Author Topic: Image of NBA vs NFL  (Read 2076 times)

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Image of NBA vs NFL
« on: September 08, 2009, 08:31:38 AM »

Offline Cman

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Does the NBA have a worse image than the NFL?

Imagine asking the average person to state whether they agree or disagree with the following statement: "The NFL has to work on its public image"

Now imagine asking the average person to state whether they agree or disagree with the following statement: "The NBA has to work on its public image"

My guess is that more people would agree with the second statement than the first (ie: people think the NBA has a worse image than the NFL).  Is this fair?  I think a lot of this stems from the Detroit-Indiana fight a few years ago.  But it seems as though the NFL has taken some big hits in recent years: Vick and dogfighting, Merriman and the choking incident, Stallworth drunk driving and (accidentally) killing the pedestrian.  Yet I haven't heard any rumblings about "what is going wrong with the NFL".

Imagine flipping things a bit.  Imagine if it were NBA players involved in dog fighting, accidental killing and choking.  Would there be more of an uproar and questions about "what is going wrong with the NBA"?
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Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2009, 08:59:09 AM »

Offline lon3lytoaster

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I think it might stem from the perception the basketball is considered more of an urban sport. Obviously you have blue collar basketball in places like Kentucky and places like that, but for the most part I think that a lot of people just look at basketball as a "city sport"

If you look at most of the players in the NBA (I honestly don't follow the NFL as much so I won't comment) a lot of the players are from poor familes living in the projects a lot of the time.. To me football has always seemed as more of a suburb sport where kid's parents would be the typical soccer moms and dads.

Do I think that's fair? Not at all. It would seem to me that the NFL has far more loose cannons than the NBA. Maybe that's because of the fact they have more players in their league, I don't know.. But I can't think of too many NBA players that have had the problems of Pac-Man and Vick. I also can't think of a time where an NBA player has killed anyone. I know the Dante Stallworth situation happened in reverse to Malik Sealy but I can't think of an NBA player killing anyone.

I hate to bring this up as someone who has a lot of diversity in the family, but I'd venture to guess race plays a big part in things, too. Most of the NBA is black and in the NFL you have a better mix of ethnicity. As much as people hate to admit it, this country still bleeds racism.

Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2009, 09:03:40 AM »

Offline Rondo2287

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I think alot of it has to do with so many players in the NBA going into the league so young.  Also its undeniable that the NFL is more popular in this country than the NBA so that probably has something to do with it too.  
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Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2009, 09:23:18 AM »

Offline shiggins

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I think it might stem from the perception the basketball is considered more of an urban sport. Obviously you have blue collar basketball in places like Kentucky and places like that, but for the most part I think that a lot of people just look at basketball as a "city sport"

If you look at most of the players in the NBA (I honestly don't follow the NFL as much so I won't comment) a lot of the players are from poor familes living in the projects a lot of the time.. To me football has always seemed as more of a suburb sport where kid's parents would be the typical soccer moms and dads.

Do I think that's fair? Not at all. It would seem to me that the NFL has far more loose cannons than the NBA. Maybe that's because of the fact they have more players in their league, I don't know.. But I can't think of too many NBA players that have had the problems of Pac-Man and Vick. I also can't think of a time where an NBA player has killed anyone. I know the Dante Stallworth situation happened in reverse to Malik Sealy but I can't think of an NBA player killing anyone.

I hate to bring this up as someone who has a lot of diversity in the family, but I'd venture to guess race plays a big part in things, too. Most of the NBA is black and in the NFL you have a better mix of ethnicity. As much as people hate to admit it, this country still bleeds racism.

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Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2009, 09:37:46 AM »

Offline Cman

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I forgot about PacMan and Plaxico for the NFL, and Jayson Williams and Jason Kidd for the NBA.

Nevertheless, if the recent NFL stuff (Vick, Stallworth, Plaxico, Merriman) had instead involved NBA players, I think there would be a much bigger backlash.

One reason might be the different types of separation between fans and players in the two sports.  Not only can you sit inches away from basketball players, but you can clearly see their facial expressions while they play.  In contrast, fans do not sit close to NFL players, and you can't see them all that well because of helmets (let alone uniforms and pads that hide all the tatoos).  I think that the separation somehow makes football players seem more safe, so there is a little less worry about image.
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Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2009, 09:52:21 AM »

Offline Rondo2287

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I really think its popularity.  The NFL is vastly more popular nationwide than the NBA. 
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Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2009, 09:56:01 AM »

Offline papa shuttlesworth

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This image discrepancy is a huge pet peeve of mine.

Every year there are a handful of incidents involving NBA players getting in trouble, like JR Smith or a random Pacer.  And then there are usually a few stories about ex-NBA players getting in trouble, like Antoine, Marbury or Barkley.  But added together, there are maybe 10 incidents per year.

The NFL, on the other hand, seems to have illegal incidents much more regularly and without the "breaking news" microscope that the NBA receives.  If the NBA had an offseason that the NFL had, with Plaxico and Vick, etc., it would be out of business and that is only a mild exaggeration.

MLB players can fight and even use bats while fighting and receive only 5-10 game suspensions.  NBA players receive that for a scuffle.

There are some possible explanations for these discrepancies.  For example, an NFL roster is five times larger than an NBA roster, so it would make sense that there would be larger numbers of incidents.  And people say that the visibility of NBA players (no helmet, hat, etc) leads to the greater focus on them individually.  But, as others have said, it also seems like a large part of it is due to racism on some level.


Re: Image of NBA vs NFL
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2009, 06:09:48 PM »

Offline cornbreadsmart

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i totally agree papa shuttlesworth. it's just plain embarassing the way the media almost CELEBRATES dugouts being emptied, guys sticking up for teammates. if a hoopster throws a punch it will be described as "a scary scene." it's so racist it's laughable.  having said that if some coward deliberately threw a ball at me there is no way i WOULD'NT bring the bat out with me. i would try to put the fear of god into such a pansy.