Lowest pro sports attendance

[BobT]

I would have to disagree. The NBA most certainly did exist in 1975. Why would the addition of the ABA teams be any different than the various expansions the league has gone through since then? The ABA was set up as a rival league. And by 1975, it was clear who was winning that war.

The NBA wasn’t nearly as popular in 1975 as it is now, but tastes change.

[zamboniracer]

@jimmmy

Sorry to offend you with my use of the word “theory” – that was certainly taken in the context you put it a wrong usage. In a general GQ (non over emotional) sense though, the point is not “nonsense”.

The OP asks about “the most popular sporting organizations in this country” and includes the NBA, since 1975. The fact that the NBA as we know it did not exist, and the fact that a Professional basketball league that was dieing and, in 1975-77 was known to be shutting down by all of their fans is not “nonsense” in answering this question…

No where did I say the OP was impossible to answer – what I said was that a fact based GQ answer* was going to be hard to make - although I now see the Montreal-Jays game might be a low hard to beat.

(*OTOH it would be easy to make an over the top emotional answer, calling out your fellow dopers like you were in The Pit)

Queuing I understand you point: All I can say is that the teams I see somewhat regularly - Nationals, Caps, Wizards and Redskins almost never (I don’t want to say "never " to not overstate – I don’t remember it though) announce “Paid attendance at today’s game” they announce “Attendance at today’s game” - that I know they know, and we in attendance can sometimes tell, is absolutely false.

We are both making mountains out of molehills, but your statement that in 1975 the NBA was we know it did not exist is simply not true. The NBA is a professional basketball league, in 1975 and in the present. I attended NBA games in 1975; they were much the same as NBA games today, in that the featured large talented men playing basketball in front of people who paid to watch the game. The NBA as we knew it in 1975 didn’t have 32 teams as it does now but that is a quantitative and not qualitative difference. The fact that the ABA went under and 4 of its teams joined the NBA in the summer of 1976 makes no difference whatsoever in answering the OP, as I see it. If you see it differently, then please explain how the WHA/NHL merger of the late 1970s doesn’t impact the OP while 1976 ABA/NBA merger basketball does. (The original WHA went of of business in 1978 or '79, with the Oilers, Nordiques, Jets and Whalers joining the NHL, just like the Spurs, Pacers, Nets and Nuggets jointed the NBA previously in 1976.)

There are many differences in the NBA of 1975 and 2005, not all of them for the better. Smoking was allowed in NBA venues in 1975 and is prohibited today, so that is quite an improvement, whereas in 1975 spectators weren’t assaulted by hyped up noise machines during the games like they are today, which is a drawback. Neither of the similarities or differences though, have much to do with responding to the OP’s question.

[jimmmy]

@zamboniracer

We are both making mountains out of molehills.

OK I will agree - but you started it

@zamboniracer

The fact that the ABA went under and 4 of its teams joined the NBA in the summer of 1976 makes no difference whatsoever in answering the OP, as I see it. If you see it differently, then please explain how the WHA/NHL merger of the late 1970s doesn’t impact the OP while 1976 ABA/NBA merger basketball does. (The original WHA went of of business in 1978 or '79, with the Oilers, Nordiques, Jets and Whalers joining the NHL, just like the Spurs, Pacers, Nets and Nuggets jointed the NBA previously in 1976.)

.

The NHL thing is a red herring in our discussion. I never said any such thing and need not explain anything about it.*

The ABA was dieing out for of a host of reasons – the relevant one here being lack of attendance. For instance, 6097 was the average for Utah which was “healthy” by ABA standards. That there was a Professional B-Ball league, dieing partially because it couldn’t draw flies, certainly that impacts the OP as written (which asks about “the most popular sporting organizations in this country” and includes the NBA, since 1975)

*I am simply not familiar enough with it - but if the WHA died in part because of poorly attended games then presumably that would strengthen my case that the OP as written is a hard one to answer as a concept of “NBA” And , in this case “NHL”

@zamboniracer

your statement that in 1975 the NBA was we know it did not exist is simply not true. The NBA is a professional basketball league, in 1975 and in the present. I attended NBA games in 1975; they were much the same as NBA games today, in that the featured large talented men playing basketball in front of people who paid to watch the game. The NBA as we knew it in 1975 didn’t have 32 teams as it does now but that is a quantitative and not qualitative difference.

2005 There is one major Men’s professional Basketball League with one set of rules, with one style of play. If you don’t care for the rules, personalities or style – you have no men’s pro-Basketball league to follow
1975 There are two major Men’s professional Basketball Leagues with two sets of rules, with two styles of play. If you don’t care for the rules, personalities or style – in one league you have another men’s pro-Basketball league to follow.

How on earth could that have any impact on attendance? (sarcasm)

@zamboniracer

There are many differences in the NBA of 1975 and 2005, not all of them for the better. Smoking was allowed in NBA venues in 1975 and is prohibited today, so that is quite an improvement, whereas in 1975 spectators weren’t assaulted by hyped up noise machines during the games like they are today, which is a drawback. Neither of the similarities or differences though, have much to do with responding to the OP’s question.

I agree with all that and never said they did.