5 reasons why the world is so in love with the NBA
While the NBA is not the most popular sport in America, it is one of
the country’s biggest TV exports. So, why has the NBA captured the
attention of the world in a way the NFL never did?
You're about to find out.
#1 - The dominance of Team USA in the Olympics
The world was properly introduced to the NBA's wonder generation in the
1984 Olympics. At this point, professionals were not allowed to compete
in the Olympics, but many of the gold medal-winning team from the year
earned themselves places in the league.
Within 8 years the rules had changed, and the full force of the NBA
descended on Olympic basketball. That year, in 1992, the world saw that
the NBA was a cut above the rest.
The team has won 15 out of the 19 golds at the Olympics, as well as 2 silvers and a bronze medal.
#2 - The game is fast, high scoring, and easy to follow
Unlike its 'peer' American football, Basketball is very easy to follow.
While the NBA doesn't bring in the same level of viewership as the US,
it pulls in massive international audiences.
With many viewers commenting on how exciting the sport was. Even
President Obama, Will Ferrell, and Jay-Z are huge fans of the sport.
Basketball is also an incredibly exciting sport to bet on. With sites like http://www.fanduel.com offer amazing odds on every pre and postseason match, every match in the main season, and even on March Madness matches.
#3 - Basketball is an easy sport to get involved with
One of the huge appeals of Basketball around the world is that you can
play it anywhere - all you need is a ball and a hoop. Both of which are
very easy to get hold of.
Unlike American football, you don't need a large group of people and
protective equipment to play basketball. You can play with just two
people. You can even play on your own if you're working against a
particularly cunning wall.
#4 - Stars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan have captured the world's hearts
If you didn't believe that Basketball players were
superstars beloved across the world then the outpouring of love that
happened after the tragic death of Kobe Bryant would have changed your
mind.
The legendary player was paid tribute to by the president, sports
players, and A-listers alike. His death truly broke the world's heart.
There are dozens of other NBA players that are adored by the world. Why?
Because they donate millions of dollars to charity, they champion black athletes, and they love their sport.
It is impossible to watch these men play and talk about Basketball
without falling in love with the sport. The passion of men like Michael
Jordan has truly turned basketball into a global sport and kept the NBA
at the forefront of it.
#5 - NBA movie cameos
Uncut Gems. Trainwreck. Airplane! And of course, Space Jam (and the
soon-to-be Space Jam 2). The success of these movies and their NBA
stars and cameos have introduced the NBA to a whole new generation of
sports lovers.
It's also impossible to watch a movie set in New York without hearing people rave about the sport.
We're used to seeing WWE cameos in movies, but occasionally we are
treated to an NBA cameo that blows everyone else out of the water. But,
we'll be honest, the unprecedented success of Space Jam has done more
to boost the popularity of the NBA than nearly anything else in the
sport's history.
