Poll: What is the 2nd most popular pro sport in the US?

[Sticksboi05]

This basically sums it up. For the MLB, NHL and NBA teams in this city, people are front runner fans. Nobody gave a crap about the Capitals when Arenas led the Wizards to the playoffs and beat the Bulls in round 1. All you could see around town was Wizards talk.

Now you have the same with the Capitals. This cycle will continue to go on. Besides the Redskins, this town doesn't really have a die hard fan base for any other sport.

No it won't because once the Capitals win the Stanley Cup they will cement their position above the Wizards for good.

[CrypticVillain]

I always heard DC is a basketball town.

I grew up here

I have no idea what thats based on. Just because Wilbon keeps saying it doesn't make it true.

DC is a town of winners - When the Wiz, terps, or Hoyas win - DC loves them. But DC is a football town (Win or lose, people love the Redskins).

They aren't just basing it on pro sports.

The Caps are hot right now, they are a top 3 NHL team I get that. But back when the Wizards and Caps were some trash, the Wizards were more popular.

DC is a bandwagon town. If the Wizards get better and the Caps get worst, people will start to slurp the Wizards.

The reason DC is a basketball town is because that is what we do best. Just like Texas and football. Compare the number of pros from DC that make from basketball to the number who make it in other sports.

I shouldn't have turned this to a DC thing and rather or not DC is a sports town because the thread was for the whole country and which pro sport was most popular. My bad.

[Hubbs]

Dude. I go to college in BOSTON. I see Ovechkin jerseys in my math class and around campus just walking down the street. I get props for wearing my Ovechkin shirt 500 miles away from people who are also from the D.C. area. Guarantee not the case with a Wizards jersey even when they made the playoffs for four years in a row.

The Capitals are bigger than the Wizards.

As for Strasburg, he will put the Nationals past the Wiz also.

Hey, where do you go in Boston? I went to BC. Good city. The Common's awesome, Fenway will always be Fenway, nobody cards in Chinatown, a bunch of people running 26.2 miles is damn near Christmas, and "wicked" even grew on me. The Green Line still sucks, though.

If you ever want a good sports talk show up there, try Toucher and Rich on 98.5 in the mornings.

[No Excuses]

No it won't because once the Capitals win the Stanley Cup they will cement their position above the Wizards for good.

Not gonna disagree, but that hasn't happened yet. It's still a front runner town.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Hey, where do you go in Boston? I went to BC.

I'm going to guess Berklee :pfft:

[Sticksboi05]

Hey, where do you go in Boston? I went to BC. Good city. The Common's awesome, Fenway will always be Fenway, nobody cards in Chinatown, a bunch of people running 26.2 miles is damn near Christmas, and "wicked" even grew on me. The Green Line still sucks, though.

If you ever want a good sports talk show up there, try Toucher and Rich on 98.5 in the mornings.

Northeastern. Been over to BC for parties and whatnot. I love the hockey rivalry up there. BC, BU, NU, Harvard. Glad you guys beat BU in the Beanpot this year.

The Common is great. Fenway is great, only a short walk away also. I will never say wicked. And yes, the Green Line sucks, but it's convenient.

[Bang]

I think it's the nBA. They attract very good crowds and have something of a national presence on TV

~Bang

[thebluefood]

Despite a STRONG "anti-following" that's developed in this country, it's still Major League Baseball. I'm sure ratings numbers will back me up on that as well as the fact that fans are returning to the ball parks.

[The Tris]

This basically sums it up. For the MLB, NHL and NBA teams in this city, people are front runner fans. Nobody gave a crap about the Capitals when Arenas led the Wizards to the playoffs and beat the Bulls in round 1. All you could see around town was Wizards talk.

Now you have the same with the Capitals. This cycle will continue to go on. Besides the Redskins, this town doesn't really have a die hard fan base for any other sport.

This, and with the exception of a few cities, this is the case for all towns. There is one team synomous with the city. For DC its the Redskins, Boston its the Red Sox, for LA its the Lakers, etc.

All the other teams will shot up in popularity based on how they are doing. How much Celtics gear did you see in 2006? Or Patriots fans in the early 90's? The answer is not many. Sure, there are plenty of diehards for every team, plenty of Caps fans 2004, and plenty of Wizards fans last season. But it ain't like when its good.

It's always easier to say how popular a team is when times are good, its a lot harder to when things are bad. You watch the Capitals go though an era like the Redskins 00's and see how many fans there still are. I doubt you'd be seeing a lot of Ovie jerseys around Boston.

Each city has only one team that defines all logic, year after year. Every other team is just jockeying for 2nd place, based on how good they are.

[Hubbs]

This, and with the exception of a few cities, this is the case for all towns. There is one team synomous with the city. For DC its the Redskins, Boston its the Red Sox, for LA its the Lakers, etc.

All the other teams will shot up in popularity based on how they are doing. How much Celtics gear did you see in 2006? Or Patriots fans in the early 90's? The answer is not many. Sure, there are plenty of diehards for every team, plenty of Caps fans 2004, and plenty of Wizards fans last season. But it ain't like when its good.

It's always easier to say how popular a team is when times are good, its a lot harder to when things are bad. You watch the Capitals go though an era like the Redskins 00's and see how many fans there still are. Each city has only one team that defines all logic, year after year. Every other team is just jockeying for 2nd place, based on how good they are.

I've always thought the closest comparison to DC is Denver, even more so since we got the Nationals. Both have relatively new NL baseball teams that post bad attendance numbers when the team is out of every race in July and get attention when they're good (an admittedly small sample size for the Nats, basically limited to that run to the top of the NL East in 2005 and this year's Strasburg starts). Both have hockey teams that weren't part of the Original Six, but still seem like much more natural fits than the Atlantas and Phoenixes of the NHL. Both have basketball teams saddled with ugly uniforms and a pretty mediocre tradition. Both will have a different #2 team based on which one is doing well that year. And both live and die by their NFL teams, no matter the record.

[Forehead]

We won the draft lottery and people went crazy at the notion of getting John Wall. They had a press conference for his arrival after we drafted him and it shut the whole Chinatown down. I didn't see that with Ovie or Stras.

Yeah, but let's look at this realistically. First, MLB and the NHL don't have a draft lottery, you get to pick where you finished the previous year. If the NBA didn't have this wrinkle, the celebration would have never happened because there would be nothing for the Wizards to win.

Second, the NHL and MLB have a minor league system. I know the NBA has the NBDL, and the European leagues, but the fact is, #1 picks play immediately. There was a lot of excitement over Wall because....he'll be suiting up immediately for the team.

Strasburg started in Double AA. In case you didn't notice, Nats Park sold out his first home start when he made the bigs. Sold out his second one too. The same thing will probably happen when Bryce Harper makes his debut. But a minor league system tempers enthusiasm because you know the payoff is a little ways away, and because something could happen (injury). We don't have that worry with Wall, he's already on the big league team, so to speak.

Next, college basketball is televised, so folks were able to see Wall perform, he's more of a known commodity. If college baseball were televised (or popular enough to be so) and baseball fans had seen Strasburg striking out 20 guys a same (other than Sportscenter highlights) I think you would have seen more salivating. If they had been able to see Harper cranking 30 homeruns as a 17 year old playing against men, the same. Is minor league hockey even shown on T.V.?

Oh, and last, the MLB and NHL drafts are barely televised, so I think that has something to do with it. But there was a hell of a lot of excitement when Strasburg and Harper were drafted. Not nearly as much as for Wall, but I think that's been explained above.

[The Tris]

I've always thought the closest comparison to DC is Denver, even more so since we got the Nationals. Both have relatively new NL baseball teams that post bad attendance numbers when the team is out of every race in July and get attention when they're good (an admittedly small sample size for the Nats, basically limited to that run to the top of the NL East in 2005 and this year's Strasburg starts). Both have hockey teams that weren't part of the Original Six, but still seem like much more natural fits than the Atlantas and Phoenixes of the NHL. Both have basketball teams saddled with ugly uniforms and a pretty mediocre tradition. Both will have a different #2 team based on which one is doing well that year. And both live and die by their NFL teams, no matter the record.

Thats a very apt comparison, especially considering the teams really overlap well. I will still stand by it that there is one team for each city, and we could go down the list of every major city in the country. In fact, that could be a fun thread of its own...

[SkinsHokieFan]

Yeah, but let's look at this realistically. First, MLB and the NHL don't have a draft lottery, you get to pick where you finished the previous year. .

The NHL does have a draft lottery

Without a lottery, the Caps pick 3rd in 2004 and end up with Cam Barker instead of Ovechkin or Malkin

Although Barker did go to Chicago and they seem to have recovered ok

[Sticksboi05]

Even when the Wiz made the playoffs they didn't sell out every game like the Capitals do.

[SC_RedskinsFan]

Other : NASCAR

I know that those who dont understand it bash it, but i believe it is the number 2 sport.

[No Excuses]

Even when the Wiz made the playoffs they didn't sell out every game like the Capitals do.

That's because they were never heavy favorites or had the leagues best player bringing in the hype. Plus two out of the four playoff appearances the team was missing parts of the big 3 further lowering expectations.

Apples and oranges.

[rincewind]

That's because they were never heavy favorites or had the leagues best player bringing in the hype. Plus two out of the four playoff appearances the team was missing parts of the big 3 further lowering expectations.

Apples and oranges.

Caps sold out in the playoffs two years ago against the Flyers, and they weren't heavy favorites. Hell, I'm not even positive we were favorites at all in that series.

[Sticksboi05]

That's because they were never heavy favorites or had the leagues best player bringing in the hype. Plus two out of the four playoff appearances the team was missing parts of the big 3 further lowering expectations.

Apples and oranges.

I was just about to post this, but if D.C. was a basketball town over hockey then it shouldn't matter so long as the teams are good no? Also, the 07-08 season when the Capitals made the playoffs winning 9 of their last 10 games htey sold out the last home games and every playoff game and they sure as hell weren't favored in that series.

[No Excuses]

Caps sold out in the playoffs two years ago against the Flyers, and they weren't heavy favorites. Hell, I'm not even positive we were favorites at all in that series.

I was just about to post this, but if D.C. was a basketball town over hockey then it shouldn't matter so long as the teams are good no? Also, the 07-08 season when the Capitals made the playoffs winning 9 of their last 10 games htey sold out the last home games and every playoff game and they sure as hell weren't favored in that series.

Still had the attraction of having one of the most exciting young team with the best player in the world on the roster. If the Wizards had LeBron, they'd be selling out every playoff game as well. Cleveland used to struggle to fill out the arena when they had Nance, Price and Daugherty. With LeBron, every playoff game was sold out.

I don't think DC is a basketball city as others claim in here. Well maybe basketball town for college hoops but is not an NBA town. However, it would be if it had the league MVP leading the team to the playoffs every year. This is a front runner city. I mean Sticks, if you grew up in Northern Virginia, you should know how bad it is for football too. My high school had more Cowboys "fans" than Redskins fans.

[CrypticVillain]

I don't think DC is a basketball city as others claim in here. Well maybe basketball town for college hoops but is not an NBA town. However, it would be if it had the league MVP leading the team to the playoffs every year. This is a front runner city. I mean Sticks, if you grew up in Northern Virginia, you should know how bad it is for football too. My high school had more Cowboys "fans" than Redskins fans.

I never said that DC is an NBA town; all I was saying was that the thing that DC does best is basketball and when both teams are doing the same that the Wizards will always do better than the Caps.

I love the Caps, but I wonder how many people will rock the red if our fire burns out.

[ixcuincle]

The Wizards and Caps are not that equal, if both started to play well, due to the longer term of dominance, the Caps would get more attention. Now, in a few years, maybe...but right now the Caps have a lock on second most pop. sport in DC for several years to come

No one rocks the red when the fire burns out, just like no one cares about the Wizards when they stop making the playoffs

[Sticksboi05]

Vishal: I guarantee if we compare Bullets and Capitals attendance from 1980-2000, one team had alot more than the other.

[Sticksboi05]

I never said that DC is an NBA town; all I was saying was that the thing that DC does best is basketball and when both teams are doing the same that the Wizards will always do better than the Caps.

I love the Caps, but I wonder how many people will rock the red if our fire burns out.

All depends on how many Cups we win when this era is over. If we win a Cup, the legacy is built.

[No Excuses]

Vishal: I guarantee if we compare Bullets and Capitals attendance from 1980-2000, one team had alot more than the other.

I can't find data for 1980's or 1990's. I can only find the 2000's for the Capitals.

In 2005, the Wizards attendance trumped the Capitals by a difference of 4000. In 2006 again they trumped the Capitals by 4000. In 2007 when the Capitals started becoming a better and a winning team did they start closing the gap (still didn't average more than the Wizards that season).

Hell the Wizards averaged better attendance in 2000-01 when they were a 19 win team with a roster filled with scrubs. The Capitals that season won the South East division but average roughly the same (in pure numbers less) than the Wizards. Even in 2003 when both teams were completely abysmal, the Caps still average roughly 1k less than the Wizards. In 2005, the Capitals hit the 13k mark which the Wizards hadn't hit since 1992.

The Caps have never hit the 20k+ mark like the Wizards did with Jordan from 2001-2003. Not even with Ovechkin and the best team in the league. The Capitals have only been averaging better attendance since the Wizards started slumping due to injuries and the Capitals have been rising as one of the best teams in the league with the best player in the world.

It's pretty easy to see that this a front runner city that loves itself some super stars. But the Wizards have been significantly better than the Capitals in terms of attendance throughout the 2000's. I wish I could find the data for the 80's and 90's.

[ATLredskin]

The Wizards and Caps are not that equal, if both started to play well, due to the longer term of dominance, the Caps would get more attention.

Major Fail...

The Wizards would easily get more attention if the Caps and Wizards was on the same level in their leagues. Plus where are the hockey rinks in DC/MD/VA? Kids growing up around here know nothing about hockey.

Also that hockey Stanley Cup ratings need a asterisk next to it, because i'm sure it includes Canada since you can't even find a high profile NHL game on a regular channel. MLB more popular than the NBA??? Was baseball more popular than basketball in your high school? college? People complain about the NBA being predictable, but if you are a fan of a team that sucks then in the MLB then it is a season well done when the Yankees lose. Oh and Nationals is not popular...Strasburg is, not the Nationals.