still doing/thinking about NBA related things and getting excited about the next season. Right now there is really nothing to talk about in regards to the NBA except will they play sometime. Coming here is about the extent of my NBA time and even then the none basketball-related stuff is where most people find themselves at this point. the NBA is entertainment though, and if other venues have got their hooks into people it will be hard for the NBA or any league to drag people back at least some of them, especially if it goes a year+.it's been a couple of months and I'm kinda apathetic towards it because I've found plenty of other things to do. I hope that when they ever come back I can make myself re-engage but our options for entertainment are more robust than ever thanks to technology.
I'd say a pandemic is worse for the NBA and sports though then a lock-out. A lockout makes people go ok rich guys play some sports. A pandemic makes people take a step back and think about what is actually valuable to them and what "hobbies" are fruitful, makes them look at kids/family / etc in a different way then they did before because of the fragility and shortness of life are on display more. edit: Also in this case the economics of things certainly can't help. If people are having trouble affording to eat because of months of no or little income, they won't be buying merch/tickets. I don't think this spells the doom of the NBA, but I do think it'll be interesting how long it takes them to recover, I expect the first few 'games' played of any sport will get ridiculous ratings, and then who knows after that.
the Hammond organ destroyed the big band....clubs found they cut their payroll way down with the advent of the Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery organ trio and Duke Ellington and Count Basie took big hits when the change hit..my mother was a big band singer after the war..economics influenced taste in the case of jazz.....you didn't need a bass player with an organist. Karaoke did the same to live music in clubs in the 80s and 90s....why pay a singer when people will pay you to sing along to a drum machine? Money too often talks and fashion follows the money...big bands made a comeback but never at the popularity level they once enjoyed
What other venues are you talking about? Pretty much everything is closed up so not any real competition to drag away fans.
sure, but I was just seeing what your suggestions are. Not sure what would be enough for me just to give up watching basketball when it returns.
What if the players union simply decided they felt it unsafe for players to play the game of basketball. Period? i just made $36 million this year and I’m being asked to risk my life by playing? Hmmm
