CBB is a dying sport

[HagginHall1999]

Seems to me things will never be the same as a UK fan. I'm not saying we will never be good again, not that at all. What I'm saying is the way the sport is set up we will see similar turnover nearly every year.

NCAA needs to get a handle on things.

Cal also needs to move on. I've been an ardent defender of his but the fan base is burnt out...probably that more than anything.

TBH with or without Cal I am just not that excited about the future of UK Basketball. Between bidding wars, transferring anytime they want, OAD, corrupt officiating...the sport is just a hot mess.

 

[uk78]

Kansas and Duke don't seem to have a problem. Hmm, maybe it is something particular now with Kentucky.....what?

 

[KYWC36]

Yea this is more about our culture than college bball itself

 

[UKWildcats1987]

We need to start a new marker of college basketball post NIL era starting.

The final four crapfest of random teams from this season? Betting we get more of that in the years to come.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Kansas and Duke don't seem to have a problem. Hmm, maybe it is something particular now with Kentucky.....what?

That's not the point...

 

[Jont0805]

Kansas and Duke don't seem to have a problem. Hmm, maybe it is something particular now with Kentucky.....what?

This times 1000. This is what happened to Indiana and after this class leaves the longer Cal stays the closer Kentucky gets to that possibility.

 

[K_TIME]

Sure it’s way less popular then 20 years ago….but no reason we can’t be a top 10 team in this era…even if it’s water down

 

[UK90]

I wish I could disagree, but I can’t.

Today’s version of the sport is nearly unrecognizable from the one I first fell in love with decades ago. Just a totally different thing. Honestly, if it were like this back then, I’m not sure that I ever would’ve become a fan.

But it’s in my bloodstream now, so I guess I can’t quit it.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I wish I could disagree, but I can’t.

Today’s version of the sport is nearly unrecognizable from the one I first fell in love with decades ago. Just a totally different thing. Honestly, if it were like this back then, I’m not sure that I ever would’ve become a fan.

But it’s in my bloodstream now, so I guess I can’t quit it.

I feel the same way. I get some posters will point to Kansas and Duke retaining players...totally understand it, but that is not my point. It is more about the sport holistically....it has been wrecked.

 

[chroix]

Sad but true. And there is no turning back now. Anybody pushing back on the idea just hasn’t thought through all of the consequences and ramifications.

 

[cathouse]

CBB is a dying sport........
At KY.
FIFY.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Just wait until the predicted change led by CFB takes place in about 4/5 years--maybe sooner than that. They are going to break away from NCAA and unionize things and then it'll be the top tier programs who have CFB worthy of being under the "shield" of Big Ten or SEC brand competing in both CFB Postseason/CBB Postseason and the March Madness as we knew it will also die.

Money always ruins tradition/sentiment. What's best for the players in those industries doesn't give a damn about fans but as long as fans go to fill the stadiums/arenas and watch on TV, they will keep getting bigger and bigger and how us middle aged or older people grew up with it, will not recognize anything other than school colors (hell those change weekly depending on what team you follow).

 

[HerrosHeroes]

When these 5 Alphas lead us to the Promised Land I dont want to hear nothing!
We already have two back ups and Reeves and Livingston havent announced yet.
If they leave Cal will get a few more backups.
We are going to be ok.

 

[HagginHall1999]

When these 5 Alphas lead us to the Promised Land I dont want to hear nothing!
We already have two back ups and Reeves and Livingston havent announced yet.
If they leave Cal will get a few more backups.
We are going to be ok.

Not the point

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I think we saw over the years that immense player movement really turns off casual fans that don’t want to invest the necessary time to keep up with things. If winning at an incredibly high level, those casual fans will stay around. As soon as it doesn’t bring the same positive results those folks move their focus elsewhere. While our experience the last 13 years have been freshman driven, the transfer portal is creating an even more extreme experience now nationwide.

We are likely returning about 20% of a roster and that is not uncommon around the country. (Yes we are yet to fill the spots unlike others)

Officiating is terrible and is such a factor in commonplace tight contests in a single elimination postseason.

Cal will get blamed for ruining basketball for UK fans, but honestly he just manned the seat during monumental changes to the sport while having a terrible stretch.

That’s not even mentioning the business of the sport that is bound to change significantly.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Just wait until the predicted change led by CFB takes place in about 4/5 years--maybe sooner than that. They are going to break away from NCAA and unionize things and then it'll be the top tier programs who have CFB worthy of being under the "shield" of Big Ten or SEC brand competing in both CFB Postseason/CBB Postseason and the March Madness as we knew it will also die.

Money always ruins tradition/sentiment. What's best for the players in those industries doesn't give a damn about fans but as long as fans go to fill the stadiums/arenas and watch on TV, they will keep getting bigger and bigger and how us middle aged or older people grew up with it, will not recognize anything other than school colors (hell those change weekly depending on what team you follow).

That will be a semi pro league. Sec vs big 10.

 

[cathouse]

When these 5 Alphas lead us to the Promised Land I dont want to hear nothing!
We already have two back ups and Reeves and Livingston havent announced yet.
If they leave Cal will get a few more backups.
We are going to be ok.

Try this.

 

[johnc17]

The amount of leeway and sway these kids have in d1 sports is a damned indictment on where where our priorities lie in this country today. Brain drain in this country is real and a big part of it is the exploitation and mixing over government and private enterprise with these schools. These are no longer institutions of higher learning, they're adult daycare systems designed to churn a profit at the expense of real world value. What a bastardization of Capitalism.

 

[megablue]

A big component of the issue is that, kids are less committed to a school and program than in the "old days" and that has a similar effect on the fans. It is understandable, predictable and logical, it seems to me, unfortunately. With the portability of players and the NIL$$$ money creating musical chairs, I think it means coaches across the board are overpaid now. They are human resource managers, more so, and not coaches.

 

[WeWant9]

For a whole lot of people, college bball is only a sport for a few weeks in March and early April. There are only a handful of very diehard fanbases out there. So I don’t see much changing as long as the NCAA keeps getting big viewership and money for the NCAAT.

For those who follow it religiously, it has become a watered down product. It’s almost like the NCAA said you don’t like how we did it, okay, well here’s open transfers and NIL with very little enforcement. It’s a complete mess. Plus the NBA could care less about college bball.

I got turned off of pro sports from all the various lock outs that happened growing up. I wish I could tune out college bball, but UK will always be a part of me. I don’t have an issue with players being able to make some money, but their is no guidance or enforcement and it’s open season for bidding. It’s worse than pros in some aspects.

Honestly, BBN needs a change of guard. I don’t see the current leadership being up to task for this new era. It’s either adapt or get left behind. Winning cures a lot, and UK has not been doing that for the last few seasons. I sincerely hope this is Cal’s last season. The last few years no one has seemed to be having any fun- players, fans, and even Cal himself.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Kentucky just has to pivot. Cal's time was coming to an end either way. The school, the donors, the athletic department.. they all need to take a look at what is going on in college basketball and assess what they need to do to stay competitive in this new era of NIL.

 

[MegaBlue05]

In addition to everything that’s been addressed previously, the game has been trending downward for the last 20 years or so.

From an on court perspective:
1. Too many 61-58 rock fights with packed in zones make for boring games.

2. Some coaches over coach and want to micromanage every dribble and pass, while other coaches like ours seem to not coach at all.

3. In the early 2000s the game was so rough it was tough to watch. Just fouls, bricks and rough stuff under the goal. Now, it’s almost the opposite with the over reliance on the 3-pointer.

4. Officiating teeters between inconsistent (call no fouls in the first half and call touch fouls in the second half), bad and “is this shit rigged?”

5. Constant roster turnover that gets worse each year nationwide.

 

[megablue]

For a whole lot of people, college bball is only a sport for a few weeks in March and early April. There are only a handful of very diehard fanbases out there. So I don’t see much changing as long as the NCAA keeps getting big viewership and money for the NCAAT.

For those who follow it religiously, it has become a watered down product. It’s almost like the NCAA said you don’t like how we did it, okay, well here’s open transfers and NIL with very little enforcement. It’s a complete mess. Plus the NBA could care less about college bball.

I got turned off of pro sports from all the various lock outs that happened growing up. I wish I could tune out college bball, but UK will always be a part of me. I don’t have an issue with players being able to make some money, but their is no guidance or enforcement and it’s open season for bidding. It’s worse than pros in some aspects.

Honestly, BBN needs a change of guard. I don’t see the current leadership being up to task for this new era. It’s either adapt or get left behind. Winning cures a lot, and UK has not been doing that for the last few seasons. I sincerely hope this is Cal’s last season. The last few years no one has seemed to be having any fun- players, fans, and even Cal himself.

Given the population of our State, the effect of Louisville partisanship, UK's dedication to both football and basketball, younger folks being less-interested in sports and the overall decline in coal, does Kentucky have the financial resources to compete with the major programs to the extent necessary to consistently win at a high level ?? I cannot help but wonder, regardless of who our coaches are ...

 

[Ron Mehico]

Ya I posted the stat about the championship game this year being the lowest rated in the history of the sport. When the sport is built on “madness” to crown a championship, and the players are allowed to move around constantly with no continuity, it makes it almost impossible for sustained success. Just makes it a mess of a sport to watch. 90% of the teams are mediocre, it’s a horrible product.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Ya I posted the stat about the championship game this year being the lowest rated in the history of the sport. When the sport is built on “madness” to crown a championship, and the players are allowed to move around constantly with no continuity, it makes it almost impossible for sustained success. Just makes it a mess of a sport to watch. 90% of the teams are mediocre, it’s a horrible product.

Honestly if the sec and big 10 leagues form the rumored future semi pro league, the tournament/playoff will be a better product as you will have 4 big name teams in final four or whatever they call it then.

 

[Lempface]

Kentucky just has to pivot. Cal's time was coming to an end either way. The school, the donors, the athletic department.. they all need to take a look at what is going on in college basketball and assess what they need to do to stay competitive in this new era of NIL.

While I don't disagree--the sport has fundamentally, in a no-going-back type of way, changed.

While I agree NIL was absolutely the right thing to do from a fairness stand point, it has absolutely sucked the soul out of the game.

Our best hope is for the rest of the country to become so disinterested in CBB that there isn't much NIL money in the sport as a whole. Kentucky will always love CBB in a way other states don't, so we may yet see some type of renaissance in the future, but it will take many years.

I have always watched college sports and enjoyed them over professional sports because we have avoided the lock outs, the insane salaries that feeds into player egos, demanding trades, teaming up with players to fork super teams etc. We're basically there in CBB now, so you might as well watch the NBA if you're going to have to deal with that bullshit anyway.

 

[Glenn's take]

Begging the fans that you are already gouging on tickets, seat licenses... for more money to make your payroll is probably not a good idea.

 

[Fox2monk]

Seems to me things will never be the same as a UK fan. I'm not saying we will never be good again, not that at all. What I'm saying is the way the sport is set up we will see similar turnover nearly every year.

NCAA needs to get a handle on things.

Cal also needs to move on. I've been an ardent defender of his but the fan base is burnt out...probably that more than anything.

TBH with or without Cal I am just not that excited about the future of UK Basketball. Between bidding wars, transferring anytime they want, OAD, corrupt officiating...the sport is just a hot mess.

I agree 100%

 

[WeWant9]

Given the population of our State, the effect of Louisville partisanship, UK's dedication to both football and basketball, younger folks being less-interested in sports and the overall decline in coal, does Kentucky have the financial resources to compete with the major programs to the extent necessary to consistently win at a high level ?? I cannot help but wonder, regardless of who our coaches are ...

I don’t know, that’s why we need to get someone in the higher positions who is savvy and can think outside the box. The horse industry and bourbon industry is right there to try and tap into. Got to at least try something, as opposed to digging our heels in.

 

[katwest]

With the transfer portal the way it is now, and with the NIL and players and recruits holding this program hostage. I don’t see it getting better, other programs are hanging on to better players than we are losing. That is the atmosphere Cal has created, I’m happy with best class, but we have hardly any experience coming back and we know freshmen dominated teams fade in March. I do believe the sport is in decline, only to get worse with the current landscape.

 

[shockey4064]

Still have packed arenas across the country. Still have ratings on par and often better than the NBA. Still have March madness. Not dying

 

[breeztheel]

What is it with the posters that keep stating that the NCAA and college basketball don't give a damn about the fans; but, as long as the fans keep filling the arenas and stadiums nothing is going to change. Apparently, if the fans are filling the venues, the NCAA and college basketball are putting out a pretty damn good product. I hear college bowling and golf are free to the public. Why don't you go watch that.

 

[megablue]

While I don't disagree--the sport has fundamentally, in a no-going-back type of way, changed.

While I agree NIL was absolutely the right thing to do from a fairness stand point, it has absolutely sucked the soul out of the game.

Our best hope is for the rest of the country to become so disinterested in CBB that there isn't much NIL money in the sport as a whole. Kentucky will always love CBB in a way other states don't, so we may yet see some type of renaissance in the future, but it will take many years.

I have always watched college sports and enjoyed them over professional sports because we have avoided the lock outs, the insane salaries that feeds into player egos, demanding trades, teaming up with players to fork super teams etc. We're basically there in CBB now, so you might as well watch the NBA if you're going to have to deal with that bullshit anyway.

Your "sucked the soul out of the game" is an EXCELLENT description.

 

[YardCat]

When these 5 Alphas lead us to the Promised Land I dont want to hear nothing!
We already have two back ups and Reeves and Livingston havent announced yet.
If they leave Cal will get a few more backups.
We are going to be ok.

Just like when you kept spewing that all 3 were coming back. Stop with the crap, if you’re that delusional about the lack of a coach and the state of the program. You my friend have the most Hope of anyone on this board, and I hope your right for the first time!

 

[ukjenning44]

CCC is the issue.
Duke and Kansas are cleaning house.

 

[FtWorthCat]

College football is dying as well. I've always said that 100,000 would not show up on a Saturday to watch some semi-pro team, but they would as long as it says Alabama (or some other school) on the front of the jersey. But that is going to change as players have no real connection at all to the University or fans. College football/basketball will go on for another 10-15 years as people start to lose interest. It's minor league sports now. The money will start to dry up too. How many AAA baseball players have endorsement deals?

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Yeah well there were plenty of people warning that money would destroy CBB. The transfer portal further dissolved the game into chaos. The Ncaa, Fatboy Emmert, and anyone who cried it was unfair pay the players should be ashamed.

 

[dl51344]

I don't think cbb is dying. Just UK cbb dying.

 

[FtWorthCat]

Yeah well there were plenty of people warning that money would destroy CBB. The transfer portal further dissolved the game into chaos. The Ncaa, Fatboy Emmert, and anyone who cried it was unfair pay the players should be ashamed.

Yes, the NIL and the transfer rules killed college sports. There is not even the illusion anymore that these are legitimate college students. You cannot be serious about getting a degree when you transfer 3-4 times during your college career. UK had a middle linebacker in the mid-70s (Jim Kovach) that was a pre-med student, iirc.

 

[Lempface]

I don't think cbb is dying. Just UK cbb dying.

As gambling is legal in more and more states it will keep the NCAAT relevant. Much like casual bettors will partake on Derby day but may not watch a single other horse race all year, the CBB regular season will wither even further than it has already.

Will the NCAAT be enough to keep the influx of NIL money coming for a sport no one watches the regular season of? Personally I doubt it, the only question is how long it takes to get there imo.