Chuck Klosterman has a perceptive article on ESPN.com about the “problems” facing the NBA. He argues that the NBA’s continual state of crisis doesn’t result from player misconduct or racism on the part of fans. After all, he says, the NFL is subject to these same factors, but its popularity has surged over the past decade.
Instead, Klosterman claims that the unpopularity of the NBA stems from three issues inherent to the game. First is the reality that “some games are going to be boring.” Second is the fact that “We are an unshared society” (i.e. the racial, economic and talent gap between players and fans makes them utterly unable to relate to one another). Third is the idea that “potentiality destroys happiness” (i.e. the balletic potential of the game is undermined by bricked shots and long slogs in the low post).