Most Popular Sport in the CU Forums?

JasP24

The top 3 from Dec. 2005 according to Harris Poll were:

Pro Football
Baseball
College Football

What's the most popular here in the forums? And how does that relate to your collecting habits?

zef204

I think if this question would be answered differently in different times of the year.

softparade

what zef said

JasP24

Your probably right...

So how/when could you best determine which sport is the most popular?Attendance and TV ratings are hard to compare because the sports are all very different.

What I am trying to determine is how specific sports relate to the collecting world? If I were to use the Harris Poll and say Pro Football is the most popular, and the favorite sport of 33% of the population, yet 60% of collectors mainly collect baseball cards...I want to determine how or why that is. It would make sense that football would be the most collected if it is the most popular...

Is it age demographic? Is baseball simply more recognized as a collectible type sport?

bri2327

I think baseball will always be more widely collected no matter what sport is more popular. Besides the history of the game, the players are more easily recognizable. In football they have all the equiptment, padding, and most importantly helmets, which makes it difficult for the average person to identify with the player as much as they would with baseball.

etown99girl

I think if this question would be answered differently in different times of the year.

JasP24

<< <i>I think baseball will always be more widely collected no matter what sport is more popular. Besides the history of the game, the players are more easily recognizable. In football they have all the equiptment, padding, and most importantly helmets, which makes it difficult for the average person to identify with the player as much as they would with baseball. >>



All valid points Bri.

But why don't those points also make baseball more popular than football in general as well? Is football more geared toward the younger video game generation who doesn't collect cards anymore? And baseball more geared toward the older, traditionalist crowd?

What I don't understand is why the overall popularity doesnt equal the popularity in the collecting world. Shouldn't the mirror each other? I know card collectors only make up probably less than 1% of the population, but its just strange to me that football could be the most popular sport, yet baseball still be the most popular cards...

bri2327

There are a few reasons I think football has gained if not passed baseball in popularity. One is the speed of the game. In todays day in age of short attention spans baseball may be a bit slow moving, or not have enough action for the general population. Also, todays society has become a bit more violent as a whole, which certainly gears itself towards football over baseball ( unless the Cubs play the White Sox !)

The amount of games are certainly a factor as well. Baseball being played virtually every day sort of takes away from the attraction. Football on the other hand is for the most part a once a week thing, lending itself to more people looking forward to the once a week they can get together and watch the games. There is far more on the line with each game.

Of course this is all relative. Baseball's attendance is at an all time high, so there certainly isnt a shortage of fans, especially in the growing Latin community where baseball is just exploding in popularity.

JasP24

The result of the Harris poll I mentioned listed Pro Football at 33% being the favorite sport in the U.S. Baseball was second at a distant 14%.

Based on the poll results so far here in the CU forum, Baseball is the favorite of 56% while football is second at 39%.

To me, thats a big difference and both numbers are probably pretty accurate. While there are many small factors that go into the equation, to me something doesn't equal out here. Football is OVERWHELMINGLY the #1 choice of sports fans. Most football fans are also baseball fans (like me) and vice versa. But if it came down to preference and having to choose one over the other, football is clearly #1. Yet in the card collecting community, baseball remains king. Football has made big strides over the last few years and auction values of football cards are getting closer to baseball, and in cards from the 80's-90's already exceed baseball card values.

But the question remains, why? Is the percentage of baseball fans who collect cards higher than the percentage of football fans who collect cards? And if so, what needs to happen for that to change. or will that ever change?

goose3

seems like we see the most activity during Baseball and College Football

tkd7

Its just a guess, but I would think that percentage of women that chose football as their favorite sport is greater than 33%. I find that woman are more likely to be football or hockey fans than baseball or basketball. I think that skews the numbers as well.

JasP24

From the Harris Poll:

Demographic variations

The survey also finds some sizable differences between different segments of the population. Pro football is most popular among African Americans (47%), those with household incomes of $50,000 to under $75,000 (41%) and $35,000 to under $50,000 (40%), and among Generation X (those aged 28 to 39) (39%). Those with a post graduate education are least likely (23%) to call professional football their favorite sport.

Baseball does best among Hispanics (20%) and Echo Boomers (those aged 18–27) (21%). African Americans are least likely to say baseball is their favorite sport (6%).

College football is particularly popular among Republicans and those with post graduate degrees (both 20%). Five percent of those with household incomes of less than $15,000 cite professional football as their favorite sport.

Auto racing (which includes NASCAR) is most popular among those with a high school education or less (19%) and Baby Boomers (15%), while it fares worst among those with a post graduate degree (2%) and Generation X (4%).

Heres the link:

Link to Poll Results

thegemmintman

Do the same poll here in November. It may be an interesting result .

stevek

Why was women's beach volleyball not in the poll?

Wabittwax

I think bri2327 is right on many of the things he said. During football season, the build up to each Sunday is great. By Friday or Saturday, my blood is pumping full steam. Also, one thing that wasn't mentioned, I think FOX has done a very good job in their programming. Their football broadcast comes in loud Stereo sound and you hear all the hits great. The announcers are energized and the pre game show is great. Their theme music is also good especially when you kick on the big speakers with the surround sound. The whole package really gets me in the football mood on Sundays.

I like baseball but I lose track of it quite often. I honestly don't know who's if first or last place right now.

My passion for football does translate (at least for me) in my collecting habits. For opening new packs, I much prefer FB because I recognize every single player in the pack. BB packs are maybe 35% I recognize, unless it's 80's stuff.

tkd7

Steve-
Everything you brought up about football is great for TV but has made the game that much worse for the fans that go to the games. I have Giants season tickets, and it is amazing how much dead time there is during a game for TV commercials. There is more standing around with no action in football than baseball. Now that TV has the ability to set the game time during the season and even change the day a game is played, it is worse for the fans. I have friends that travel a couple of hours to come to the Giants games and there is a big difference between a 1 PM and a 4 or 8 PM game, espcecially in November or December.

For all the complaining about baseball playing the World Series games at 8:30, what about the fans on the east coast that have to watch Monday night football at the same start time. I don't hear the NFL taking it on the chin for that.

But hey, the NFL has cheerleaders.

jonesy

<< <i>I think if this question would be answered differently in different times of the year. >>

bri2327

<< <i>Steve-
Everything you brought up about football is great for TV but has made the game that much worse for the fans that go to the games. I have Giants season tickets, and it is amazing how much dead time there is during a game for TV commercials. There is more standing around with no action in football than baseball. Now that TV has the ability to set the game time during the season and even change the day a game is played, it is worse for the fans. I have friends that travel a couple of hours to come to the Giants games and there is a big difference between a 1 PM and a 4 or 8 PM game, espcecially in November or December.

For all the complaining about baseball playing the World Series games at 8:30, what about the fans on the east coast that have to watch Monday night football at the same start time. I don't hear the NFL taking it on the chin for that.

But hey, the NFL has cheerleaders. >>



Any time you cant make it to a Giants game feel free to look me up, I will take em off your hands

Axtell

Football is the new american pasttime, has been for the better part of a decade. With the advent of the salary cap (and baseball's ridiculous move to cancel an entire postseason), football's momentum has never slowed.

Baseball will always have its core legion of fans, but will continue to lose market share (and new players).

The baseball season is far too long, and there are far too many teams who cannot contend. Baseball either needs to contract to 16 teams, or institute a salary cap, if it wants to regain its #1 ranking.

Baseball is my favorite sport to see in person, but nothing matches a great sunday of football.