Womens Basketball or Mens Lacrosse?
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by user BigPPup
Early on Monday morning I was in the middle of yet another sporting argument and I raised what I believe is one of the best questions in sporting history.
Which is more impressive, winning a NC2A title in men’s lacrosse or winning a NC2A title in women’s basketball?
Now I have already begun to circle this question around in different circles both male and female, and groups with sporting and non-sporting backgrounds. So far the responses have been varied and interesting.
When examining this subject there are several reoccurring themes that come up. First is the question of parity in both of the respected sports. For those who have picked woman’s basketball they have often done so citing that there are more teams and more competition.
I scoff at this line of thought. For as long as I can remember women’s basketball has been dominated by the same three to five teams. Turn on your TV on during the season and the see will not be EKU vs. Bowling Green game on. However you will see UConn, Tennessee, Duke, and LSU. Those teams have ruled the headlines of NC2A ball. I dare anyone who is not an avid fan to think of a supreme program other than those.
Men’s Lacrosse suffers from this same lack of parity. UVA, Syracuse, Princeton and Johns Hopkins have their annual passes the NC2A Final four. No one knows or cares about Lax programs that are not on this list.
So with that said advantage: Push
Onto the next area of comparison which sport gets more coverage?
The overwhelming answer to this is without a doubt women’s basketball. Now that brings up a few interesting points when looking into why do we see more women’s basketball. In regards to the WNBA the answer is easy. It is created and backed by one of the largest international sporting leagues in the world. The NBA bankrolls the WNBA, and will continue to pump money into it as a way of saving face for their product. The NBA knows it cannot debunk itself away from the WNBA because it then appears they no longer care about women’s athletics, so they will continue to pump money into a failing league.
There is only one WNBA team that is located in a non NBA city, Connecticut for obvious reasons. Other than that the WNBA has made no attempt to branch out into new markets, or fund independent ventures. Yes the WNBA is on television all the time, but that is because it comes as part of the TV package deal a company gets when purchasing rights to the NBA.
Women’s NC2A ball does get good coverage, but when it is actually examined the coverage is less than impressive. The tourney is covered on ESPN but outside of that very few regular season games
NC2A Lacrosse gets less coverage. While there are two pro leagues neither is covered extensively. ESPN will show the occasional game during the day but that is all. The Final Four and Championship are televised on Memorial Day. Lacrosse is still looking for that major financial backer who can give them the boast that the NBA has given to the WNBA.
Now with all that being said the true matter at the bottom of this thought line is does more exposure actually make something a better sport? Answer: No. There are plenty of sports that are overexposed due to a good marketing scheme. Think about the Bass Masters series. Not very fun to watch but gets plenty of exposure due to a marketing plan. Also think of golf (a sport I love to play). Gets maximum exposure because of Tiger Woods success, but how many times does the casual fan actually watch a Tiger less field?
Therefore there is not a direct correlation to coverage and a good product.
Advantage: Lacrosse
Next is the sheer entertainment value that each sport provides to the casual fan. This is the person who walks into a room and the game is already on, or they pass it while flipping through the channels, not the diehard who owns season tickets and travels to away games.
Women’s basketball is an acquired taste. Even the basketball purest have trouble watching and getting into the game. This is due to the preconceived notions we have on what basketball should be. When most people hear the word basketball they think of Michael Jordan flying through the air or Shaq throwing down a thunderous dunk. Not Sue Bird setting up for a 14 footer, or Lisa Leslie hitting a spin move from the post. Yes they may they may have a more fluid jump shot that looks like the ones we were taught as kids in training camps. Yet women’s basketball is played at a different pace and in a different style that often loses the casual fans interest very quickly.
Lacrosse is a quirky sport that many outside of the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast have never seen or heard of. However put it on at a bar or in a room with a group of people and see how many stop to watch, and are soon getting into the game. The speed of a lacrosse game is requires the endurance of a rugby player, while maintaining the pace of a basketball or a hockey game. There are hits that catch the eyes of any football fan, even if you are skeptical about the nature of the sport at first a fan soon finds themselves sucked in and watching an entire half or a game.
Advantage: Lacrosse
Winner: Lacrosse
Yes that’s right it is more impressive to win a men’s lacrosse championship than a women’s basketball championship. This is not meant to knock or debase women’s basketball. Just that lacrosse offers a more entertaining product and as a result winnings that national title is more impressive.
Date
Thu 06/08/06, 5:07 pm EST
