Skip Bayless: If black NFL players sat out week one to protest Colin Kaepernick’s [tr]

Hot Air ^ | August 9, 2017 | Allahpundit

[C19fan]

I mean, he’s not wrong. It definitely would have an impact on the fan base. The NFL as we know it is going away sooner or later. Why not have it go sooner, in a burst of social-justice glory? Via the IJR:

[dfwgator]

I can clearly see football being eventually replaced by soccer.

It's happening.

Mark my words, in the next few years, the most popular US athlete may very well be Christian Pulisic, who plays for Dortmund in the German Bundesliga. He is only 18, and some are already thinking he can be as good as Messi or Ronaldo eventually.

If you talk to kids, and ask them who their favorite athletes are, most likely Messi or Ronaldo will be near the top. They just aren't into the NFL nearly as much.

[ExTxMarine]

I am a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan! I was born in Dallas, used to ride my bike to Texas Stadium every week to watch them arrive on the bus! I’ve met many of the greats: Mel Renfro, Too Tall Jones, Randy White, and my favorite Cowboy of all time, Robert Newhouse!

But, with the NFL allowing all this nonsense, and my general dislike for their no-fun-league rules, in the last three years, I might have watched fifteen games, and that includes missing most of the last two Super Bowl games.

I just don’t think they get America’s values anymore, and I can’t and WON’T support any company (if I can help it) that is so blind and disrespectful to their customers!

I mean, even with Dak bringing the Cowboys into prominence again, I still didn’t make it a point to be available to watch the game. If I didn’t have something to do, and I was sitting around, I would watch them - otherwise, I no longer PLAN my schedule around the NFL - which I used to do RELIGIOUSLY.

[dfwgator]

Bayless is the same one who was spreading the rumors that Troy Aikman was gay.

[Deplorable American1776]

If black players did, I wouldn’t care...I’m excited for college football and my UConn Huskies...

[Alberta's Child]

That’s a great point, but it also shows just how tenuous some of the popularity of these sports is. When the personalities go away, the casual fans go with them ... and the sport is left (hopefully) with the followers who are truly fans of the game.

[Alberta's Child]

All good points. I wouldn’t put too much stock in any comparisons between today and the period from the 1920s through the 1950s. Television brought a lot of changes to the business of sports, so the most relevant trends would be those since 1960 when most U.S. households had at least one TV set.

[KC_Conspirator]

So I guess every black NFL player hates police?

[CTrent1564]

Good point there as well. The NFL and TV were a match made in heaven and the 1960s were the time that the NFL became the #1 sport in the US.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

What you point out is a very good possibility.
Which is why baseball stadiums are getting smaller and the crowds still cannot fill them up. Even NBA games are full of empty seats. Too many games in the season waters the sport down.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

I agree. Every single MLS game I’ve been to has been either sold out or close.

You have 2 hours of non-stop, commercial-free action versus a 4 hour mess of commercials, sideline reporting nonsense, and 2 second plays.

The math just doesn’t work anymore for the NFL.

[dfwgator]

I agree. Every single MLS game I’ve been to has been either sold out or close.

When I visited a friend recently in Atlanta, we went to an Atlanta United game at Bobby Dodd Stadium, it was sold out with 45,000 fans, and they were loud. Pretty good for a first-year team.

Also, FC Cincinnati, which isn't even in the MLS, has made it to the Semi-Finals of the US Open Cup, and they've had huge crowds to their games.

[bar sin·is·ter]

I always see the Argentinian national and Real Madrid jerseys all over the place.

Screw football, curling is where it's at.

[dfwgator]

The MLS, IMO, is making a big mistake in continuing to expand.

The rosters are already watered-down as it is, and the MLS won’t be taken seriously, until we can start beating Liga MX teams in the CONCACAF Champions League on a consistent basis.

[dfwgator]

I got to do the FC Barcelona tour at Camp Nou, when I visited Barcelona recently, it was awesome.

[bar sin·is·ter]

Sweet.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

I was actually very surprised that they did expand so fast.
IMO it’s still a mini-league on par with the Austrian or Hungarian league in UEFA.

Stars that play are either past their prime or moving on to bigger things in Europe.

Liga MX still pays much better IIRC than MLS.

[csvset]

Plus he has been allowing his bat shit crazy “girlfriend” to run her yap about BLM and slaves and masters. If he sticks with her, he’s done for .

[dfwgator]

I occasionally watch Liga MX games, and yes, it’s way ahead of the MLS.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

My company has a suite for the ATL United.
Been to 4 games there and every game has been sold out. The opening game had about 57,000 fans because they opened up the top end-zone section that is currently being renovated.

I’ve also been to a Sounders game and Chicago Fire game at their respective stadiums. Sounders sold out, Fire was close but their stadium is not in a very good location.

[dfwgator]

FC Dallas doesn’t even come close to selling out, and they have a real nice soccer-only stadium. Of course it’s way up in Frisco, far away from downtown, which is dumb.