Young people aren't sports fans and that's a huge problem

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

Do they play exclusively in leagues for schools and/or traveling teams? When I was growing up we’d all just get together and play, then maybe pick your favorite sport to join a league. I was in a football league, but just played hockey on the pond and pickup hoops. A league was too much commitment (especially in hockey with the lack of ice time at reasonable hours!!!). 

 

Kids today seem to play only on organized teams and pickup sports have withered away. (By the time our kids turned 10 they had played more games with a uniform and a ref than I did in my entire life, and I played into college.)  You lose those marginal kids a bit as a result, I suspect. Nobody plays “just a little” and gets hooked. Pick up games are replaced by video games and social media, it seems.  

 

As for baseball, our youngest did rec league and travel league. They called recruiting for All Stars after one season and I asked if he was interested. He responded “do I have to? Half the kids are standing around, and the other half are sitting.” He liked having more action (and exercise) in soccer, football and basketball.

 

Weight lifting is the absolute worst! All stinking day for six lifts. I only went to the state finals (he finished an impressive 5th in Florida) and I saw less than 2 minutes of “action” the entire day. Six lifts does not take long and makes baseball look thrilling! 

i think they mostly play only organized sports (baseball, basketball, soccer, football). If they play any pickup, it would be a little Bball.

 

I get what you are saying. When I was a kid, we had this “back yard baseball” league in our neighborhood. Played with tennis balls and a bunch of other rules— but it was awesome. We had three different “stadiums” (yards), each with its own challenges. One was like Fenway— short with a super high wall (ie, deck), and then a really long narrow yard, etc.  We’d keep stats and everything. 
 

I was terrible at regular little League and didn’t play it a lot (few years)— but that back yard baseball league got me passionate about the sport! 

[OZBILLS]

58 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I have found that kids today seem to be HUGE into NBA basketball

 

Is it the sport? Or the players they're really into? 

The subculture of Basketball has changed, and is really getting ingrained here even in Australia. The Social Media aspect and shooting 3/no D.

 

Internationally, we have lots of people who become late 20's professionals who then travel to the US and really soak up the sport here. It is inversed.

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

5 minutes ago, OZBILLS said:

 

Is it the sport? Or the players they're really into? 

The subculture of Basketball has changed, and is really getting ingrained here even in Australia. The Social Media aspect and shooting 3/no D.

 

Internationally, we have lots of people who become late 20's professionals who then travel to the US and really soak up the sport here. It is inversed.

 

 

I honestly think it’s the players.  Specifically guys like Lebron, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant.  Also the way it’s marketed.  I feel like the kids like to wear their sneakers and their clothing.

[OZBILLS]

Just now, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I feel like the kids like to wear their sneakers and their clothing.

 

Yeah, the marketing is amazing. 

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

9 minutes ago, OZBILLS said:

 

Yeah, the marketing is amazing. 

 

 

Kinda like what Jordan did for the NBA.  I watched with my dad during the Isaiah Thomas, Bird, Magic years, but never really enjoyed NBA basketball until Jordan.

 

Edit: I find the NBA to be unwatchable now.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Johnny Hammersticks

[Buffalo716]

I think it's probably where you live

 

Little league baseball and baseball in general is huge in my area of Western New York. D1 players, even kids getting drafted

 

Still a good amount of pick up basketball games. 

 

But I think you either love it or hate it. Not much of a middle ground

 

 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

5 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Kinda like what Jordan did for the NBA.  I watched with my dad during the Isaiah Thomas, Bird, Magic years, but never really enjoyed NBA basketball until Jordan.

 

Edit: I find the NBA to be unwatchable now.

i was the same as you until Maybe 3-4 years ago. Then I sort of embraced the NBA. 
 

I understand now why the kids like it— you have these really big and awesome skill guys that are impossible to stop. The games are fluid and fast and Fun to watch. 
 

the “problem,” of course, is you have a bunch of 12-year olds that specialize in step back 3’s, flailing out their legs. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 minute ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

i was the same as you until Maybe 3-4 years ago. Then I sort of embraced the NBA. 
 

I understand now why the kids like it— you have these really big and awesome skill guys that are impossible to stop. The games are fluid and fast and Fun to watch. 
 

the “problem,” of course, is you have a bunch of 12-year olds that specialize in step back 3’s, flailing out their legs. 

 

😂 Can you imagine kids today watching NBA basketball from the 80’s?   Good defense, mid-range jumpers, and sweet baby hook shots and layups?

[SinceThe70s]

16 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

i think they mostly play only organized sports (baseball, basketball, soccer, football). If they play any pickup, it would be a little Bball.

 

I get what you are saying. When I was a kid, we had this “back yard baseball” league in our neighborhood. Played with tennis balls and a bunch of other rules— but it was awesome. We had three different “stadiums” (yards), each with its own challenges. One was like Fenway— short with a super high wall (ie, deck), and then a really long narrow yard, etc.  We’d keep stats and everything. 
 

I was terrible at regular little League and didn’t play it a lot (few years)— but that back yard baseball league got me passionate about the sport! 

 

That sounds great. For me it was wiffle ball with two friends on the block. Most summer days included figuring out which of our parents would put up with the wiffle ball hitting the garage door and which would let us use the pool that day. We didn't keep stats but you had to use a reasonable lineup. So if you were Pittsburgh,  Willie Stargell was your first baseman and you had to hit left-handed. Good times.

 

I'm fortunate to have two teenage boys who are both sports fans. One is more athletic than the other but he isn't making a varsity team. It doesn't get much better than watching a football, baseball or hockey game with them either live or on tv. Better times.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

32 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

😂 Can you imagine kids today watching NBA basketball from the 80’s?   Good defense, mid-range jumpers, and sweet baby hook shots and layups?

thankfully, the 80s still reign supreme in my old man pickup games. I just feast from 15 feet all day! 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Kinda like what Jordan did for the NBA.  I watched with my dad during the Isaiah Thomas, Bird, Magic years, but never really enjoyed NBA basketball until Jordan.

 

Edit: I find the NBA to be unwatchable now.

 

Funny, I don't watch the NBA at all but I love college ball.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Funny, I don't watch the NBA at all but I love college ball.

 

Same here.  NCAA basketball is probably second to the NFL in my sports world.

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Same here.  NCAA basketball is probably second to the NFL in my sports world.

 

UB was supposed to play Vermont this weekend at Mohegan Sun Bubbleville, but they backed out over Covid. In fact half the Bubbleville schools dropped out. Instead of UVM and Iona, the Bulls will play Towson and Army.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

I used to be a huge baseball fan, but can't stand to watch the modern game. Still play fantasy but that's just the numbers, you don't need to watch. I love football and watching the NHL. Could care less about the NBA and the NCAA is starting to fade for me.

[Orlando Buffalo]

My two cents: my son is 15 and there are several big differences from when I was kid: 1) kids today like continuous action and no commercials- my kids watch nothing with commercials.

2) they like on demand- they watch what they want when they want- no scheduling life around it.

3) players are open about what terrible people they are, no one is Micheal Jordan saying all people buy shoes.

4) games start too late on east coast for kids to watch. I rarely watch end of games that start at 830, my kids certainly can't.

[DrW]

My daughter was a soccer fan as long as she herself played in middle school and high school. She even bought a "Gotze" jersey (he was the guy who scored the winning goal for Germany at the 2014 World Cup).

My son is an avid Buffalo Bills fan, although we left Rochester for Texas when he was just four. As he is now at UT Austin, he contemplated to attend the Bills-Texans playoff game last year, but could not afford it. He and his girlfriend are dedicated Texas (UT Austin) fans; she played and he is still playing in the Longhorn band (tenor saxophone and tuba, resp.)

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, D. L. Hot-Flamethrower said:

I used to be a huge baseball fan, but can't stand to watch the modern game. Still play fantasy but that's just the numbers, you don't need to watch. I love football and watching the NHL. Could care less about the NBA and the NCAA is starting to fade for me.

i don’t know how you can not watch baseball

and still play fantasy. I remember when I stopped watching baseball and then decided to play fantasy baseball after a few-year hiatus. It was like a generation of players passed me by. Had no idea who anyone was— there are so many teams, players, and changes from a fantasy value perspective in baseball! 

[Augie]

3 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I honestly think it’s the players.  Specifically guys like Lebron, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant.  Also the way it’s marketed.  I feel like the kids like to wear their sneakers and their clothing.

 

Back when our boys were seriously into AAU hoops we would bribe them when we traveled. “Be good today and we’ll take you to see Lebron play the Celtics tonight.” It generally worked. 

 

One Tuesday night in Charlotte we had about $800 into 6 seats (one going unused) before we ever get to the concession stand. An expensive night. 

 

We get our stuff, we sit down and after 5 minutes my ferocious and gritty little AAU PG son says “they aren’t even trying.” I knew that in advance, and I’ve never paid another penny for the NBA since. Too many games, too little effort. I MUCH prefer college hoops, with the urgency that brings. 

 

I don’t watch the NBA until the Finals, if then. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

40 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

i don’t know how you can not watch baseball

and still play fantasy. I remember when I stopped watching baseball and then decided to play fantasy baseball after a few-year hiatus. It was like a generation of players passed me by. Had no idea who anyone was— there are so many teams, players, and changes from a fantasy value perspective in baseball! 

I watch an inning here and there, but I just follow the stats and know the players that way. Won both my leagues this year, removes some of the bias I guess.

[Another Fan]

17 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

I've had pretty similar discussions with myself when it comes to the Sabres over the last 10 years.  Sports were just so cool and exciting when a lot of us were growing up and it is absolutely just ingrained in us at this point.  I don't think Sports are nearly as entertaining as they once were and that cool mystique about Sports seems to be lost.  I can totally see why they don't make the same impression on the youths of today although I find it very sad.  

Yeah agree.  Up until high school sports were like my sole encompassing interest.  To the point I really didn’t own that many if any CDs as a kid or VHS tapes.   I guess a wing nut would be today’s term?  Lol

 

But gradually it got to the point where I’m in my 30s now and it feels like I just hang on to the interest because it was ingrained in me.

 

I might add some of that is growing up and understanding the business of it?  I know my dad used to tell me he’d watch all 162 Mets game as a kid no matter how bad they were.  But I mean even when I was younger he’d have no interest in watching the games a lot of the time