@the-gipper said:

Or are you confusing Federer...who is Swiss.

Absolutely not Gipper, I probably follow tennis more than baseball... Stan Warinka IS Swiss, though you wouldn't think it with a name like that... Knew all along what countries Federer and Nadal were from... And Nadal is a lefty- like me, so I tend to follow his doings and root for him, all things considered. 

And speaking of lefties, I also have a fond spot in my heart for John McEnroe- who besides being a lefty, played tennis the same way I used to.... I believe I still hold the University of Dayton record for a racquet toss- over two courts and a 20' tall row of pine trees.  Me and John even preferred the same racquet- a Wilson Pro Staff.    What I didn't know about John was he was formerly married to Tatum O'Neal...  

PS- American John Isner has hung around in the top 10 for years, though he's never broken through to win a major tournament. And if you remember, he also played the longest match in pro tennis history. That record will stand forever, as all major tournaments have now capped how long a deciding set can go before it forces a tiebreaker- no more 70-68 sets. Should mention we have an up and coming American, Frances Tiafoe, 21 yo.....    

PPS- if Anna had been able to play tennis up to the level of her looks, she'd be in the same category as the Williams sisters... Of the current crop of women players, Carolyn Wozniacki isn't too shabby looking...  

Zombo said:

I'm old, probably more to do with Guillermo Villas and Gabby Sabatini.

I think I checked out on tennis around the time Sampras and Agassi got old and Anna Kournikova stopped knocking balls around.

Anna Kanacorna......the biggest star that never did nothing.....except be hot as hell.

@hoorta said:

 that's OK Z for those who don't follow the sport closely.  You'd think Stan Warinka is Polish- except he's not, he Swiss.... 

Or are you confusing Federer...who is Swiss.

@nero said:

We got Nadal, so tennis must be one. I'd say that Motorcycling is huge here, many Spaniards are world class level. Same with cycling. Basketball has many fans, indeed, and I don't know if it does, but handball I think is up there too. And indoor soccer, which is completely different to normal soccer should I say. 

I can't think of any other sport with as many followers as the ones mentioned above... 

Well....I would say golf is more popular here than tennis...but I guess it depends on if you have a star from your country...like you do.  No US tennis male stars...(not like when we had McEnroe/Conners/Sampras/Agassi) ,  but the Williams sisters certainly are.  Indoor soccer was quite popular here once upon a time....especially in Cleveland (we even had some stars....can anyone remember Kai Haaskivi?) ....and imo...is far superior than the normal version. 

And handball? we played that in gym in junior high and high school. You put that leather glove on and slap that little rubber ball of the wall and you play an opponent. I think racketball derived from that. 

@nero said:

Del Potro is a top tennis player and he is from Argentina. Maybe that has something to do?

I'm old, probably more to do with Guillermo Villas and Gabby Sabatini.

I think I checked out on tennis around the time Sampras and Agassi got old and Anna Kournikova stopped knocking balls around.

Zombo said:

I always thought Nadal was Argentinean until this very moment.

Don't know why.

Z

Del Potro is a top tennis player and he is from Argentina. Maybe that has something to do?

Zombo said:

I always thought Nadal was Argentinean until this very moment.

Don't know why.

Z

 that's OK Z for those who don't follow the sport closely.  You'd think Stan Warinka is Polish- except he's not, he Swiss.... 

@nero said:

We got Nadal, so tennis must be one. I'd say that Motorcycling is huge here, many Spaniards are world class level. Same with cycling. Basketball has many fans, indeed, and I don't know if it does, but handball I think is up there too. And indoor soccer, which is completely different to normal soccer should I say. 

I can't think of any other sport with as many followers as the ones mentioned above... 

I always thought Nadal was Argentinean until this very moment.

Don't know why.

Z

@the-gipper said:

What are the other major sports in Spain 

We got Nadal, so tennis must be one. I'd say that Motorcycling is huge here, many Spaniards are world class level. Same with cycling. Basketball has many fans, indeed, and I don't know if it does, but handball I think is up there too. And indoor soccer, which is completely different to normal soccer should I say. 

I can't think of any other sport with as many followers as the ones mentioned above... 

@nero said:

Not only one sport, but there are way less people watching 4 sports like you do in America with football+basketball+baseball+NHL

What are the other major sports in Spain 

@the-gipper said:

He is saying that in Europe all the seasons are much longer than we have over here. Of course they only follow one sport. 

Not only one sport, but there are way less people watching 4 sports like you do in America with football+basketball+baseball+NHL

@dutch-oven said:

You might be onto something, because if it was up to me every American pro sport's season would be shortened. 

14 game NFL season, 140 MLB season, 60 game NBA and NHL season. Less overlapping of sports seasons. 

He is saying that in Europe all the seasons are much longer than we have over here. Of course they only follow one sport. 

@nero said:

I'd say that for us europeans, having a soccer league that lasts from late August till May, it is quite surprising how short the NFL is, though it makes a lot of sense with the risk it brings for the players. Also here we have few people who watch, let's say basketball + tennis + motor sports + soccer, and we haven't got that "one sport for each season" concept you americans have. 

Nothing against it, but I wouldn't say that the scarcity makes american football more appealing. Just my two cents. 

You might be onto something, because if it was up to me every American pro sport's season would be shortened. 

14 game NFL season, 140 MLB season, 60 game NBA and NHL season. Less overlapping of sports seasons. 

@mark-o said:

I think there's something to be said for this.   I watch as much football during football season as anyone and I have zero interest in this new league and based on the dozens of people who showed up to watch SD this past  week, I'm not alone.

Football has its season.  It's over now.  Time to regroup and get ready for the fall when football comes back.

I'd say that for us europeans, having a soccer league that lasts from late August till May, it is quite surprising how short the NFL is, though it makes a lot of sense with the risk it brings for the players. Also here we have few people who watch, let's say basketball + tennis + motor sports + soccer, and we haven't got that "one sport for each season" concept you americans have. 

Nothing against it, but I wouldn't say that the scarcity makes american football more appealing. Just my two cents. 

@londonbrown said:

I have no opinion on the new league but this claim is hilarious. 

Yep the reason the NFL is so popular is because we hardly ever get to see it*

*my pink sarcasm skills are non existent 

The regular season is just over 4 months plus preseason beginning August 2, 2019, postseason, the draft, college football yes there is plenty of televised football.

Oversaturation in anything tends to lessen even reduce demand even the super bowl is no exception. Especially in the coveted Adults 18-49 group where it was the lowest ever since they have been tracking those numbers. The high was 41.2 in 1996 now 31.0. Yes you can get too much of anything.

Why has every new league in the past 50+ years failed? Simple, outside of pigskin diehards it's just too much. 

Oh and the most hyped TV program of the year, well.......The CBS telecast of the game drew 98.2 million viewers Sunday, down more than 5 million from last year to the lowest turnout since 2008. That year, Fox claimed 97.4 million for the New York Giants’ defeat over this year’s champion New England Patriots. Another 2.6 million people streamed Sunday’s game online.

The big game has consistently topped 100 million on TV since 2010, peaking at 114.4 million in 2015. And it remains by far the year’s most-watched program........

@londonbrown said:

I have no opinion on the new league but this claim is hilarious. 

Yep the reason the NFL is so popular is because we hardly ever get to see it*

*my pink sarcasm skills are non existent 

I think there's something to be said for this.   I watch as much football during football season as anyone and I have zero interest in this new league and based on the dozens of people who showed up to watch SD this past  week, I'm not alone.

Football has its season.  It's over now.  Time to regroup and get ready for the fall when football comes back.

@mjp28 said:

Isn’t a huge part of what makes the NFL and the top-level of college football so popular, and so valuable, is its scarcity? For a good five months, a significant chunk of America invests three or four hours (and often considerably more) every weekend watching football

I have no opinion on the new league but this claim is hilarious. 

Yep the reason the NFL is so popular is because we hardly ever get to see it*

*my pink sarcasm skills are non existent 

For the past 50 years, every attempt to start a new professional football league has faced the same problem. Though football is far and away America’s most popular sport, there is simply no evidence that enough people want to spend enough time watching a minor-league version to make it financially viable over the long-term. 

That’s why it was curious Tuesday when the startup Alliance of American Football announced that billionaire entrepreneur and Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon laid down $250 million to become the league’s chairman amid reports it was already in danger of running out of money after just two weeks of play. 

The league nearly missed its first week’s payroll, according to Darren Rovell of the Action Network, although co-founder Charlie Ebersol refuted the reports in remarks to The Orlando Sentinel. 

Dundon’s emergency bailout of the league comes with a pretty important question: What, exactly, is he getting for his $250 million? 

Isn’t a huge part of what makes the NFL and the top-level of college football so popular, and so valuable, is its scarcity? For a good five months, a significant chunk of America invests three or four hours (and often considerably more) every weekend watching football.

Then the season ends, allowing anticipation to build to the point where there’s genuine excitement when it returns. The ability to miss football, which you don’t get as much during a nine-month NBA season or baseball's never-ending slog, is actually a great luxury for its fans..........CONTINUED.........USA TODAY.......

@gumby73 said:

Anybody else enjoying the compete level of some of these games? Am not sure if, a ref, a player or a replay booth official gets promoted first...i do hope the nfl keeps kickoffs in the game..    

@gumby73 said:

Anybody else enjoying the compete level of some of these games? Am not sure if, a ref, a player or a replay booth official gets promoted first...i do hope the nfl keeps kickoffs in the game..    

I really enjoyed Orlando vs San Antonio

@the-gipper said:

Worth a 15 yard penalty.

No browns player that goes turky jones on ben would ever pay for his drinks in NE ohio or not have his meals comped.