Clark's popularity, new expansion franchises, TV ratings, money, flavor of the moment, and other things dictate sports these days. Sorry NHL fans, this sport isn't high on today's pushed agenda's list to receive love. NHL signing on with ESPN was huge mistake and NHL will be treated like dirt no matter what NHL, players, or anyone else does. Cornball gets ESPN prime time slots over NHL games. ESPN and other monopolies have to much skin in the game now, and controls what gets seen by public. Then it's a question of what came first? Chicken or egg, does TV/Media promote a sport enough to help it or does one have to get popular first? No matter, TV/Media controls the kitchen, sets the table, and does it really matter what public wants or doesn't then? Probably not.
Love sports, but sports has come off looking bad lately with refs, media, etc. being to involved with outcomes. Since this is women basketball thread lets start with.....
- Iowa's favorable late call in final-4 that assured huge rating draw during finals.
- Women sports are being pushed: women sports are cool but ask LSU women basketball players how they feel today about rating agenda's. Was pulling for Iowa by the way, but bunk timing is bunk timing no matter who it is.
- NFL bogus late call against Saints -vs- LA that allowed to reach Superbowl their 1st year moving to LA's new stadium. Nothing to see here.
- Even NHL wanted hockey to succeed so bad in Vegas: they gave them every advantage in-the-book to do succeed. Bet many franchise who haven't won in awhile love this one. Sorta reminds me of how huge companies now treat existing customers like dirt, while treating brand new customers like royalty. Monopolies and huge money has a way of tainting stuff sometimes, doesn't it?
- Michigan's/Boston organizations being investigated relentlessly because who leads teams (Yeah, unfortunately politics as enter sport arena's to much now)
- Change happens, and nothing great last forever. There's nothing I or anyone else can do about that.. Come to terms sports is changing into is a lesser product because of many reasons. Money, ratings, gambling, etc being biggest.
- There so many more example of fingers-on-scales throughout sports world to list but they exist.
- And who even knows if numbers they tell us all are even true: wouldn't be first time false shadows have been cast within modern world's Plato's Cave. Internet has made Plato's Cave bigger than it's ever been historically.
- Stinks but NHL is in the backseat of the bus for many reasons.
Huge TV draw, right story-line, being wanted market, media's agenda list, correct beliefs, etc. can get one far in sports today. Unfortunately, humans doing what humans do when we make things about...... "The Who" more so than...."The What"