We complain about phantom foul calls, but....

[bruiser.sixpack]

If the refs ever started calling double dribble or palming, the scores would be something like 20-18 every game and each team would average 40 turnovers per game. It is amazing how much hesitation they allow now and every single player dribbles by flipping the ball with his hand under it.

Amazingly, the women’s teams do a much better job of actually dribbling with proper technique.

Men’s game has gotten too physical, too sloppy, and too loosely officiated inconsistently.

It is the pro game with half the scoring.

 

[wtw2400]

So if the women's basketball product is that much better than men's basketball, then why does men's basketball generate much more revenue, fan interest, and competive teams?

 

[dawgstudent]

Because the level of athleticism is much higher.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I asked about the palming or carrying the ball in a post a couple of years ago and was told that it’s not against the rules anymore. First I’d heard of it. Looks to me like most guards put their hand under the ball every time down the floor.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Here’s a video where a carry is actually called in the NBA, but honestly Durant could be called for this five times a game. Same for Isaiah Thomas.

https://youtu.be/slpvc6ufEw4

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

So if the women's basketball product is that much better than men's basketball, then why does men's basketball generate much more revenue, fan interest, and competive teams?

Guys can do this:

 

[Dawgg]

So if the women's basketball product is that much better than men's basketball, then why does men's basketball generate much more revenue, fan interest, and competive teams?

To add to dawgstudent's message about athleticism, a few more things. There are some real mental blocks that we have as a society that keep us from really investing in :
1. Dynasties tend to be roadblocks for new fans. Why watch if you know who's going to win? This may have been what you were referring to when you talked about 'competitive' teams. The NCAA started recognizing Women's Basketball National Champions in 1982, so there have been 38 of them total. 19 of those were won by two teams: UConn (11) and Tennessee (8). The other 19 are split over 13 teams. To compare the men's "dynasties", Duke and UNC both have 5 since 1982, UConn has 4, and Kentucky & Villanova each have 3. That being said, I'm not sure that competition has a value on the overall quality of the product. It's been 25 years since we've had a first time National Champion in football and it's the most popular college sport by a pretty wide gulf.

2. Men's basketball is more 'entrenched' in our psyche. Men's basketball had 50 year head start on women's basketball. Anything outside the normative leagues we've been accustomed to as a country (NFL, College Football, NBA, MLB, Men's Basketball, NHL) struggles to gain any real prominence, especially when they're a direct competitor for those time slots and venues. How many men's college sports fail to gain a fraction of their pro counterparts (cough cough hockey and baseball cough)? How many pro leagues in how many sports have failed in the past 50 years? Go ask the people around your office who won the last MLS Cup or which XFL game they watched last weekend.

3. Sexism. Yes, I said it. We default to women's sports being 'lesser than' men's sports because on a level playing field, elite level male athletes are generally more athletic than elite level female athletes. It's a mental block we just have.

4. Lack of media availability. How would we have even seen the games before the SEC Network? HailStatePLUS video on our laptops? The random time it was an ESPN2 Sunday afternoon game against Tennessee? College baseball suffered from this for a long time too. One of the benefits of these conference TV deals and streaming overall is that non-revenue sports actually have a media outlet.

To be clear, when you hear that women's basketball is a better product, mostly we're talking about ball movement, designed plays, the 'euro step' hasn't yet been replaced by tucking the basketball like a running back and flailing toward the rim, bad play or excessive hero ball gets you benched, and just overall cleaner play.

 

[Dawgg]

Guys can do this:

This discussion and that video specifically reminds me of the old Sportscenter commercial:
https://youtu.be/tTgivlTRDL4

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

He could have been called for it several times in that one clip alone.

 

[PirateDawg]

Palming the ball is still against the rules

I asked about the palming or carrying the ball in a post a couple of years ago and was told that it’s not against the rules anymore. First I’d heard of it. Looks to me like most guards put their hand under the ball every time down the floor.

I've seen it called several times this year. If I were a referee I'd call it every time I saw it. If there were 40 turnovers so be it. If players can't play according to the rules they shouldn't be on the floor.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

This discussion and that video specifically reminds me of the old Sportscenter commercial:
https://youtu.be/tTgivlTRDL4

And he took 4 steps once he picked up his underhand dribble.**** But if playing big boy basketball has reverted to 6 year old basketball with an occasional bounce of the ball, then far be I for me to take away from your favorite past time.***

Like I said, College Ball is Pro Ball without the scoring and they do play a little defense just short of needing helmets and pads.

 

[mount lefroy]

Because the level of athleticism is much higher.

But sadly, is not a better product. Been attending women's games since Vic arrived. Even when we weren't that good. For a basketball purists like myself it is absolutely a better version of the sport.

The men's game became too individual in the early 80s in the pro ranks and college soon followed. It was due to the very thing the OP said.

The women's game is much more 5 on 5 and about depth of bench.

 

[She Mate Me]

If the refs ever started calling double dribble or palming, the scores would be something like 20-18 every game and each team would average 40 turnovers per game. It is amazing how much hesitation they allow now and every single player dribbles by flipping the ball with his hand under it.

Amazingly, the women’s teams do a much better job of actually dribbling with proper technique.

Men’s game has gotten too physical, too sloppy, and too loosely officiated inconsistently.

It is the pro game with half the scoring.

What is a carry? Pretty informative video...