The Sporting Stock Market

The last several months has shown that the United States (and the world) economy is not quite as strong as once originally thought. This blog is not to make any light of what is going on with job layoffs, nor to make light of people struggling with the failing economy. The intent is to show which of the major 4 U.S. professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) are struggling or maintaining a good image to the average viewer of the sports.

National Football League: Stock Up.
Just coming off of another exciting playoff season and very entertaining Super Bowl XLIII, the NFL is looking strong and very alive. The season started off with a down moment, when Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady went down with a season ending injury. Plus the Indianapolis Colts started off the 2008 season with a 3-4 record. As well as the recurring role of the outspoken Terrell Owens, and the so-called "love triangle" that went on between Owens, Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo, and Tight End Jason Witten. Nevertheless, the league saw the rise of the Tennessee Titans and NFC South (Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay). Along with the return of powerhouses like Pittsburgh and New York Giants. The NFL also saw the rise of three rookies to prominence, Chris Johnson (Titans Running back), Joe Flacco (Ravens Quarterback), and Rookie-of-the-Year winner Matt Ryan (Falcons Quarterback). All of whom played in this year's postseason. In the playoffs, the "Cinderella" team Arizona Cardinals shocked the entire sports world and advanced to their 1st ever Super Bowl, defeating the Falcons, Panthers, and Eagles. Also, Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals Wide Receiver) led his team and broke Jerry Rice's record for most receiving yards in a single postseason (30 receptions, 546 yards, and 7 Touchdowns). The other Super Bowl team was the Pittsburgh Steelers. They made it to their 7th Super Bowl in franchise history. They would win their 6th Super Bowl over the Cardinals, in a game that saw an outstanding finish.

Major League Baseball: Stock Down.
Spring Training is about to start up, and players probably couldn't be anymore ready to get to the batting cages and to the practice mounds. Last October saw a less than stellar playoff and World Series, which didn't involve any teams from a major market like Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, or New York. Sure, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays had a very nice run and a great season, winning the AL East from the Red Sox and Yankees, but in terms of star power, the World Series lacked it. Congratulations to the Phillies, but a large dark cloud still hangs over the sport, and it involves the use of anabolic steroids and HGH among many players. The last 2-3 years has seen icons like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Mark McGwire at the forefront of the allegations they "cheated" in obtaining records and playing the game. As of late, more names have popped up, most notably Alex Rodriguez. "A-Rod" was the face of baseball to help fans make it to the end of the "Steroid Era". He was supposed to be the "shining star" and break all the records of Bonds the correct way. On February 7, 2009, it was reported that Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. He was only one of 104 players reported to be on a sealed list of players whom tested positive in the same 2003 survey. If more prominent names come out on this list, then Major League Baseball may not be able to recover most of its fan base for a long time.

National Basketball Association: Stock Up.
The NBA just might surpass the MLB in the next couple of years. The upside to the NBA is incredible. The rivalry between the two most storied franchises (Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers) is back alive. Plus the emergence of the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks. The ususal suspects (San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns) are still at the top battling to remain with the rest. The NBA also has a bountiful amount of talent and skill in the league. It has always had star power, but never before has it been as deep and talented as it is in 2009. Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are the two staples and headliners of the league. But "The Big 3" in Boston (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce), Chris Paul (Hornets), Dwayne Wade & Michael Beasley (Miami Heat), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), and Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) are among the stars that are making the NBA into a likable league again. It is no longer just up to 4-6 teams to make the league. Each division is deep in the talent and makes for very interesting matchups year in and year out. The NBA's desire to clean up the league has apparently paid off, and if it's kept up, could become the 2nd best on this list.

National Hockey League: Stock Down.
Perhaps a bit harsh, but I am trying to enjoy the sport for what it is. Most likely, the United States as a whole will probably never accept hockey on a regular basis. For the sport to be successful, it needs star power, and the lack of recognizable stars to the majority of sports fans is very noticeable. The biggest star in the sport, Sidney Crosby, has been plagued by an injury that kept him from playing in the All-Star game, but it has dropped his team to 4th in their division. Perhaps the NHL will stick around for a while, but may not ever take off any places other than Canada, Detroit, Boston, and Pittsburgh. The last few years have seen teams from North Carolina, California, and Florida win the coveted Stanley Cup, which has been the subject of more punchlines than interests. Perhaps the best scenario for the NHL is to build on the Detroit Red Wings long success, match that with young teams like Washington and Pittsburgh, and maybe that could rejuvenate the sport. Hockey is much to exciting to see it get thrown by the wayside. As much as Americans love to see physical, violent sports, hockey just hasn't taken off for some reason. The NHL isn't tainted like the MLB is, so I genuinely hope that they can right the ship and keep it steady heading into the future.


I chose to not include NASCAR because I recently did a full story on the 2009 season, but I would list their stock as steady, sort of unchanging. The economy struggles have set the sport back financially, but the fresh crop of new talent mixed with the staples of the sport have NASCAR holding steady.