[–]NBA fifth_down 19 points 1 day ago* IT depends on how it has define popularity. cricket and ASA a lot of viewers because IT is popular Ina count

Adam Silver: "I believe we can be the No. 1 sport in the world."

Adam Silver: "I believe we can be the No. 1 sport in the world."

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[–] [TOR] OG Anunoby RendHeaven 1311 points 1 day ago

2nd best sport is feasible. No way basketball can take over soccer.

Anunoby fans: The second largest sport in the world can be expected. But it is impossible for basketball to replace football.

[–]rahultoppur 356 points 1 day ago

Even 2nd is pretty hard considering that Cricket is way more of an international sport than basketball

Considering that even cricket this sport is more international than basketball, basketball wants to be the second in the world Exercise is also very difficult.

[–]Spurs CuyuARG 169 points 1 day ago

How popular is Cricket besides India?

Spurs fans: How popular is Cricket besides India?

[–]NBAFifth_Down 19 points 1 day ago*

It depends on how you define popularity. Cricket has a lot of viewers because it is popular in a country with a billion people. But it's presence is limited to a dozen countries. Whereas basketball routinely places second only to soccer in the number of pro sports leagues around the world and fan following of its biggest stars. I just don't see the top Indian cricket players having anywhere near the international recognition your typical star NBA player has.

It depends on how you define popular. Cricket's viewership is huge because it is so popular in a country of more than a billion people. But there are only a dozen countries with regular cricket matches. Basketball is basically second only to football in terms of the number of professional leagues and fan base spread around the world. I don't think there is any Indian cricketer whose international popularity can match that of a mainstream NBA star.

[–]rahultoppur 306 points 1 day ago*

The last world cup was seen by like 2.2 billion people which is waaay more than any NBA finals/season. (fixed incorrect info sorry)

I think its decently popular in England, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan

The last Cricket World Cup had 2.2 billion viewers, which was much more than the audience of any NBA finals/regular season.

I think cricket is still very popular in England, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan .

[–][BOS] Jaylen Brown WarcraftFarscape 156 points 1 day ago

Well, the tournament had 2.2 billion, but the highest match was 1 billion: India v Pakistan.

Both much higher than basketball but the difference is 1.2 billion people.

Jaylen Brown fans: OK, that Cricket World Cup was watched by 2.2 billion people, but the most watched game accounted for 1 billion people: India vs. Pakistan.

indeed has much higher ratings than basketball, but the real key is the remaining 1.2 billion people.

[–]Raptors klaysHat 56 points 1 day ago

The highest match was 1 billion: India v Pakistan.

Damn not everyone in India watched? Guess 300 million people had to work or don't have TV.

Raptors fans: "The most watched game accounts for 1 billion people: India vs. Pakistan"

Damn, didn't every Indian watch this game? Does that mean there are still 300 million people who are employed or do not have television sets?

[–]MrRightNow327 44 points 1 day ago

they don’t have tv lol

God damn no TV, hahahaha

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[–]Raptors babyfacedace 585 points 1 day ago

No international basketball competition can rival the prestige and attention of the World Cup, Euros or even the drama of Copa America.

There's no excitement in international basketball. The NBA itself is not big enough to overcome all of the different domestic leagues, Champions League and international competitions.

Raptors fans: No sports event can match the prestige and attention It is comparable to the World Cup, European Cup, and even the America's Cup.

There is a serious lack of excitement in the world of international basketball. Even the NBA itself is not big enough to surpass the national leagues of European countries, the Champions League and other international competitions.

[–]Gkalaitza 99 points 1 day ago*

This . As much as the viewer number may increase individual countries feel much more involved with soccer due to National teams competitions and better representation in actual players.

Pick any random country in Europe ,Africa or south and Central America +Japan,Korea,Australia. They would most likely have at least 1-2 players playing in the highest level to inspire the youth . In Basketball outside of like 10 European countries and some other random ones there isnt much representation at the highest level

Also a country like Japan,Korea,Nigeria can make a great run in the World cup and their whole engagement with soccer can change overnight and for a very long time because the world cup is that much of a deal. Also people have a far greater variety of top level leagues and tournaments to watch and a very very large number of teams are at the Kings-GSW quality gap compared to top European teams .Also the fandom is much more lively and passionate compared to the NBA. In 70% of the world you can go to your local teams match, scream your lungs our, wave a flag and be part of this all ecompassing soccer crowd maddness which is promoted and still exists in the highest level.Its more accessible and stimulating.The nba for all its merrits promotes a different kind of fan apreach ,more american and sterilized and maybe that holds it back a little too

Admittedly. Even if the NBA's audience has increased, countries' participation in football is still stronger. Because the competition between national teams is more attractive, and some individual stars are more representative. Just pick any country from Europe, Africa, Central and North America , plus Japan, South Korea and Australia, they are likely to have at least 1-2 players playing in the world's highest level league, which inspires with young people. In the field of basketball, except for about ten European countries and some other countries, most regions have no players appearing on the highest level stage.

In addition, countries like Japan, South Korea and Nigeria can still perform well in the World Cup. Their overall national participation in football will soar overnight and last for a long time, because of the World Cup It's really unusual. Not only that, in the field of football, the audience's choice of watching top events is much richer. There are various leagues and championships to watch, and there are also many, many teams and the strength of the top European teams. The gap is equivalent to the distance between the king and warrior . Compared with the NBA, football fans are more energetic and passionate about this sport. Seventy percent of the world has its own football team. You can go to watch the game live, shout at the top of your lungs in the audience, wave the flag of the home team, and blend into the fanatical football atmosphere around you. This kind of atmosphere is what teams strive for in top events. Football games are more accessible and inspiring. The NBA has many advantages, but it promotes a different way of fan participation, which is more American and has no potential for development, which may hinder its own development to a certain extent.

[–]drtapp39 504 points 1 day ago*

Football (soccer) is a semi religion in Europe and Latin America and has been since before the NBA was established.

In Europe and Latin America, football is a semi religion. Yes, it has been like this since before the NBA was founded.

[–]Bulls Ezo31202 166 points 1 day ago

also Africa in cases such as the Ivory Coast or Liberia or Egypt, or various countries in Asia such as Korea post 02 WC etc.

Honestly besides NA I feel like soccer is p big p much everywhere else.

Bulls fans: The same is true for countries like Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia and Egypt in Africa, or some Asian countries, such as South Korea after the 2002 world, etc.

To be honest, except for North America, I feel that football is quite popular everywhere else.

[–]Warriors SharksFanAbroad 62 points 1 day ago

Even North America includes soccer-crazed Mexico and several similar-minded Central American countries, and even the Caribbeans too. And basketball isn't even 2nd in Mexico, likely boxing is.

Basketball's growing and it's structured in an “easy to watch, easy to play” digestible way, but it'd be several lifetimes before it somehow finds a way to pass soccer for #1.

Warriors fans: Even the soccer-mad nation of North America Mexico and several Central and North American countries with similar ideologies, and even the Caribbean. Basketball is not even a second sport in Mexico, it seems boxing is.

Basketball continues to grow, making it easy for the general public to understand under an "easy to watch, easy to use" framework. But it may still be generations away from surpassing football as the number one sport.

[–]Trail Blazers irelli 128 points 1 day ago

Importantly, basketball is huge with the younger generation

Blazers fans: The important thing is that basketball is still very popular among the younger generation.

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[–][LAL] Kobe Bryant Terry_Pandee 654 points 1 day ago

Ehh let's try the states first.

Kobe fans: Uh... let's let basketball become the leader in the United States first.

[–]Suns treytakzona 269 points 1 day ago

I think the NBA is getting there though. Judging by the growth of this sub, I know I'm not the only one who is so invested in the storylines that the NBA has to offer .

But soccer/football will never be overtaken worldwide.

Suns fans: I think the NBA is about to become the number one sport in the United States. Just looking at the growth rate of posts in this thread, I know I'm not the only one who is obsessed with stories about the NBA.

But around the world, football's supremacy will never be replaced.

[–]Statshelp_TA 73 points 1 day ago

Getting there based on what? Monday Night Football in the regular season has essentially the same ratings as both NBA conference championship series last year

Where does the confidence come from that the NBA can become the number one in the United States? ? Monday night's regular season football alone had the same ratings as last year's NBA conference finals.

[–]Lakers gizayabasu 147 points 1 day ago

I mean, soccer isn't even top 3 and it's the most popular sport in the world.

Lakers fans: That's right, soccer isn't even top 3 in the United States, but in It is the most popular sport in the world.

[–]Celtics listerinebreath 53 points 1 day ago

Def not top 4 even. Gotta be FootballBasketballBaseballHockey, right? Not even sure if soccer is 5.

celticsfans: Not even the top four. In the United States, football must be number one, followed by basketball, baseball, and ice hockey, right? Football may not even rank fifth.

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[–]Genestah 24 points 1 day ago

Soccer will be the King of Sports World for at least the next hundred years.

But 2nd most popular is still very possible for the NBA.

足球at least In the next hundred years, it will still be the king of sports in the world. But the second most popular one is probably the NBA.

[–]Pacers tj3_23 32 points 1 day ago

Adam. It's okay to admit that your best chance is second.

[–]Nets LanaRhoades- 181 points 1 day ago*

Literally not possible

Simply because basketball requires height, the best talent play in USA and its not spread out and timezones make it impossible for more than half of the world to watch it, also hoops /courts are more rare

Soccer (football) is the simplest sport and will always have more fans, a ball and two rocks and u can play, also its tradition to a lot more countries

Although basketball is gonna grow a lot

Nets fans: It is impossible for basketball to replace football.

It's simple, because basketball has height requirements, the most talented players are in the United States rather than scattered around the world; the time difference prevents more than half of the world's population from attending games, and there are relatively few hoops and courts.

Football is the simplest sport and it will always have more fans. You only need a ball and two stones to play football, and football is a traditional sport in many countries. Still, basketball has a long way to go.

[–]Celtics SpuddMeister 108 points 1 day ago

Simply because basketball requires height

This is the most important point. For futbol, ​​you can be someone like Messi (5'7") or Maradona (5'5"), and still be one of the best in the world.

Celtics fans: "It's simple, because basketball has height requirements." This statement hits the point. In the field of football, people as tall as Messi and Maradona can still become one of the best in the world.

[–]Bulls jroades26 53 points 1 day ago

Until guys who are 5 foot 8 can be the best in the world, it never will be.

Bulls fans: Unless there is a basketball player about 1.73 meters tall who can be the best in the world, Otherwise basketball can never replace football.

[–]NBASKHRAEURPL 27 points 1 day ago

Basketball can only be 2 tops. Soccer is never going away. It doesn't excite me that much but I can understand the appeal of feeling like anybody can play.

Basketball can only be 2 tops. , the status of football will not be shaken at all. I'm not that interested in football, but I can completely understand the appeal of football where anyone can play a few kicks.

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