What is Cuban smoking?
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -- Philosopher George Santayana.
Mark Cuban must have skipped class that day.
Yesterday, Cuban wrote on his blog why he believes a rival professional football league to the NFL could succeed. He and a few others are apparently hatching a challenge to the oligarchy known as the NFL, ignoring the obvious fact that the sports landscape is absolutely littered with the remains of similar enterprises. Not since the AFL, 40 years ago when the NFL was infinitely more vulnerable, has any rival even come close to succeeding.
OK, Cuban is a real smart guy who runs a classy if somewhat flawed basketball franchise, the Dallas Mavericks. And unlike many pro sports owners, he is open with his thoughts and even accessible to the press and the public. But this notion of a professional football league to compete with the NFL is quixotic at best.
All you need to know is this line from Cuban's blog: "The NFL wants and needs competition."
Right, like Alexander the Great and Napoleon wanted and needed competition.
Comments
NFL needs a rival football? I don't think so. However, I would love to see a rival NBA league. I am so done with the posse, hip pop, gang thug mentiality of the NBA players. The average NBA team salary is higher than the average NFL team salary and there is 1/4 the players. They dont dribble the ball, and don't play defense until the playoffs. Their family cant even attend the games, without causing more problems. Does anybody remember the all-star game? There is so much wrong with this league, and Stern is unable to stop and correct it. Real Basketball ends at the college level.
Posted by: Captain Jack | May 31, 2007 2:55 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen, ignorance at it's finest. I give you Captain Jack.
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Okay folks, we can certainly agree to disagree but let's keep personal shots in check. Thanks for taking the time to write.
--Bill O.
Posted by: RavenBullet | May 31, 2007 5:43 PM
Yes we can agree to disagree. But, I believe there is pleanty of evidence to back up what I said. Believe me. I know many people that used to follow pro basketball and no longer do.
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Capt. Jack,
Well, the NBA has become a personality driven league and when it had the more engaging celebrity players (Jordan, Bird, Erving and others), the league benefitted. Interestingly, LeBron James had one of the greatest playoff games ever just last night. Will it have a material impact on general fan interest .. we'll see. Thanks for writing.
---Bill O.
Posted by: Captain Jack | June 1, 2007 12:43 PM
Amazing the same LeBron that others were taking to task for failing to take the last shot when the game was on the line. The talking heads were all up in arms, claiming that he is just a very good player and not a super star that can take the team and win chamionships.
Posted by: Captain Jack | June 1, 2007 2:44 PM
No football league will ever compete with the NFL. You can never get premier players to play anywhere else, ask Hershell Walker and Steve Young. The CFL is good at what it does, it stays out of the NFL's way and same with Areana league. Who is going to spend $100 to see a "college level" football game. What the Vegas Outlaws vs. San Jose Wave? Who cares, maybe Vince McMahon
Posted by: mike s | June 1, 2007 4:46 PM
NBA...Living in Baltimore, being in nba fan is probably just as bad or worse than being an NHL fan. Once a month you may run into someone else who cares. The problem with the league today is the are no stars that the average person can relate to. The ticket prices are out of control and the average fan isn't going to spend $85 to see a bunch of guys making $14mm to averge 16pts and 7 boards.
the games arent' competive until the playoffs and even then, Utah / Goldstate so what
Posted by: mike | June 1, 2007 4:49 PM