Will pro sports still be a thing in 100 years?

[MillauFr]

They will use hoverboards and lasers instead.

Won't both of those seem antiquated in 2122? I'm guessing the other side will use molecular disruptors in 2122. And time shifting to get an advantage.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Yep. “Us versus them” tribalism is in our genes dating back to caveman times.

 

[sam_gordon]

My question is will College Sports be considered pro sports in 100 years and get paid for playing.

I think it will be only 5-10 years before that happens. The NIL rules have opened the door. What's to stop a booster from telling a recruit (or player) "We'll pay you $100,000 to put your cutout in our stores"?

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I don’t know but I certainly couldn’t care less.

 

[mrodgers]

Soccer is the fastest growing team sport in the U.S., with over a 50% rise in fans in the last 10 years. it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it becomes the most popular sport.
But will pro sports still be around? Possibly... but the cost of going to a game has just become astronomical. I don't see how the pricing is sustainable.

As long as they pack the stadiums, the pricing will continue to become more astronomical. As long as people who can't afford to go continue to go into debt for tickets and even season tickets, the price will continue to become more astronomical. I can't tell you how many people I work with that have massively expensive season tickets to the Steelers or Penguins or both. I don't know how they can afford it as being in the top 5 of only around 10 left that were here when the plant opened, I make far more than they do and there's no way I could spend that kind of money.

Then again, they also all drive $50-65,000 brand new trucks, but was all, "Look at Mr. Big Bucks" when I showed up in my 4 year old used Audi for a fraction of that cost. I just can't see how you do all that on $20/hour.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Welcome to the Disboards. I’ve said that several times about soccer but not many seem to believe me.

Because we've been hearing the same thing since the 80s. And Soccer is still well behind our more popular sports. This is because it's a horrible spectator sport. Almost as bad as golf. I play both. I watch neither. Although I will watch golf in passing. It gives me great pleasure to see the pros choke. Then I don't feel so bad when I brick a 5 footer.

 

[Babs Johnson]

Because we've been hearing the same thing since the 80s. And Soccer is still well behind our more popular sports. This is because it's a horrible spectator sport. Almost as bad as golf. I play both. I watch neither. Although I will watch golf in passing. It gives me great pleasure to see the pros choke. Then I don't feel so bad when I brick a 5 footer.

The 80s??? I've been hearing that soccer will be The Next Big Thing since the 70s.

It seems to have found its niche. But I don't see it growing much more.

I'll watch some of the upcoming World Cup to see how the US fares, but I'm unlikely to watch again for four years.

 

[Babs Johnson]

Yes, pro sports will still be popular in 100 years.

And I believe that college athletes should be paid, at least the revenue generating ones, like football and men's basketball.

 

[sam_gordon]

And I believe that college athletes should be paid, at least the revenue generating ones, like football and men's basketball.

You mean more than they already are?

 

[kdonnel]

I think pro sports have been around for at least 3000 years, so yeah they will still be around in 100 years.

 

[Mysterian]

Gaming is a sport now, so in the future, people will probably make a sport out of social media. You will even get to bet on your own clone who's fighting another clone in a vat full of amniotic fluid, available only on pay per view!

 

[mrs. magoo]

I don't see professional sports as going anywhere. Buzz - my husband and I caught the 2nd half of the MLS championship - I am already a soccer fan and we both watch the Premier League but we became highly invested in the championship game. I had not watched any MLS game except in flipping the entire season. It was an incredible ending so much drama. My husband who is not a huge fan was literally glued to the game.

So if the US men can pull something together in the World Cup there is a chance that soccer could grow. There is so much competition for people's dollars though. My city has an AHL (American hockey league) team that has always drawn well but attendance this year is down significantly so people only have so much money so I think that will determine the future of professional sporting. I do very much agree that gambling has a huge impact though as well.

 

[amylevan]

Considering the Greek Olympics started in what, 700 BC? No I don’t think pro sports are going anywhere.

 

[kdonnel]

I think some sports might not exist in 100 years.

I think there is a 50/50 chance that football (American football) might not exist in 100 years.

Eventually parents will realize what they might be doing to their kids with respect to CTE.

 

[fla4fun]

I am sure there will be professional sports around until the end of time. What those sports will be is the question. Humans are too competitive for sports to go away entirely.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I am sure there will be professional sports around until the end of time. What those sports will be is the question. Humans are too competitive for sports to go away entirely.

Hunger Games included?

 

[fla4fun]

Hunger Games included?

Only time will tell . . .

 

[RedAngie]

Last night while flipping channels I came upon some type of cornhole championship on one of the ESPNs.

Sure, in 100 years they will be held in 80,000 seat stadiums with winners earning multi-millions.

 

[Park Pirate]

I think some sports might not exist in 100 years.

I think there is a 50/50 chance that football (American football) might not exist in 100 years.

Eventually parents will realize what they might be doing to their kids with respect to CTE.

This is a great point. I think sports will exist and American football may still be popular, but it will probably be different than what we now watch on the weekends. I think football participation is already down at the high school level. I believe many of the smaller High Schools are going to 8 on 8 teams. It will be interesting to see what combination of rule changes and new equipment/treatment technology will be employed.

 

[Colleen27]

Soccer is the fastest growing team sport in the U.S., with over a 50% rise in fans in the last 10 years. it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it becomes the most popular sport.
But will pro sports still be around? Possibly... but the cost of going to a game has just become astronomical. I don't see how the pricing is sustainable.

It doesn't have to be, because ticket sales and stadium revenue are dwarfed by TV contracts for the most popular sports. Every MLB team makes at least $100 million on TV rights. Only a few of the highest demand, highest priced come close to that on ticket sales (ie, NY Yankees) and they also tend to have higher TV income because while the national contracts are shared, MLB teams negotiate their local-market coverage themselves. Two-thirds of ALL NFL revenue comes from their multi-billion dollar TV contracts, with tickets and merchandise and everything else accounting for the other third. So they can price a lot of people out of actually going to games without hurting the stability of the sport one bit.