NPF issues

CoreSoftball20 said:

Just a thought as Im not a TV guy, but I hear people saying, look...darts and cornhole are on Tv, why cant softball. I think these niche sports on TV isn't because there
are millions of viewers...its because its probably very easy to televise and cheap to do so as opposed to a team game with many players, announcers, camera angles, sound guys...yada yada.
A lot of the time, announcers are back at the station, not even at the event for these things.
Plus, I believe these things are space fillers for ESPN.

Again, just kinda guessing here at some stuff...because I am pretty certain cornhole isn't on ESPN because of popularity or money it brings in.

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100% agree on this. Cornhole is slightly less of a sport than a farting contest, but it's easy to televise, easy to put on tv at 10:00 am on a Saturday in the summer, and nobody is really waiting to see which two contestants advance to the finals. Most of us here aren't going to wait until 3-5 weeks after a softball game to watch the game, as softball is an actual sport that people care about. Just not enough people like us to make a market for it.

Westwind said:

The only televised sport I am interested in is softball and I can’t wait for the season to start.

Anyone who has raised a teenager knows how enjoyable it is to have a mutual interest with their kid!

I have no interest in NPF either. It seems “beer league”. It seems like has beens trying to live out glory days. I feel guilt about that emotion. I know no one loves the game more than those women.

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You should feel guilt. These women would be an the pinnacle of their ability. And could wipe the floor with any college player.

We don’t think men leaving college for MLB are hasbeens. We don’t think NFL or NBA players are hasbeens.

Lozza, I understand. And I agree. (That’s why I said it.)

But..... the level of play of NPF is not as consistently high as it should be. I am disappointed when I watch it. It is not the pinnacle of softball in my eyes. The teams look “unpracticed “ to me. That bugs me.

Just so I’m crystal clear, this is not about gender. I’m not interested in any of the pro sports you mentioned. I can’t tell a football bat from a hockey racket. The only other sports I’m close to being interested in is women’s tennis. Serena is interesting. Keys is interesting. Other than that I’m bored with most of it.

All good. I thought that was the case.

Americans just don’t seem to play sport for fun as adults. I’m 35 and have played Fastpitch as a social thing my entire life. (Tho I’ve played at higher levels) Most sports in Australia have this. We have veterans/masters for when you’re over a certain age.

I watch how hard your daughters work at their sport and they all pretty much stop at 18/22ish. It genuinly breaks my heart, cause I know how much the sport has helped me through my adult life

I agree with you WW in certain aspects, watching pro softball just seems boring compared to college. The excitement, the rah rah, the fun doesn't look like
its there. Professionalism takes over. I think people relate womens fastpitch to college or high school ball where the girls have fun and make noise and all that
stuff. Pro, its not there...Its just blah.

Other pro sports you expect the professionalism, quiet, do your job type stuff...I think pro softball needs the college/school attitude and fun in it. But doubt that will happen.

CoreSoftball20 said:

I agree with you WW in certain aspects, watching pro softball just seems boring compared to college. The excitement, the rah rah, the fun doesn't look like
its there. Professionalism takes over. I think people relate womens fastpitch to college or high school ball where the girls have fun and make noise and all that
stuff. Pro, its not there...Its just blah.

Other pro sports you expect the professionalism, quiet, do your job type stuff...I think pro softball needs the college/school attitude and fun in it. But doubt that will happen.

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That's a sad state of the game if the pro version needs the singing and cheering by the players to be exciting for the fans.
I mean. We totally saw the Dodgers and Red Sox clapping and chanting...."who's that up to bat with a big ole booty and a big ole bat?...."
The chants and cheers are my least favorite part about softball


The Williams sisters said they could compete with male tennis players minus the first 200 ranked men in the world, then the 203rd ranked man destroyed both of them back to back and after he was asked about it he said they wouldn't compete with any male ranked in the top 500.
The US women's national soccer team got beat 5-2 by a boys U15 club team, those were the best women soccer players in the world.
Men, other than the players dads, won't watch women's sports, other than beach volleyball (HELLO), and straight women aren't interested in watching those sports compared to the mens sports either.
You're not going to change the culture of American Sports fans, it's why every one of the women's pro sports leagues has failed and why the college women's sports have to be paid for and subsidized by the men's sports.

If DD and I am running around sometimes we stop at park for an hour or so. In spring there is always 4 or 5 games going on. Some reason we always gravitated to 8U game.

We played a game last yearr where game before us, guessing, 6 YO. There was as many adults as players on the field. DD could not stop watching, suprised she did not get hurt just warming up her game.

CoreSoftball20 said:

Just a thought as Im not a TV guy, but I hear people saying, look...darts and cornhole are on Tv, why cant softball. I think these niche sports on TV isn't because there
are millions of viewers...its because its probably very easy to televise and cheap to do so as opposed to a team game with many players, announcers, camera angles, sound guys...yada yada.
A lot of the time, announcers are back at the station, not even at the event for these things.
Plus, I believe these things are space fillers for ESPN.

Again, just kinda guessing here at some stuff...because I am pretty certain cornhole isn't on ESPN because of popularity or money it brings in.

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Another reason cornhole and darts might get coverage, aside from what you said (and I agree with), is that a lot of people play them. Anyone can pick up some bags or darts and play. So they can relate to the games on some level. Not so with fastpitch softball.

Would watching cornhole or darts on TV seem boring, and a waste of time compared to getting off your duff and actually playing one of them? Sure. But a lot of people watch golf on TV and I don't get that either.

The other poster had a great point...most of these aren't live events. That's why you will see...taped on so so date flash up and it could be months old before it
finds a spot on TV if ever.

And I do agree with your point as well Ken...I think a ton of people play those games. Like cornhole, not one picnic goes without this game. What mancave doesn't
have a dart board? (and I know some caves and picnics don't...but most do just making a point). While most active people don't consider these sports, most people have done these things.
You cant say the same for fastpitch softball.

DILLIGAF said:

That's a sad state of the game if the pro version needs the singing and cheering by the players to be exciting for the fans.
I mean. We totally saw the Dodgers and Red Sox clapping and chanting...."who's that up to bat with a big ole booty and a big ole bat?...."
The chants and cheers are my least favorite part about softball

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The difference is that the chants and cheers are a part of softball culture, starting at the youngest levels. It's not part of baseball culture at any level.