Parity (and close games) lead to NFL popularity?

observer · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 196

---

Many, when the word 'parity' is mentioned,
cringe, longing for olden days when Dallas
& Green Bay or Dallas & Pittsburgh or Dallas
& San Francisco were among the league's
best year after year.

However, the following sportswriter thinks
that it's parity, and close games, not dominant
teams, that make football, led by the NFL, the
most popular sport in the country.

---
September 5, 2007

USA Today

by Mike Lopresti, Gannett News Service
http://tinyurl.com/2q92qd
---

Excerpts:

....

It says, here, for example, that when a Harris
Poll asked Americans for their favorite sport,
the NFL trounced baseball 29% to 14%.

It says here how 222 million citizens, nearly
three of every four Americans, watched pro
football on television last season.

More women watched the Super Bowl than
the Academy Awards. The ratings for the
playoffs - not the Super Bowl, just the play-
offs - doubled the World Series and tripled
the NBA Finals.

It says here that of 256 regular season games
last season, only seven did not sell out in time
to waive the blackout rule.

....

The NFL has hit upon a magic elixir where so
many of the games are close and nearly every-
body has a chance.

Of the 32 teams, 27 have made the playoffs in
the past five years.

The NFC has sent seven different teams to the
Super Bowl in the past seven years.

Three teams - Baltimore, New Orleans and
Philadelphia - went from last in their division
to first in 2006.

For 11 straight seasons, at least five of the 12
playoff teams were not in the postseason the
year before.

One of every six games last year was decided
in the final two minutes, or overtime. One of
every four was won by three or fewer points.

....

--- end excerpts ---

Archived from group: alt>sports>football>pro>dallas-cowboys

bushlyed · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 19

On Sep 6, 11:24 am, "observer" wrote:
> ---
>
> Many, when the word 'parity' is mentioned,
> cringe, longing for olden days when Dallas
> & Green Bay or Dallas & Pittsburgh or Dallas
> & San Francisco were among the league's
> best year after year.
>
> However, the following sportswriter thinks
> that it's parity, and close games, not dominant
> teams, that make football, led by the NFL, the
> most popular sport in the country.
>
> ---
> September 5, 2007
>
> USA Today
>
> by Mike Lopresti, Gannett News Service
> http://tinyurl.com/2q92qd
> ---
>
> Excerpts:
>
> ...
>
> It says, here, for example, that when a Harris
> Poll asked Americans for their favorite sport,
> the NFL trounced baseball 29% to 14%.
>
> It says here how 222 million citizens, nearly
> three of every four Americans, watched pro
> football on television last season.
>
> More women watched the Super Bowl than
> the Academy Awards. The ratings for the
> playoffs - not the Super Bowl, just the play-
> offs - doubled the World Series and tripled
> the NBA Finals.
>
> It says here that of 256 regular season games
> last season, only seven did not sell out in time
> to waive the blackout rule.
>
> ...
>
> The NFL has hit upon a magic elixir where so
> many of the games are close and nearly every-
> body has a chance.
>
> Of the 32 teams, 27 have made the playoffs in
> the past five years.
>
> The NFC has sent seven different teams to the
> Super Bowl in the past seven years.
>
> Three teams - Baltimore, New Orleans and
> Philadelphia - went from last in their division
> to first in 2006.
>
> For 11 straight seasons, at least five of the 12
> playoff teams were not in the postseason the
> year before.
>
> One of every six games last year was decided
> in the final two minutes, or overtime. One of
> every four was won by three or fewer points.
>
> ...
>
> --- end excerpts ---

I like the idea of a team being able to build a dynasty

The draft is suppose to equalize things not the salary cap

The Cowboys dominated for so long because of excellent drafting and
excellent coaching; that was no more evident than in the 1992 team,
youngest in the league and super talented

Had the Cowboys been allowed to keep those players (i.e., no salary
cap), they would have won a lot more Super Bowls and there is nothing
wrong with rewarding excellent maanagement, drafting and coaching: it
happens in business all the time.

robgood · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

On Sep 6, 11:24 am, "observer" wrote:
> ---
> However, the following sportswriter thinks
> that it's parity, and close games, not dominant
> teams, that make football, led by the NFL, the
> most popular sport in the country.
> ---
I do think the closeness of games is a more important factor in fan
appeal in football than in, say, baseball. I follow minor league
football, men's & women's, and am now coaching youth football, and in
such circuits there's a great tendency toward lopsided games. That's
got to cut into fan appeal. In baseball you can have a game that's a
rout and still find some interesting plays in it, but when a football
game is a runaway, it gets to be a bore, as well as somewhat more
dangerous. I think if the minors were more competitive they'd provide
more of a spectator alternative to the NFL, even if their talent &
preparation level was much less (as long as it was evenly
distributed).

Robert

ttw · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Parity magnifies luck and magnifies officiating mistakes.