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I was going to post this in the general sports forum, but thought it might get more traction here.
From my youth, I followed all major team and individual sports. Especially over the last decade, my interest has dwindled. I am at the point now where I am an occasional watcher of NFL, and that's all. Primarily I will watch some NFL games basically in deference to my son, who is an aspiring NY Giants fan.
I stopped following Major League Baseball after the 1994 player's strike. To be fair, the sport was not my favorite to begin with, and I could deal with divorcing myself from the game. I remember what a major irritant was for me at the time: the sports media, at the time, especially WFAN 690 in NYC was completely bias towards the players. The newspapers were rife with overwhelming player support as well. The big pain point was the players insisting that a salary cap not be instituted. However, the same sports media was incredibly critical of business at the same time, while arguing for players financial gain.
As the years have passed, there has been, in my observation, less emphasis in sports journalism placed on analysis and gameplay. Instead, the sports columns and pre-game shows have substituted vital insight with increasingly irrelevant topical material, as it relates to the game. A great deal of it could be placed in the Op/Ed section of any local or national newspaper. Combined with the increase in commercials (I see this in the NFL, and it's sad) you are left with a diluted product.
The victim of this is the fan. I liken it to spousal abuse. How much more will it take before the fan walks out the door. I think politics has sullied yet another American institution, and the sports media is the driver. This was really brought out by a piece I read today, and I thought I would share it:
I heard this piece mentioned this morning driving into work on the Jason Whitlock show, and everything became completely crystalized to me after reading it. We are so imbued with politics in this society, that sports was a haven away from the vitriol. However, it isn't that way any longer.
I miss the NFL Today when Brent Musburger, Irv Cross and Jimmy the Greek actually analyzed games. Try finding a clip on Youtube. I don't know if you can. It was a different world then with sports media. I would argue it was a superior product.
If your dislike is just with the media, ignore their politics and just watch and enjoy the games/events. But if your really losing interest in sports I have a feeling your beef is with more then the just the media.
If your dislike is just with the media, ignore their politics and just watch and enjoy the games/events. But if your really losing interest in sports I have a feeling your beef is with more then the just the media.
The media makes it harder to watch.
I think a decrease in interest in pro sports is natural as other pursuits fill our lives (wife, kids, house, Fido) once the years start to tick by.
I used to be a huge college football fan but the game has changed so much as a direct/and indirect result of media/money influence that it really has dampened my enthusiasm for it.
Mike I stopped following sports when I discovered they got paid to do it!! (Several years ago)
Getting paid to do sometihngn MEANS NOTHING more than someone being GREEDY and wanting $$$$$$$$ .. Thier REAL effort is not seen,all that IS seen is greed.....
whine whine whine, i dont like the politics in the commercials, i dont like the players getting paid, waa waa waa. if yu dont like sports because of the sports, that is fine, but if you decide you dont like sports anymore because of the peripherals around them, then yu never really liked sports to begin with.
Mike I stopped following sports when I discovered they got paid to do it!! (Several years ago)
Getting paid to do sometihngn MEANS NOTHING more than someone being GREEDY and wanting $$$$$$$$ .. Thier REAL effort is not seen,all that IS seen is greed.....
Your point is valid and so are the others.
There are EMS, (fire, police) teachers, medical personnel. These are people that are providing a value-added service to the community. Bread and circuses are extras, but the players and the self-serving media have elevated the platform to something higher than it should be. In reality, as consumers, we share some of the blame as well. If the public walks away and stops paying attention, the players and, more happily, the sports journalists, will be out of a job.
Yes, "analysis and gameplay", has actually led me to watching more baseball. I can "lose" myself in a baseball game, football not so much. I'm talking the games themselves, I don't bother with the pregame stuff.
I used to be a huge college football fan but the game has changed so much as a direct/and indirect result of media/money influence that it really has dampened my enthusiasm for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike0421
Bread and circuses are extras, but the players and the self-serving media have elevated the platform to something higher than it should be. In reality, as consumers, we share some of the blame as well. If the public walks away and stops paying attention, the players and, more happily, the sports journalists, will be out of a job.
On the rare occasions when I do have sports on the TV these days, I always have the sound muted. I do not need to hear the sports journalists to enjoy the actual game. Bonus: I don't need to manage the mute button for commercials.
I love sports, follow them fanatically, and i plan to do so the rest of my life.
The athletes are getting better every year, and i can't find a single reason to be disinterested.
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