Throughout history men and women have competed. Weather it is who makes more money or who can perform a particular sport better, men and women love to compete. Men and women were not created equal. Men can perform better than women can in certain activities (but not all activities). Profession sports are a place designed for male athletes. Especially basketball. Women claim they can play with men, but this is not entirely true. Certainly there exists a woman who is a better player than someone in the NBA is, but statistics don’t sell tickets or sign TV contracts. Professional sports exist as businesses. The WNBA simply can’t make as much money. The NBA’s style of play, and fashion makes basketball entertaining and exciting. Entertainment and excitement is what sells.

Thousands of b-ball fans pile into stadiums like the United Center to watch fast-paced action. Basketball fans pay for action. Fans’ mouths drop for dunks, blocks, fast breaks, behind the back passes, and the ally oop. Female athletes simply can’t execute those maneuvers. The WNBA just isn’t on the same level. Bank shots and two-handed lay-ups appeal to few. Nearly every NBA team sells out every game. WNBA games barely fill half the available seats. On weekend nights people rush to sports bars to enjoy a game. Fans don’t jump at the chance to cheer on a group of women jogging up and down the court making basic passes and taking average, fundamental shots. It’s not exciting.

The NBA is fun to watch because of the different style of teams and individual players. A fashion show starts with the opening tip. Teams in the NBA use different uniforms. Some teams wear their shorts long, some short. The shoes of individual players become more colorful and outrageous every year. Individual players use different dress codes as well. Many players wear wristbands, headbands, various braces, and different sizes of sox. The women of the WNBA wear the same styles. All WNBA teams support the same uniform. Individual players look similar. Variety makes the game livelier and more enjoyable.

Basketball is a fun and exciting sport for those who play. Spectators don’t know what it’s like to compete at an intense, physically demanding manner. Fans watch the NBA to see competition with a twist. The competition alone will not do. They want action. Dunks, spins, and pressure shots, make basketball worth watching. The WNBA can’t give fans that. As a die hard basketball fan, when a WNBA game comes on I simply can’t watch.

Matt Christensen

http://www.mattchristensen.net