I recall Basketball was huge in the early to mid-90s here (before dying out around '96, now they don't even telecast local NBL games on free-to-air, let alone NBA). Is this the case where you live? What about other sports like baseball/cricket.etc. Have they gone through phases of popularity? Do they even make new baseball/basketball cards anymore? I haven't seen them in the stores since about '97!!!

Basketball is most definitely less popular. Baseball has maintained its local popularity, definitely, and football is still amazingly popular.

Now that Boston has winning teams in Baseball and Football they are way up in popularity.  The Celtics have slipped, but still have a loyal following and all of these teams sell out their games.

Now that Boston has winning teams in Baseball and Football they are way up in popularity.  The Celtics have slipped, but still have a loyal following and all of these teams sell out their games.



Because of bandwagon fans across the country hitching on to a winning team.  The same thing happened to the Yankees during their dynasty run in the late 90s.  Do you know that I see more Sox caps than Braves caps down here?  Before '04, that wasn't the case.  The same can be said for the Patriots, too.  I don't know how many of these new "fans" are fans because they love the game or "fans" because the team in their town sucks. 

Basketball was by far the most dominent sport in the '90s. Of course, who could deny NOT watching it. We had some hot superstars like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Larry Byrd, Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullen, John Stockton, Karl Malone, etc.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/SIDreamTeam.jpg

Basketball was by far the most dominent sport in the '90s. Of course, who could deny NOT watching it. We had some hot superstars like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Larry Byrd, Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullen, John Stockton, Karl Malone, etc.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/SIDreamTeam.jpg



That "Dream Team" was ridiculous.  I mean, you have the NBA's greatest players going up against amateurs.  I never watched one of those games in '92 because it was a forgone conclusion who'd win. 

In Chicago, the Bulls were the biggest thing in sports through the whole decade, thanks in part to Michael Jordan.

My dad is a giant Yankees fan and baseball nut. He has two whole bookcases of baseball books and watches the games religiously.

My dad is a giant Yankees fan and baseball nut.


Then your father is a good man.  :)

Then your father is a good man.  :)


Woman, actually, my father is a woman. A lesbian. She transitioned last year.

Woman, actually, my father is a woman. A lesbian. She transitioned last year.



Oh, I didn't know.  Sorry if I offended.  She is a good woman, then.  :)

Oh, I didn't know.  Sorry if I offended.  She is a good woman, then.  :)


No, it's fine  ;D . She is a good woman!

I always assumed Baseball/American football has always been the biggest sport over there, but I guess that might have been different back in the early 90s. One must've really been a kid growing up (at least about 8yo) during the early 90s to have appreciated how huge it was.

I always assumed Baseball/American football has always been the biggest sport over there, but I guess that might have been different back in the early 90s. One must've really been a kid growing up (at least about 8yo) during the early 90s to have appreciated how huge it was.


I would say almost ALL sports were pretty big in the early to mid 90s. Basketball was the leader, Baseball a close second and Football not too far behind. Hockey was somewhat popular, but still not quite as big as the others. Soccer just got fairly big in the states in about the last 10 years.

I would say almost ALL sports were pretty big in the early to mid 90s. Basketball was the leader, Baseball a close second and Football not too far behind. Hockey was somewhat popular, but still not quite as big as the others. Soccer just got fairly big in the states in about the last 10 years.


Yeah, Soccer probably received a boost after the 1994 USA World Cup. Among girls soccer seems to be one of the biggest sports; like in 'Bend it Like Beckham' the main character, a soccer-mad teenage girl, actually has to travel to America to pursue a career as a pro soccer player.

Yeah, Soccer probably received a boost after the 1994 USA World Cup. Among girls soccer seems to be one of the biggest sports; like in 'Bend it Like Beckham' the main character, a soccer-mad teenage girl, actually has to travel to America to pursue a career as a pro soccer player.


Soccer moms and little girls playing soccer was definitely a '90s thing...it's still true now, but it's the teen girls playing soccer. Also, lacrosse has become a very popular sport in the '00s, associated with '00s preppie culture.

Soccer moms and little girls playing soccer was definitely a '90s thing...it's still true now, but it's the teen girls playing soccer. Also, lacrosse has become a very popular sport in the '00s, associated with '00s preppie culture.


Lacrosse is actually popular now?  None of the schools where I live even have a lacrosse team.  How popular is it in comparison to other sports?

Soccer moms and little girls playing soccer was definitely a '90s thing...it's still true now, but it's the teen girls playing soccer. Also, lacrosse has become a very popular sport in the '00s, associated with '00s preppie culture.


We used to play Lacrosse in sport back in Primary (Elementary school) in the 90s. It was quite alot of fun.

Lacrosse is actually popular now?  None of the schools where I live even have a lacrosse team.  How popular is it in comparison to other sports?


It's a big east coast thing now, for upper middle-class/rich public and private schools. It actually is more popular than baseball at the moment, I think, for my school...it's part of the east coast version of the preppie O.C. subculture. I call it "lax" culture, the east coast version of that.

Soccer and lacrosse will always be big among little kids growing up, but it never translates into mainstream success in the United States. Most people don't even know the MLS exists.

The NFL and MLB were sort of neck and neck up intil the baseball strike of 1994, then the NFL took off and has yet to relinquish its grasp as the number one sport in America. Baseball was slow to come back, it was really down in the dumps between 1995-1997, and it took juiced baseball and juiced players to bring it all the way back in 1998...but still it's not the nations pastime anymore, football is, but baseball is alot better off than the immediate strike years.

The NBA declined because the sport became too urban (it alway was, but now it's exclusively urban) too "ghetto", and now has a rap/violence culture attached to it that's too far removed from the mainstream. We cannot identify anymore with basketball players. It's not just in decline...it's in a freefall.

The NHL has undergone radical changes as well, but is pretty much cemented as the #4 sport in the Northern half of the nation, in the South NASCAR trumps hockey. The further north you go, the more popular hockey is...until of you hit Canada of course where hockey is and always will be #1.

Soccer and lacrosse will always be big among little kids growing up, but it never translates into mainstream success in the United States. Most people don't even know the MLS exists.

The NFL and MLB were sort of neck and neck up intil the baseball strike of 1994, then the NFL took off and has yet to relinquish its grasp as the number one sport in America. Baseball was slow to come back, it was really down in the dumps between 1995-1997, and it took juiced baseball and juiced players to bring it all the way back in 1998...but still it's not the nations pastime anymore, football is, but baseball is alot better off than the immediate strike years.

The NBA declined because the sport became too urban (it alway was, but now it's exclusively urban) too "ghetto", and now has a rap/violence culture attached to it that's too far removed from the mainstream. We cannot identify anymore with basketball players. It's not just in decline...it's in a freefall.

The NHL has undergone radical changes as well, but is pretty much cemented as the #4 sport in the Northern half of the nation, in the South NASCAR trumps hockey. The further north you go, the more popular hockey is...until of you hit Canada of course where hockey is and always will be #1.


Baseball is definitely much more popular in the NE and the urban Midwest, older urban and suburban areas, than in the newer parts of the country.

Baseball is definitely much more popular in the NE and the urban Midwest, older urban and suburban areas, than in the newer parts of the country.


oh definitely, look at the Northeast. You have the Mets, Yankees and Redsox, three of baseballs biggest and most popular franchises clustered together. Plus you've got the Phillies (more mid atlantic) but they're only about 90 minutes south of the Mets, and that can be a good baseball town (1994 hurt it though)

baseball in the midwest can be very hot, you've got the Tigers who are all of a sudden competitive (and that's a GREAT baseball town that's been dormant for too long) Plus the Cubs who can go 0-162 and still sell out every game. The Reds have a solid fanbase, the Indians have been rejuvinated post 1994 after they built the new stadium.

the only place where baseball lags is the south east. Florida is just pretty much transplanted Mets/Yankees fans and nobody there cares about the Marlins or Devil Rays. The Braves are up in Atlanta and have a huge region to themselves with no other franchises near them. They've been good for so long but struggle to sell out playoff games. apathetic fan base really...

The Worst sports fans are located in the West Coast

The Worst sports fans are located in the West Coast


Ahhh, c'mon  :(  :\'(

oh definitely, look at the Northeast. You have the Mets, Yankees and Redsox, three of baseballs biggest and most popular franchises clustered together. Plus you've got the Phillies (more mid atlantic) but they're only about 90 minutes south of the Mets, and that can be a good baseball town (1994 hurt it though)

baseball in the midwest can be very hot, you've got the Tigers who are all of a sudden competitive (and that's a GREAT baseball town that's been dormant for too long) Plus the Cubs who can go 0-162 and still sell out every game. The Reds have a solid fanbase, the Indians have been rejuvinated post 1994 after they built the new stadium.

the only place where baseball lags is the south east. Florida is just pretty much transplanted Mets/Yankees fans and nobody there cares about the Marlins or Devil Rays. The Braves are up in Atlanta and have a huge region to themselves with no other franchises near them. They've been good for so long but struggle to sell out playoff games. apathetic fan base really...


Yeah, baseball is probably the most popular in the NE Corridor and around Chicago.

Ahhh, c'mon  :(  :\'(



Not all of them, but most of them.  A lot of west coast fans are just into it because it's trendy.  You see it a lot in Anaheim.  No real sense of history there for the fans to get behind.

Lacrosse is actually popular now?  None of the schools where I live even have a lacrosse team.  How popular is it in comparison to other sports?


Lacrosse is popular here in Canada.  My buddy went to a Lacrosse game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and he told me that the arena was packed.  Even though Lacrosse is our National Sport, I am still surprised at how popular it is.  I never hear about it on the news or in the papers  :-\\

Not all of them, but most of them.  A lot of west coast fans are just into it because it's trendy.  You see it a lot in Anaheim.  No real sense of history there for the fans to get behind.


Well, it's a bit of stereotype to say that. Anahiem is really the only "new" team out this way. Dodgers have a long history, as do the A's and Giants. Even the Padre's have built a history as well.

For whatever reason people like baseball for, so be it.

Well, it's a bit of stereotype to say that. Anahiem is really the only "new" team out this way. Dodgers have a long history, as do the A's and Giants. Even the Padre's have built a history as well.

For whatever reason people like baseball for, so be it.


Yeah, but their best fans/history were in Brooklyn

Well, it's a bit of stereotype to say that. Anahiem is really the only "new" team out this way. Dodgers have a long history, as do the A's and Giants. Even the Padre's have built a history as well.

For whatever reason people like baseball for, so be it.



I said MOST, not ALL.  I see more bandwagon fans out west than I do out east.  I'm sure there are plenty of really great fans out there, but you never see them.

Yeah, but their best fans/history were in Brooklyn


Yes, that's true - but I just find it unfair to say that west coast - or any coast for that matter - is deemed as "the worst" Come here and find out for yourself before making that assumption.

I said MOST, not ALL.  I see more bandwagon fans out west than I do out east.  I'm sure there are plenty of really great fans out there, but you never see them.


Again, live here and come to a game on the West Coast. Then maybe it can be understood more. Until then, it isn't a fair comparision anymore for me to say the same about East Coast fans.

Every area has good fans. I don't see any problem with west coast fans myself.

I think as a country we're still more sports obsessed than Americans, because it probably affects people from all walks of life. For example, during the AFL Grand final or the Melbourne Cup, that's all anyone will talk about it, and people take off work.etc to watch it. Baseball never really gained popularity here - I think the only places outside America where it's really seen popularity is Canada, Japan and scattered parts of Europe. American Football is basically unknown. The sport most on the rise is Soccer/Football, which is now more played than Australian Rules Football.

You Americans probably can't imagine NOT having cable, but for the past few years we've only had 6-channels on TV to watch - I miss the days when I could watch all those sports which can very little coverage here on cable.