Just watching a game now, Team Ocasio vs Team Osterman. I do like watching softball, but I'm not really digging this concept of player points and drafting teams every week. I'm an old timer, but I don't really see this building up pro softball, of is this something you youngsters are into?
Athletes Unlimited softball.....Are you digging it?
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My DD and I watched last year and are watching this year. We loved it.
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- Jun 20, 2015
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not into this weekly draft malarkey at all. too much about each player and nothing about TEAM.
It's kinda cool, always fun to watch fastpitch. I don't think it's doing much to promote a pro league as there's no team fan building or recognition that I can see. But, keeping the game alive and providing an opportunity for these athletes to continue is huge! Not to mention helping out some great charitable causes.
AU is promoting AU while supporting sports like Volleyball and Fastpitch. In that regard its a win win for now. Without additional outside sponsorship money there's no way a league could be developed. Maybe they're hoping this can be a building block to a pro league at some point?
I like it because it's a little different. The drafting of teams allows for a new look and is a fun way to mix up personalities. The focus on individual points helps the program promote faces. It's no secret that fastpitch is not a well known sport. So it's safe to say that, outside of those who know fastpitch, no one knows who these players are. As I see it, the drafting and points system allows the commentators to spend more time talking about the players.
I'm just happy there's more fastpitch on TV.
I like it because it's a little different. The drafting of teams allows for a new look and is a fun way to mix up personalities. The focus on individual points helps the program promote faces. It's no secret that fastpitch is not a well known sport. So it's safe to say that, outside of those who know fastpitch, no one knows who these players are. As I see it, the drafting and points system allows the commentators to spend more time talking about the players.
I'm just happy there's more fastpitch on TV.
DD and I were just talking about this over the weekend. She is a 21 year old college player, and has been playing since she was 6. We have watched a ton of fastpitch over the past 15 years, so factor that into this conversation.
She enjoys the fact that she can see the best of the best playing at this level. She isn't a fan of the weekly draft or point system. She would prefer a structure that would combine aspects of NFP with AU.
As a 53 year old sports fan, I agree with much of her opinion. I have spent my entire life rooting for teams, not players. I will take any chance I can to watch more fastpitch, but the format takes away from it, in my opinion. I would prefer to watch college softball. That said, watching this gives me another subject to talk to my daughter about, and that is always good.
She enjoys the fact that she can see the best of the best playing at this level. She isn't a fan of the weekly draft or point system. She would prefer a structure that would combine aspects of NFP with AU.
As a 53 year old sports fan, I agree with much of her opinion. I have spent my entire life rooting for teams, not players. I will take any chance I can to watch more fastpitch, but the format takes away from it, in my opinion. I would prefer to watch college softball. That said, watching this gives me another subject to talk to my daughter about, and that is always good.
Me too, but I think we're the "wrong"ones here.
I get the sense that young people are far more likely the follow players than teams. The NBA is a pretty good example of this. I think the NFL is to a lesser extent, too, where people have favorite teams, but they also follow individual players. MLB's struggles can be at least partially attributed to their inability to market their young stars (a lot of this goes pretty deep into cultural/racial issues that Rob Manfred is wholly unequipped to handle).
So if AU is trying to build an audience (AUdience?), I think marketing individual players could be the way to go if their goal is to grow the sport into something sustainable on the professional level.
IOW, we have a lot of evidence that individual markets won't support professional teams, at least not currently. But we seem to have some evidence that people are going to tune in to support the players they like rooting for, so maybe it makes sense to put the focus on those players. It's different, but I've enjoyed rooting for the teams my favorite players are on (and, on draft night, hoping my favorites all end up on the same team).
I'm very much into the AU product. I disagree that the game itself isn't about the team. Of course it is. Winning innings/games is the best way for an individual to move up the leaderboard.
radness
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- Dec 13, 2019
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Bump this old thread
Fizzle schlenizzle actually forgot that was even a thing...
- Jul 5, 2016
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I'm okay with the format, but I wish the announcers would quit bleating about individual points. My impression is that the women on a particular team in a particular week are playing to win. Secondarily they do better for themselves, but that is always the case.
In that sense, it is a bit like pro-baseball. I like see oneing of the basemen chatting with an opposing team baserunner. They can be friends but still play hard against each other.
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