# U.S. championships and droughts - 4 major men's leagues only, or including others? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 10, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227 "2020-03-10T21:20:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/1 "2020-03-10T21:20:29Z")
A few months ago, a [Washington Mystics player complained that the term “District of Champions” did not include the WNBA title](https://sports.yahoo.com/mystics-capitals-nationals-twitter-dc-championship-213308792.html) (the Washington Capitals had tweeted “District of champions; 2018 Stanley Cup and 2019 World Series” to celebrate the Nats winning the MLB title.) IMHO, generally anytime sports media refers to an American city having a championship drought, it’s a reference to the city not having recently won a championship in any of the 4 major men’s professional sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL.) Things like XFL, Arena Football, or even Major League Soccer titles aren’t generally considered to “count”. But Natasha Cloud is arguing that WNBA titles should be included in the mix. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/2 "2020-03-10T21:38:14Z")
MLB averages 1mm viewers for its national sunday night telecast and baseball is considered to be dying. WNBA was celebrating 400k viewers across 4 games earlier this season. It just isn’t in the same league as a real sport. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/3 "2020-03-10T22:10:45Z")
I understand Ms. Cloud’s sticking up for her league, but most people don’t notice the WNBA or other lesser leagues. It’s not just a sexism thing, either. Most people would never think to include any number of lesser men’s leagues in this sort of conversation. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/4 "2020-03-10T22:41:21Z")
That’s unfortunate, because [this](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EIOFNOqXUAYTCjr.jpg) is the only “District of Champions” photo I ever saw, and it _does_ include the Mystics. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/5 "2020-03-10T23:39:38Z")
It’s the top professional league in each sport. For the vast majority of sports, that will mean a league that is officially open to both sexes, but which for practical reasons is all men. But there’s no reason you can’t celebrate for a team in any league. ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/6 "2020-03-11T16:03:44Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > MLB averages 1mm viewers for its national sunday night telecast and baseball is considered to be dying. **WNBA** was celebrating 400k viewers across 4 games earlier this season. It just **isn’t** in the same league as\*\* a real sport.\*\* Really? (bolding mine) ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/7 "2020-03-11T17:28:08Z")
> [@gregorio](#): > > Really? > (bolding mine) Yep, its a [subsidised charity that loses over $10 million every single year it’s been in existence](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2018/12/28/wnba-looks-for-new-president-profitability-in-2019/38809289/). ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/8 "2020-03-11T17:58:29Z")
Seems to me you’re saying the WNBA isn’t a real league for your given definition. To call basketball not a real sport seems wrong. Or is it just basketball as played by a specific group of people? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/9 "2020-03-11T18:43:59Z")
So your complaint is that I didn’t use the awkward phrasing of “in the same league as a real league”. I apologize for that. More generally, I always prefer the open sports leagues over the ones that limit their competitors. I also really don’t care about basketball outside of March. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/10 "2020-03-11T19:27:18Z")
Even though the basketball in March is a league that limits its competitors? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/11 "2020-03-11T21:12:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even though the basketball in March is a league that limits its competitors? I’m not a fan of college basketball but the tournament is well structured and does a lot to drive excitement plus its fun to gamble on. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/12 "2020-03-11T22:01:58Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I’m not a fan of college basketball but the tournament is well structured and does a lot to drive excitement plus its fun to gamble on. You are aware that there are two March college basketball tournaments, right? ---
**Author:** ![AlTraina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/altraina/32/50_2.png) [@AlTraina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlTraina)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/13 "2020-03-11T22:24:29Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You are aware that there are two March college basketball tournaments, right? There’s at least nine, but only one that the general public cares about. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/14 "2020-03-11T22:49:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You are aware that there are two March college basketball tournaments, right? As mentioned there are way more than 2. Even just D1 men have two tournaments (talking about the NIT not the conference tourneys) but I’m sure you knew that in your got ya attempt. While the women play too the tournament refers to the men’s national championship for D1. I care way more about the D2 men’s tournament then the D1 women’s. Thought D1 women will get a watch if its on TV, though that normally just means the final four and championship game since I don’t have cable. ---
**Author:** ![AlTraina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/altraina/32/50_2.png) [@AlTraina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlTraina)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/15 "2020-03-12T00:10:10Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I care way more about the D2 men’s tournament then the D1 women’s. Who are you rooting for? In the East Region there is the Rumble for Rockland [County, New York] in the first round as second seeded St Thomas Aquinas from the ECC takes on seventh seeded Dominican from the CACC. The two schools are a mile apart. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-championships-and-droughts-4-major-mens-leagues-only-or-including-others/849227/16 "2020-03-12T01:51:20Z")
Colorado School of Mines. Go Orediggers.