5 Reasons the NFL is more popular than the NBA (via BlazersEdge)

[Moranis]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

[manl_lui]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

sums up all the things I wanted to say! Though I enjoy basketball a lot more, but I do agree football is more popular. I assume that it is probably the most popular sport in the US if not on par with baseball.

In terms of international spotlight, I think if you ask any foreigners what sports would the US most likely or definitely dominate - basketball

if football was played internationally, I bet that would also be the answer. I can see the US lose in baseball, track, soccer, and hockey to other countries

[fairweatherfan]

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

I agree that's true to most folks, but it baffles me because live football bores me to tears.  Every year when football season starts I'm always surprised at just how long a 60 minute game takes.  I guess the constant stopping and starting gives people more time to talk about plays, anticipate the next move, binge drink, etc.

Football on DVR, on the other hand, is great.  You can knock out a game in 80-90 minutes, 45 if you skip the breaks between plays too.

[Moranis]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

sums up all the things I wanted to say! Though I enjoy basketball a lot more, but I do agree football is more popular. I assume that it is probably the most popular sport in the US if not on par with baseball.

In terms of international spotlight, I think if you ask any foreigners what sports would the US most likely or definitely dominate - basketball

if football was played internationally, I bet that would also be the answer. I can see the US lose in baseball, track, soccer, and hockey to other countries

Yeah and I didn't even mention betting or fantasy sports, which are a lot easier with football than any other sport.

[cons]

Thoughts?

Fits with the American stereotype.

It's how much of the world sees you guys. It's not just America where (subconscious) racism still lives, but it's not just the Netherlands where Tulips grow either.

Unfortunate, but there it is.

that's interesting. are you saying that generally overseas/ (in Europe) Americans are perceived as racists in general? I guess I wasn't really aware of that.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

To be honest I've tried to watch NFL a couple of times and I just can't get over the frequent stoppages for commercial breaks, time outs etc. Just kills the flow for me. Sometimes, it bugs me about late 4th quarters in close NBA games when every play is a time out, but not so much. Maybe it is because I grew up on soccer and rugby where the game just runs and runs, with half time being the only break.

[manl_lui]

Thoughts?

Fits with the American stereotype.

It's how much of the world sees you guys. It's not just America where (subconscious) racism still lives, but it's not just the Netherlands where Tulips grow either.

Unfortunate, but there it is.

that's interesting. are you saying that generally overseas/ (in Europe) Americans are perceived as racists in general? I guess I wasn't really aware of that.

I know in China, we are perceived as arrogant, nosy, AND RACIST.

The immature side of me just loves it. My cousins doesn't like it when I stand up for the US more than Chinese people.

In terms of sports, I basically dominated (in which they think that Americans are just all words and no action). I showed them why us Americans are the best athletes in the world even in pickup games

[JBcat]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

I think it really helps the NFL has for the most part a set schedule.  You know for the most part your team is playing on Sunday.

Let me ask this do you think it would help the NBA if they had Set schedule where for example games were played on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, so you're not constantly looking at the schedule?

[slamtheking]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

sums up all the things I wanted to say! Though I enjoy basketball a lot more, but I do agree football is more popular. I assume that it is probably the most popular sport in the US if not on par with baseball.

In terms of international spotlight, I think if you ask any foreigners what sports would the US most likely or definitely dominate - basketball

if football was played internationally, I bet that would also be the answer. I can see the US lose in baseball, track, soccer, and hockey to other countries

Yeah and I didn't even mention betting or fantasy sports, which are a lot easier with football than any other sport.

I think the betting aspect plays a large part in the popularity of the sport. 

as a game, I find it rather boring.  I've seen the same plays over and over.   I think not a whole lot to get excited about except broken plays. 

I think the fact players in uniform are indistinguishable from each other detracts from the game TBH.  There's no visual connection with a player, just a uniform that could be anyone.  I agree with the timeout and slow pace comments earlier.  just too slow a game to hold my attention long.  I only really enjoy watching when I have money on it like the Superbowl.

Basketball is a much faster pace.  sure a lot of the plays are the same but the defense has a much more direct impact on the play (a debatable point I'm sure).

[wdleehi]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

sums up all the things I wanted to say! Though I enjoy basketball a lot more, but I do agree football is more popular. I assume that it is probably the most popular sport in the US if not on par with baseball.

In terms of international spotlight, I think if you ask any foreigners what sports would the US most likely or definitely dominate - basketball

if football was played internationally, I bet that would also be the answer. I can see the US lose in baseball, track, soccer, and hockey to other countries

Yeah and I didn't even mention betting or fantasy sports, which are a lot easier with football than any other sport.

I think the betting aspect plays a large part in the popularity of the sport. 

as a game, I find it rather boring.  I've seen the same plays over and over.   I think not a whole lot to get excited about except broken plays. 

I think the fact players in uniform are indistinguishable from each other detracts from the game TBH.  There's no visual connection with a player, just a uniform that could be anyone.  I agree with the timeout and slow pace comments earlier.  just too slow a game to hold my attention long.  I only really enjoy watching when I have money on it like the Superbowl.

Basketball is a much faster pace.  sure a lot of the plays are the same but the defense has a much more direct impact on the play (a debatable point I'm sure).

A good defense is much greater effect on an NFL game.  Even the greatest offenses can be shut off.  There is just so much more opportunity to disguise the defensive plan of a single play and more opportunity to adjust to the offense.

[kozlodoev]

As a person who spent his childhood outside of the US (yes, soccer was king where I come from -- much like almost anywhere outside the US, to be fair), I find it curious that people consider football "too slow". Especially given that it has play clocks, no-huddle strategies, and overall a limited amount of timeouts.

I wonder what this means for baseball (which I find completely unwatchable, based on how much time players take between pitches).

I see the popularity of football as a combination of several factors: (1) the game caters to the macho stereotype; the average American spectator seems to like hard hits and tough guys, (2) anyone can play football in their back yard pretty much at any time, all you need is a ball, (2a) the game makes use of a wide variety of skill sets, meaning football is pretty much for everyone, (3) while the game is QB-centric, good teams are almost invariably more than the sum of their parts, and (4) the game is tactically advanced.

I don't think any other major sports has the full combination of the listed factors. Toss the technological sophistication, tailgating, hard salary cap, and a limited number of games into the mix, and you have a winning formula.

[D.o.s.]

With football season here, I have to say that the production behind each NFL game (aided and abbetted, no doubt, by the low number of contests per season) is light years ahead of any other sport.

It is also the easiest sport to shoot, owing to the combination of the large, panoramic field and the focal point of the line of scrimmage. Those producers also do an incredible job of manufacturing game-time storylines to minimize downtime.

To a tee the commentators are braindead, of course, but that's also part of the territory when you're talking about the NFL.

[Fafnir]

The NFL is more popular because American Football is now America's past time.  It is a better more exciting game.  You only play 16 games with just 8 at home making it harder to get a ticket and much more rare to watch.  The games aren't throughout the week (for the most part) so you only have to watch on Sunday (and Saturday for college).  The hard cap and free agency make it much easier for a bad team to become good and the games for the most part anyone can realistically win every single game they play. 

All of that other stuff may have some truth in it, but the reality is football is just a better more exciting watch than any other sport to the main stream and that is really all that matters.

sums up all the things I wanted to say! Though I enjoy basketball a lot more, but I do agree football is more popular. I assume that it is probably the most popular sport in the US if not on par with baseball.

In terms of international spotlight, I think if you ask any foreigners what sports would the US most likely or definitely dominate - basketball

if football was played internationally, I bet that would also be the answer. I can see the US lose in baseball, track, soccer, and hockey to other countries

Yeah and I didn't even mention betting or fantasy sports, which are a lot easier with football than any other sport.

I think the betting aspect plays a large part in the popularity of the sport. 

as a game, I find it rather boring.  I've seen the same plays over and over.   I think not a whole lot to get excited about except broken plays. 

You can gamble on any sport though.

And on your second point, there is so much tactically that goes into football I'm not sure how much you're paying attention. Though to be fair the TV shot cuts off a lot of the interesting stuff because it always stays on the ball.

[thirstyboots18]

As a person who spent his childhood outside of the US (yes, soccer was king where I come from -- much like almost anywhere outside the US, to be fair), I find it curious that people consider football "too slow". Especially given that it has play clocks, no-huddle strategies, and overall a limited amount of timeouts.

I wonder what this means for baseball (which I find completely unwatchable, based on how much time players take between pitches).

I see the popularity of football as a combination of several factors: (1) the game caters to the macho stereotype; the average American spectator seems to like hard hits and tough guys, (2) anyone can play football in their back yard pretty much at any time, all you need is a ball, (2a) the game makes use of a wide variety of skill sets, meaning football is pretty much for everyone, (3) while the game is QB-centric, good teams are almost invariably more than the sum of their parts, and (4) the game is tactically advanced.

I don't think any other major sports has the full combination of the listed factors. Toss the technological sophistication, tailgating, hard salary cap, and a limited number of games into the mix, and you have a winning formula.

I sort of agree with you, Kozlodoev.  I also find baseball to be quite boring.  They say that now fewer young kids are signing up for Little League because they find the game too slow.  I like football, but the real potential for serious injury worries me (maybe that is the female in me).  My favorite sports to watch are basketball, tennis (doubles)and ice hockey.

[LooseCannon]

To claim that racial motivation is the reason the NFL is bigger than the NBA is just nuts.

To not bring up race as one of several factors is nuts.