NBA.com: A few ideas on how the NBA can hold onto the casual fan

[CubanMustGo]

This ing bozo ... if you click the "follow on twitter" link, you see that he hasn't posted a tweet since October 5th. What an idiot.

[Cry Havoc]

The entire article, not just the segment about the Spurzzzz, is rife with heavy sarcasm. The writer is intelligently commenting on the current state of values in the NBA. The league has become more concerned with ratings and the "sexy" story, than substance or the character of the athletes they put on the floor. The Spurs are an an hesis to that brand of basketball.

read between the lines

Yes, "Keep Blake Griffin healthy" is just full of sarcastic remarks and double-talk.

[DesignatedT]

honestfool ftw

[SA210]

honestfool

[wunderkindepiphany]

Yes, "Keep Blake Griffin healthy" is just full of sarcastic remarks and double-talk.

It was. He likened Blake Griffin to Moses, parting the Red Sea. What article are you reading?

He even played up the stereotype about power-forwards. . ."Most players his size have gum on their soles and are nothing more than clumsy brutes who bang and rebound."

Just because you put a laughing emoticon on the end of your response, it doesn't automatically make my comment laughable.

The idea has become that Blake Griffin is the saviour for the future of basketball. LeBron still nets huge ratings, but his overall persona has been altered, since his departure from Cleveland and their subsequent drastic decline.

It may surprise you, but the NBA is a company that spends a considerable amount of money to create an an image for themselves, and the players in the NBA are very similar to actors in a performing company. Many of the professional athletes do modeling, TV, Film, Music, etc. The NBA is currently looking for someone to fill the role that LeBron left available, when he stepped out of the "good guy" spotlight and took on the villain role. Do you remember the Nike commercial, where LeBron was asking, rhetorically, what we thought he should do? That was another form of commentary. There is a twisted side of things, where corporate members of the NBA place a higher premium on ratings and the "story", than on the actual basketball being played.

This writer began his article, talking about how the "second season" is an opportunity to gain viewership with casual fans. Again, read between the lines.

[romad_20]

Shaun,

It is pretty obvious from your article that you are an average fan. Why would you write something so horrible if you weren't? The Spurs this season are on a record setting pace for wins, average 103ppg, have the highest assist total per team, win blow outs, win close ones at the buzzer (maybe you missed the Lakers game?) and throw down their share of dunks. Manu is literally one of the most exciting players in the league (the great Kobe himself said so, that should mean something to you). What exactly is boring about this team besides they don't fuel your constant need for drama and bickering among teammates? I mean even Tony tried to throw you a bone with an in-season divorce.

Maybe what would help the NBA is if their writers on their website wouldn't write such uneducated articles that disparage teams in the NBA. Maybe if they promoted teams, teamwork, character and coaching instead of paying lip service to them in the "NBA Cares" segments before going back to talking about the Kardashians during Lakers games, they could build a bigger audience like the NFL. Maybe you should start writing articles that actually break down game strategy and how teams match up and stop putting certain franchises and players on pedestals and pay attention to the reality of the league instead of what you want to happen in the league. If the article was written tounge in cheek, its not funny. The joke is old and not really applicable to this years Spurs. Get a new shtick.

I really hope you start watching the games for real. Good basketball can be enjoyed by fans no matter what city it takes place in.

[ALVAREZ6]

lol what a ing moron


that article wasn't completely written based on cliches or other things that were utter bull ...

[Spursfanfromafar]

This writer began his article, talking about how the "second season" is an opportunity to gain viewership with casual fans. Again, read between the lines.

I have read between various lines across two articles by Shaun Powell. Check this -

Shaun Powell[/URL]]Spurs. You know why people were sleeping on the league-leading Spurs? Because the Spurs put people to sleep, that's why. Hey, no offense to Tim Duncan and the boys, and congrats on the quick start. But those Nielsen ratings from those NBA Finals appearances don't lie.

The above is also sarcasm written large?

[wunderkindepiphany]

No, it isn't. I was hoping that the writer was more intelligent, but it turns out he isn't. There is really no arguing with that. Its unfortunate that the league and, more importantly, some writers have got their heads up their asses.

[Cry Havoc]

He even played up the stereotype about power-forwards. . ."Most players his size have gum on their soles and are nothing more than clumsy brutes who bang and rebound."

How is that stereotype incorrect? He's being sarcastic by saying that bigs in the NBA are fairly immobile? That's been the case in the NBA for quite some time.

Just because you put a laughing emoticon on the end of your response, it doesn't automatically make my comment laughable.

And just because you say his entire article was sarcasm doesn't automatically make it so. There is a difference between using hyperbole for the sake of comedy and actively making sarcastic comments in an effort to mock a line of reasoning (and thus promoting your own). The boldface points he makes are hardly sarcasm. They may not be completely literal, but the writer seems to indicate that he hopes for all of them to happen.

To illustrate, if I were to say, "Come on down and drive the new Hummer H2. It's got a huge amount of storage space! Why, it's so big, you could put a humpback WHALE inside the cabin!"

The last statement is complete hyperbole, but it is not at all invalidating the initial statement about the Hummer having a lot of room inside.

The idea has become that Blake Griffin is the saviour for the future of basketball. LeBron still nets huge ratings, but his overall persona has been altered, since his departure from Cleveland and their subsequent drastic decline.

So needing him to stay healthy is in what way sarcastic?

It may surprise you, but the NBA is a company that spends a considerable amount of money to create an an image for themselves, and the players in the NBA are very similar to actors in a performing company.

I'm shocked. Truly. This is an entirely new perspective that no one has ever stated before. The NBA is a company? Who knew!?

Do you remember the Nike commercial, where LeBron was asking, rhetorically, what we thought he should do? That was another form of commentary. There is a twisted side of things, where corporate members of the NBA place a higher premium on ratings and the "story", than on the actual basketball being played.

In which case you're further validating the point that this writer is making about needing the Spurs to lose out early in the playoffs. Thanks for reinforcing the point he was making while being completely serious.

This writer began his article, talking about how the "second season" is an opportunity to gain viewership with casual fans. Again, read between the lines.

Right. Do you think the NBA would survive without it's casual fanbase? Do you think Stern cares if fans are casual or "hardcore" as long as they're throwing money at the teams they watch?

[Cry Havoc]

The entire article, not just the segment about the Spurzzzz, is rife with heavy sarcasm. The writer is intelligently commenting on the current state of values in the NBA. The league has become more concerned with ratings and the "sexy" story, than substance or the character of the athletes they put on the floor. The Spurs are an an hesis to that brand of basketball.

read between the lines

No, it isn't. I was hoping that the writer was more intelligent, but it turns out he isn't. There is really no arguing with that. Its unfortunate that the league and, more importantly, some writers have got their heads up their asses.

Are you saying you didn't bother to read the article before arguing with people what it was about or what it meant, or what?

[wunderkindepiphany]

How is that stereotype incorrect? He's being sarcastic by saying that bigs in the NBA are fairly immobile. That's been the case in the NBA for quite some time.



And just because you say his entire article was sarcasm doesn't automatically make it so. There is a difference between using hyperbole for the sake of comedy and actively making sarcastic comments in an effort to mock a line of reasoning. The boldface points he makes are hardly sarcasm. They may not be completely literal, but the writer seems to indicate that he hopes for all of them to happen.



So needing him to stay healthy is in what way sarcastic?



I'm shocked. Truly. This is an entirely new perspective that no one has ever stated before. The NBA is a company? Who knew!?



In which case you're further validating the point that this writer is making about needing the Spurs to lose out early in the playoffs. Thanks for reinforcing the point he was making while being completely serious.



Right. Do you think the NBA would survive without it's casual fanbase? Do you think Stern cares if fans are casual or "hardcore" as long as they're throwing money at the teams they watch?

I just fail to believe that someone is so brainwashed that they can write like that and expect a reader to take them seriously. I certainly didn't. The first thing I thought was, well, he's got to be channeling some kind of deep sarcasm because, taken at face-value, that is just plain dumb.

It wasn't until I read his second article that I realized, well, , this guys ing serious. I guess I should have listened to my professors and checked my research against more than one source.

[wunderkindepiphany]

Are you saying you didn't bother to read the article before arguing with people what it was about or what it meant, or what?

'I did read the article. I didn't read any others by him, just the one.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

Personally, I have always felt that the NBA doesn't spend nearly as much time marketing actual teams as they do superstars. That may explain why some casual fans don't really pay attention to any other team besides the Lakers, Celtics, or Heat.

This is why the NFL is so popular no matter who is playing. Their league markets franchises and not just star players.

[Cry Havoc]

I just fail to believe that someone is so brainwashed that they can write like that and expect a reader to take them seriously. I certainly didn't. The first thing I thought was, well, he's got to be channeling some kind of deep sarcasm because, taken at face-value, that is just plain dumb.

It wasn't until I read his second article that I realized, well, , this guys ing serious. I guess I should have listened to my professors and checked my research against more than one source.

Have you ever read the female basketball columnist on ESPN's website (can't remember her name), or listened to Stephen A. Smith talk? How about Jalen Rose? This kind of idiocy is nothing new, it's just particularly disturbing to read in such black and white relief. The level of anger or hate the media feels toward San Antonio is absolutely incredible. It's actually hard to believe.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Have you ever read the female basketball columnist on ESPN's website (can't remember her name), or listened to Stephen A. Smith talk? How about Jalen Rose? This kind of idiocy is nothing new, it's just particularly disturbing to read in such black and white relief. The level of anger or hate the media feels toward San Antonio is absolutely incredible. It's actually hard to believe.

Add Chris Sheridan to the likes... and JA Adande.. and sooo many others. It is confounding as to how these people receive their salaries for writing such tripe.

[wunderkindepiphany]

Have you ever read the female basketball columnist on ESPN's website (can't remember her name), or listened to Stephen A. Smith talk? How about Jalen Rose? This kind of idiocy is nothing new, it's just particularly disturbing to read in such black and white relief. The level of anger or hate the media feels toward San Antonio is absolutely incredible. It's actually hard to believe.

I have never read any of the articles by the female writer you are referring to, but I'll check her out. I have, however, seen broadcasters like Rose and Smith refer to the Spurs in disparaging ways, or give them credit, only to follow it with some sort of backhanded remark about a shortcoming like "they may be boring, but. . . ."

I have never read an article that so clearly stands an example of everything I hate about where the NBA is headed.

[Mugen]

Have you ever read the female basketball columnist on ESPN's website (can't remember her name), or listened to Stephen A. Smith talk? How about Jalen Rose? This kind of idiocy is nothing new, it's just particularly disturbing to read in such black and white relief. The level of anger or hate the media feels toward San Antonio is absolutely incredible. It's actually hard to believe.

you can just sense the fear with ESPN/ABC that the spurs might actually win the le again this year. i love it.

[nkdlunch]

add John Barry to the list too

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Another idea would be for the NBA to stop publishing articles and providing platforms for misinformed, uneducated amateurs like Shaun Powell.

The NBA is a league in poor standing primarily because it doesn't have enough teams like the Spurs.

San Antonio wins with substance over style.

The entire NBA marketing strategy is precisely the opposite.

We don't have players bringing loaded weapons to arenas.

We don't have drama queens demanding trades.

We don't have front office GMs giving multi-million dollar deals to Darko Milicic

We just go out and play- and win. We don't offer sound bites or gossip or talking head fodder used for ESPN headlines.

David Stern hasn't caught on yet that the average casual fan wants more of the Spurs and less of Dwight Howard.

The NBA could learn a lot from the NFL.

In the NFL, winning is everything and how you win isn't part of the conversation.

Why? Because unlike the NBA, it doesn't drive the machine. The NFL markets the game, not the individual.

Leading up to Super Bowl, nobody was complaining about how the Packers weren’t as exciting as the Eagles or the Steelers as brash as the Jets. They just talked about how they got there- by winning.

It's all about desire and execution in the NFL- elements sorely lacking from the top down for most NBA franchises.

In the NBA, idiots like David Kahn and Otis Smith get to run franchises and spend hundreds of million of dollars- 'nuff said.

[Cry Havoc]

Another idea would be for the NBA to stop publishing articles and providing platforms for misinformed, uneducated amateurs like Shaun Powell.

The NBA is a league in poor standing primarily because it doesn't have enough teams like the Spurs.

San Antonio wins with substance over style.

The entire NBA marketing strategy is precisely the opposite.

We don't have players bringing loaded weapons to arenas.

We don't have drama queens demanding trades.

We don't have front office GMs giving multi-million dollar deals to Darko Milicic

We just go out and play- and win. We don't offer sound bites or gossip or talking head fodder used for ESPN headlines.

David Stern hasn't caught on yet that the average casual fan wants more of the Spurs and less of Dwight Howard.

The NBA could learn a lot from the NFL.

In the NFL, winning is everything and how you win isn't part of the conversation.

Why? Because unlike the NBA, it doesn't drive the machine. The NFL markets the game, not the individual.

Leading up to Super Bowl, nobody was complaining about how the Packers weren’t as exciting as the Eagles or the Steelers as brash as the Jets. They just talked about how they got there- by winning.

It's all about desire and execution in the NFL- elements sorely lacking from the top down for most NBA franchises.

In the NBA, idiots like David Kahn and Otis Smith get to run franchises and spend hundreds of million of dollars- 'nuff said.

[Rummpd]

Sent:
Wed 2/9/2011 2:00 PM
Mr. Powell:

You are often a fine writer but why start your article on a few ideas on how to make the NBA more exciting with a "tired" argument about the Spurs?

Why not ignore the facts that the Spurs are currently 3rd in the NBA in offensive efficiency http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats Moreover, they have a large and loyal following and actually are drawing the #1 TV local audience in the game? http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...v-ratings.html and have led the NBA most of the season in 3 point scoring and for much of the time in fast break points?

There are actually a lot of Spurs fans worldwide and in fact the last time the Spurs played in the finals they actually got a large worldwide audience.. ever http://www.nba.com/nba_news/finals_w...eaudience.html

In reality is only the continuing and uninformed information from the US media that truly keeps others from tuning in to the Spurs - if the SAME team played in NY, Chicago or LAL they would always lead the ratings and Duncan for one would be acclaimed for being the coolest and most consistent NBA star.


Meanwhile Boston for one plays a boring slow it down grind it out game without the flash either Manu or Parker. Why not hate on them? They were surely not the reason people tuned in last year - it was the LAL - which is the same team that the SAS will knock in in highly watched WCF. The Spurs move the ball beautifully, run more than many teams now and play a more exciting game than surely the Bulls, Boston, Orlando or other teams you failed to point out and are by far the best story in basketball period.



The ONLY true rivalry and excitement in the NBA is when the Spurs play and beat the LAL as these teams have won 9 of the past 11 championships. It will be fun when the Spurs win another with class and one of the most exciting offenses and teams in the league.


Regards, PDR



(Peter D. Rumm, MD)

My take sent to this tool of the NBA.

[crc21209]

And this guy gets paid to do this? WTF!?!?!? What a joke...

[Obstructed_View]

Affirmative action at work. Good stuff.

[Slomo]

Another idea would be for the NBA to stop publishing articles and providing platforms for misinformed, uneducated amateurs like Shaun Powell.

The NBA is a league in poor standing primarily because it doesn't have enough teams like the Spurs.

San Antonio wins with substance over style.

The entire NBA marketing strategy is precisely the opposite.

We don't have players bringing loaded weapons to arenas.

We don't have drama queens demanding trades.

We don't have front office GMs giving multi-million dollar deals to Darko Milicic

We just go out and play- and win. We don't offer sound bites or gossip or talking head fodder used for ESPN headlines.

David Stern hasn't caught on yet that the average casual fan wants more of the Spurs and less of Dwight Howard.

The NBA could learn a lot from the NFL.

In the NFL, winning is everything and how you win isn't part of the conversation.

Why? Because unlike the NBA, it doesn't drive the machine. The NFL markets the game, not the individual.

Leading up to Super Bowl, nobody was complaining about how the Packers weren’t as exciting as the Eagles or the Steelers as brash as the Jets. They just talked about how they got there- by winning.

It's all about desire and execution in the NFL- elements sorely lacking from the top down for most NBA franchises.
In the NBA, idiots like David Kahn and Otis Smith get to run franchises and spend hundreds of million of dollars- 'nuff said.

True

To say nothing that it is actually easier to follow the NFL legally and free over here, than it is the NBA - a sport that is actually popular in Europe.

I can't understand why the NFL's fan base is expanding...