With the teams that Pitt has put on the floor the past six years in relevance to where it was for the previous fifteen or so how many are like me that I cant even watch another game until March Madness came on. Yesterday for example while waiting for the football to come on there were some big time games on but I just couldn’t sit there and watch With any interest. Between our demise, players leaving early, one and dones, transfers, coaching changes, over saturation of games, three point obsessions , scandals and others it has become more difficult every years to focus on. Maybe it will change if Pitt ever becomes good again in hoops but I am not getting any younger waiting.
How Many Are Losing Interest In College Basketball ?
- Thread starter poconopanther
- Start date
Definitely not as into it as I was back then, I used to watch every single big East non Pitt games no matter the matchup , it was always meaningful for us in the standings and just overall great basketball , I use to love when we beat the piss out of DePaul on those random Sunday afternoon games
A new coach, new staff, new players will rekindle a lot of interest, particularly regarding our own program.
I know I am eager for it to start
I know I am eager for it to start
Me. Very much me. But even worse, it is not just Pitt but the entire ACC Conference. I can't name you a starter on this conference's best team.
I find myself TRYING to watch college basketball more and more now, but it is hard to watch. And here's the thing, I enjoy either the SEC or Big 10 and in many cases Big 12, Gonzaga, UCLA and our old friends in the Big East before I would watch the ACC.
Man, we are garbage, but so is the ACC. And this is not helping. The one and dones, the transfer portal, it is killing college basketball.
I find myself TRYING to watch college basketball more and more now, but it is hard to watch. And here's the thing, I enjoy either the SEC or Big 10 and in many cases Big 12, Gonzaga, UCLA and our old friends in the Big East before I would watch the ACC.
Man, we are garbage, but so is the ACC. And this is not helping. The one and dones, the transfer portal, it is killing college basketball.
seems like it's a poor product recently. tough to watch and i really liked college hoops. seems like there just isnt a lot of talent like there was, not as many marquee players or teams. i know the acc is garbage lately but even some of the other conferences just dont have those great teams like they did in the past.
not sure if it's a trend or just a fluke.
I've been losing interest because of the cesspool that college basketball has become and really has been for a while. But I've lost interest in Pitt basketball more than I want to, mainly because of the crybaby we have as a head coach. His schtick has become old now and he needs to go so Pitt fans can get back on board with this program. His constantly playing the victim and making excuses is sickening. But what would you expect from him? It's typical.
When Capel goes, I'll be back on board as a more involved fan. Until then, I really have no interest in a Capel-coached team. The crybaby needs to go.
When Capel goes, I'll be back on board as a more involved fan. Until then, I really have no interest in a Capel-coached team. The crybaby needs to go.
College basketball has, for the most part, lost me years ago. College football seems to be following suit. These NIL deals and opt-outs are just starting to make it feel like NFL lite, as opposed to its own separate product. If I'm going to watch NFL lite, I might as well just watch the real thing.
It's pick up b-ball
new season; pick up new sides
has hurt the product
the fun is watching a team/players develop
you get attached; enjoy the storyline
could see a team pointing towards a good year
instead, it's become like an actor change on a soap opera...
"Champignie has left early for NBA ,,, now playing the role of SF is Mo Gueye"
used to follow a few teams during a season
don't anymore;
w/o continuity, don't get attached to players/teams
As for Pitt, what happens next yr
Who stays or goes?
No longer can see it coming.
Wonder about fan attachment in the long run
new season; pick up new sides
has hurt the product
the fun is watching a team/players develop
you get attached; enjoy the storyline
could see a team pointing towards a good year
instead, it's become like an actor change on a soap opera...
"Champignie has left early for NBA ,,, now playing the role of SF is Mo Gueye"
used to follow a few teams during a season
don't anymore;
w/o continuity, don't get attached to players/teams
As for Pitt, what happens next yr
Who stays or goes?
No longer can see it coming.
Wonder about fan attachment in the long run
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I just watch Pitt games now. I used to watch lots of college basketball and followed Big East games closely. Now I don't watch any peripheral games until the conference tournaments. I enjoy watching the tournaments of the one-bid conferences, each game an elimination game.
As was said above, ACC games just don't interest me the way Big East games did. Even that first ACC year when Pitt had a really solid team, it was just never the same. Pitt's decline from national relevance, the player movement, the scandals, it's all worked to drain my interest to the point that I feel about as energized for college basketball as I do for Olympic curling.
As was said above, ACC games just don't interest me the way Big East games did. Even that first ACC year when Pitt had a really solid team, it was just never the same. Pitt's decline from national relevance, the player movement, the scandals, it's all worked to drain my interest to the point that I feel about as energized for college basketball as I do for Olympic curling.
College basketball now is nothing more than the Senior Class play that changes characters every year. And many times, the Senior Class play is better.
I started losing interest during Dixon's final 2 seasons.
I actually find more interest in Women's basketball (not Pitt though), primarily the top SEC teams.
I actually find more interest in Women's basketball (not Pitt though), primarily the top SEC teams.
used to love watching big east games. id actually sit down and watch a full game if it was between two big east teams. even dating back to late 80's, you could root for or against so many of those teams. it was a great time for college hoops.
i couldnt care less about any team in the acc. even polarizing teams like duke and unc are becoming irrelevant. syracuse is a mere shadow of it's former self.
Lack of continuity is why I stopped following major league baseball many years ago. Now I dont even watch the World Series. I loved it as kid and as a teenager.
Completely agree
Especially in a small market (having grown up in a big-Yankee-market)
Sad b/c I loved baseball
College basketball must make sense for each of its four constituent parts to work:
--TV
--Colleges
--Players
--Viewers
The increased $ suggests its working, financially at least, for the first 3
But this is a leisure-time activity, a luxury item that depends on viewer interest
And viewer interest is linked to emotional attachment
And if lack of continuity erodes emotional attachment, what happens to viewer interest in the long run?
I have decreased my college basketball viewership by 90% to 95% since we started sucking. Basically, it is too depressing for me to watch good teams play because we used to be one.
I think if its really bad for college basketball for the SEC to be as good as it is and for the ACC to be as bad as it is. The Northeast loves college basketball and watches the ACC (even before expansion). They arent watching Alabama vs LSU basketball even if both are loaded with the best players money can buy. They want to see #5 UNC vs #8 Syracuse or #7 Louisville vs #13 Pitt or #2 Duke vs #6 UVa. All the best players are going to the SEC or Duke and that's terrible for the sport.
I feel the exact same way but Pitt has been historically bad in the ACC. If Pitt had H-D success in the ACC, I bet most of us would be glued to tonight's Big Monday game. I couldn't even tell you who plays tonight.
I also think ESPN has done a poor job of promoting the ACC since ACCN started. Its like they said, "here's your network, we're just showing NFL debate style shows now, we'll see you in March." I used to love the heck out of the BET intro theme music. Like maybe a little too much. I would be so pumped up for the Tuesday night Rutgers/Providence game at MSG that it was like I was playing in it.
Years ago I watched more different games, now I do watch Pitt games ONLY, even though they suck, I'm at the point that I need rooting interest to watch basketball, and NBA is boring, I tried to watch it this year, but can't stick with it. And I don't care what anyone thinks, I miss the Big East games with Pitt, they have more money now, but the basketball product turned to crap.
Here's the thing. When we were in the Big East, I loved watching Duke and UNC and Maryland and sometimes GT. Those were some great games, great teams. But the whole conference sucks.
It is like the Big East was the greatest Italian restaurants in NYC while the ACC is noodles with ketchup to borrow a Goodfellas analogy. It just is so bland, the crowds, the teams, etc.... Watching the two Pitt/Syracuse matchups and thinking back a decade ago. My god. It is like going back you your old neighborhood and finding half the buildings vacant and have like ivy and weeds all growing over them.
And I have complained about it before, but the Big East was almost a made for TV league. In fact, you can say ESPN made the Big East and the Big East made ESPN. It was so accessible and TV friendly. Which I cannot say so much about the ACC. Even with the ACCN.
acc had star power, a ton of it over the last few decades. i dont see it anymore. once Coach K leaves duke, it's only gonna get worse. when miami is the top hoops program in your conference, that's not good.
Just some food for thought.
Of the 2021 NBA draft, Only 5 1st rounders even reached their Jr year, let alone Sr of college.
2020 4
2019 5
2018 6
2017 4
So of the last 5 drafts, only 24 players reached upperclassmen status in college basketball. And most of these, were drafted in the very latter end of the 1st round.
In 2010 14 players at least made it to their JR year if not a Sr. Same with 2007. So at least half of the 1st rounders, you saw play college hoops for at least 3 years.
In 1995? 22 players at least played 3 years in college.
In 1993? 26 out of 27 played 3 years.
And in the 80's? Pretty much everyone.
Rarely a decent player sticks around for a year, and rarer is 2. These teams are constantly turning over. And unlike the old days, where say Carolina is trotting out Jordan, Worthy, Perkins, Doherty and Black, all are underclassmen, they have Daugherty, Steve Hale and Buzz Peterson on the bench as FR, you aren't brining in 3-4 McDonald's All Americans that recruiting class because they are blocked. Now? These guys come in, and they just churn in these big programs. And here's the thing, as we saw with Steve Adams, in many cases, if not most, FR contribute but don't star. And you get them and they are gone to the NBA.
So the sport has really suffered. It is why, Villanova's, Virginia's, Baylor's are winning the titles because they have some upper classmen. I can't imagine what the Pitt teams would be like now.
Of the 2021 NBA draft, Only 5 1st rounders even reached their Jr year, let alone Sr of college.
2020 4
2019 5
2018 6
2017 4
So of the last 5 drafts, only 24 players reached upperclassmen status in college basketball. And most of these, were drafted in the very latter end of the 1st round.
In 2010 14 players at least made it to their JR year if not a Sr. Same with 2007. So at least half of the 1st rounders, you saw play college hoops for at least 3 years.
In 1995? 22 players at least played 3 years in college.
In 1993? 26 out of 27 played 3 years.
And in the 80's? Pretty much everyone.
Rarely a decent player sticks around for a year, and rarer is 2. These teams are constantly turning over. And unlike the old days, where say Carolina is trotting out Jordan, Worthy, Perkins, Doherty and Black, all are underclassmen, they have Daugherty, Steve Hale and Buzz Peterson on the bench as FR, you aren't brining in 3-4 McDonald's All Americans that recruiting class because they are blocked. Now? These guys come in, and they just churn in these big programs. And here's the thing, as we saw with Steve Adams, in many cases, if not most, FR contribute but don't star. And you get them and they are gone to the NBA.
So the sport has really suffered. It is why, Villanova's, Virginia's, Baylor's are winning the titles because they have some upper classmen. I can't imagine what the Pitt teams would be like now.
The fall off in lack of interest in college bball for me has to do with a lot of what has been already mentioned. But I will add another. Dribble Drive. DD has lead to a lack of passing and team play at every level. I find it hard to watch bball from high school all the way up to the NBA. When you add the lack of fundamentals being taught to the fact that everyone uses DD as their main offense, it leads to selfish, boring play. I watch more NBA now than I ever did because at least at that level the players are ALL skilled enough to play dribble drive effectively.
Bingo. Kids in college and lower are not, by and large, capable of executing dribble drive offenses or the pick and roll. Lowering the shot clock to 30 seconds and eliminating the 5 second call also has hurt the college game too.
I used to attend every home game until about 2006 when I started travelling for work. Watched every game (or as much as I could) until the last few years of the Dixon are through the beginning of Stallings when I'd try to watch the big games. Now, I may tune in for a while here and there but by in large am not interested. 60% of that is due to the struggles of our program but the rest is due to the changing dynamic of college basketball. And losing those BE rivalries certainly didn't help. I also used to watch as much March Madness as possible, not so much anymore.
To be honest, I'm feeling the same way about college football anymore. I watch Pitt but don't care much about anything else.
I find myself more interested in pro sports anymore which is the opposite of where I was at 10-20 years ago.
To be honest, I'm feeling the same way about college football anymore. I watch Pitt but don't care much about anything else.
I find myself more interested in pro sports anymore which is the opposite of where I was at 10-20 years ago.
Thanks for reminding me about the 5 second rule! Adds to kids dribbling around and not looking to pass and punishes good D.
I have definitely lost interest in college basketball. it was my favorite at one time. It is definitely correlated with Pitt sucking so bad.
I watch far less college basketball than I used since our program has fallen on tough times.
When we were in tha Big East I watched every game, now I find myself watching Pitt and teams where our players transfered out to.
The one and done killed the basketball I used to love.
Players today are bigger, faster but lack so much when it comes to fundamentals and knowledge of the game.
It has filtered to the NBA and is destroying the quality of play and is the main reason the world is gaining ground on us.
Now, with the NIL and Transfer Portal there is no team identity.
Not only don't you know who will be on the team next year but in some cases the next game.
Maybe, if we ever return to any kind of prominence things will change. Until then I'll only watch Pitt, the NCAAA Tournament and NBA Finals.
When we were in tha Big East I watched every game, now I find myself watching Pitt and teams where our players transfered out to.
The one and done killed the basketball I used to love.
Players today are bigger, faster but lack so much when it comes to fundamentals and knowledge of the game.
It has filtered to the NBA and is destroying the quality of play and is the main reason the world is gaining ground on us.
Now, with the NIL and Transfer Portal there is no team identity.
Not only don't you know who will be on the team next year but in some cases the next game.
Maybe, if we ever return to any kind of prominence things will change. Until then I'll only watch Pitt, the NCAAA Tournament and NBA Finals.
And watching Hugs and Femi try to run the pick and roll is painful for me!
Never went to many games being from our of town...one or two per season when Jamie was coaching. But I can't watch these teams from the past several years. If the ACC wasn't down so much, Pitt would maybe win one or two. Chapel has gotten some talent but not building a team/foundation of a program. The resets are extreme year to year. Can't invest my time until I see more positive changes.
I still watch it because I enjoy basketball, but the quality of play isn’t as good as it used to be in college.
I used to watch the better part of about "other" 100 college hoops game each year (prior to the NCAA Tournament and not including Pitt games).
So far this year, it's been like 20. Lot's of reasons, but Pitt's demise is by far the largest.
I do have to confess that for some reason, I just don't watch ACC games like I did Big East games.
From the mid 80's until the year we left the Big East, I would check the schedule for any Big East game and watch it. I just don't feel it the same way for the ACC.
I probably watch at least part of a dozen college games a week. Quit watching if it turns into a blowout.
Generally watch ACC games, Ex-Pitt players, potential coaching candidates, Jamie and The Big East.
A Big East matchup of Creighton and Butler just isn't a Big East matchup in my eyes anymore.
Don’t watch them all, but will watch St,Johns vs Seton Hall or Nova, Georgetown versus anyone.
I remember when I used to get upset when Pitt lost a game. Now, I've gotten hardened about it in the last 6 years, especially the last 4. I don't want them to lose but don't care all that much if they do. If they lose, it certainly won't ruin my day or night. At this point, the more they lose, the closer we are to getting rid of the cancer in the program.
