Gay in the NBA

[j2k4]

Is this even worth mentioning?

Jason Collins first openly gay active player - ESPN

[IPD]

not really. but america is wrapped around the axle on homosexuality, so it figures.

[NickS VR4]

Yeah, just like Te'o, I don't think anyone cares... but the media loves a discrimination story, even if it doesn't exist.

[sergechronos]

I do love that they describe him as the first athlete from a major sport to come out. How does that make female basketball players feel since Griner came out a week or two ago?

[IPD]

I do love that they describe him as the first athlete from a major sport to come out. How does that make female basketball players feel since Griner came out a week or two ago?

i raise you this. NBA isn't even close to being the first:

Martina Navratilova praises NBA player Jason Collins for coming out as gay | ksdk.com

[stealthee]

Women's basketball isn't a major sport. Besides, there were other openly gay women in the WNBA before Griner.

WNBA averages 7,500 fans a game.

Compare that to the NBA which averages 17,300 and the NHL that averages 17,100.

It's not even fair to compare them to the MLB or NFL.

[sergechronos]

That was kind of the joke that women's basketball isn't a real sport




As an addendum: I don't consider Tennis to be a major sport either.

[IPD]

wait...how many people watch wimbledon?

oh yeah...more than watch the NBA finals...because the NBA is an AMERICAN sport, not a worldwide sport.

[Vantage]

wait...how many people watch wimbledon?

oh yeah...more than watch the NBA finals...because the NBA is an AMERICAN sport, not a worldwide sport.

And there's a lot of hotties that play tennis, in skimpy outfits no less.

[stealthee]

wait...how many people watch wimbledon?

oh yeah...more than watch the NBA finals...because the NBA is an AMERICAN sport, not a worldwide sport.

Looking at the numbers I see Wimbeldon 2012 was watched by 16.3 million. 2012 NBA finals was watched by an average of 16.85 million. The 16.3 milion for Wimbeldon was the peak number. The average number was 11.4 million. And I am pretty sure they basketball in many other countries other than the US.

"Worldwide" sport or not, its not a major sport.