Global Wingspan

Welcome to the blog of Global Wingspan

Why the NFL is the only universal league in America

by Admin 27 November 2012 06:01 AM

NFL logo

As most sports fans know, the National Football League (NFL) is the premiere sports league in the United States. The NFL is the most attended domestic sports league in the world by average attendance per game and its Super Bowl often ranks as the most watched show of the year in the United States and second most watched sporting event in the world behind the UEFA Champions League final.

The numbers don’t lie and they show that the NFL is the top sports league in America.  In fact the NFL is so widely followed that the other American sports could possibly be considered niche sports. Below is the explanation behind this thinking and the breakdown of the 4 major professional sports in the US.

NFL- The NFL generates roughly 9 billion dollars of total revenue a year, with almost half of that coming from TV revenue. What makes the NFL so popular in America is that its fan base probably has the widest margin of any other sport. The NFL attracts viewers from age 21 to 65 and allows them to share a pure common interest in the team game that it promotes.

The NFL is about establishing parity among the teams, so that fans can attach themselves to teams and not individuals when following the NFL brand. It does not cater to a specific demographic or age but rather goes after the whole sum. This is what makes the NFL special.

In terms of global following, the NFL does not have a large fan base outside of the US. Although they have had a failed attempt with NFL Europe that has not stopped them from experimenting with playing a game annually in London. I give them an A for effort, but I just don’t see the NFL becoming a global game anytime soon. As long as soccer is still around, it will always be the biggest followed sport in the world.

MLB- The Major League Baseball (MLB), often referred to as America’s pastime, generates roughly 7 billion dollars a year of total revenue. Baseball has probably been around the longest of the 4 major sports in the US.  Its audience has a median age of 50 years old, which tells you a lot about the game.

Typically the MLB seems to attract an older more mature audience.  This is probably due to the pace of the game itself, which is not as action rich as the other major sports. In bigger markets media markets like New York, Boston, L.A., and Chicago their respective baseball teams thrive and are unmatched in the level of support that they receive from their fan bases.

However, this is not the case for all teams in the MLB as parity among teams are not enforced, which creates an imbalance in star power. This directly affects the viewership of baseball as a whole and may be the reason why its fan base has been on a steady decline over the past couple of years.

The MLB also makes a regular attempt to expand its game internationally, by playing yearly exhibition games in different Asian markets, like Japan, China, and Taiwan. Although it still does not have that global reach in selling its brand, the game of baseball is a sport that is played in several countries. Almost all MLB teams have at least one non-American player on its roster, which give the MLB some promise that one-day it can expand internationally.

NBA- The National Basketball Association (NBA) is considered to be the premiere basketball league in the world and generates roughly 4 billion dollars a year in total revenue. It is a game that is surging in popularity and may soon pass the MLB in the total revenue that it brings in.

The NBA’s audience is the youngest of the 4 major leagues. It usually attracts a very young audience, because of its star power. The players that play in the NBA are visible to its viewers, which allow players to promote and make themselves a brand.  Because of this the name of the franchises are not what drives the teams, but rather the star quality of the player that it has on it. Well there are a few exceptions in the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks. The NBA boasts the world best paid athletes by average player salary per year.

Of the 4 major sports, the NBA has the most potential in terms of expanding internationally. It already has corporate offices in several other countries like China and England just to name a few. Its game is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as the national governing body for basketball in the US.

In recent years an increasing number of international players have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA. It is just a matter of time before the NBA catapults with its international expansion. Maybe one day it may even rival soccer for the title of the worlds most followed sport.

NHL- The National Hockey League (NHL) is the only one of the 4 major sports leagues in America that was not started in the US. The NHL was started in Canada and currently generates approximately 3 billion dollars a year.

The NHL is a very prominent sport in Canada, where hockey is the most popular sport. It also has the smallest fan base of the four major leagues, along with the smallest revenue from television and sponsorship. Its audience are typically males ages 18-34, with estimates that half of its fan base roots for teams in outside markets.

In regards to its international appeal, the NHL broadcasts its games across Europe (excluding the UK and Scandinavia), the Middle East, Australia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Brazil through its respective networks. The NHL is also available for free online viewing outside of Canada and the United States with out blackout restrictions. While the NHL does not hold one of the largest fan bases in North America, it already has a pretty impressive audience in other countries.


Categories: General

Comments (359)

Lance Armstrong the Villain or the Hero?

by Admin 27 November 2012 05:58 AM

Team LiveStrong

Much attention has been given by media outlets to vilify the icon that is Lance Armstrong. But if we stop to think for a second as sensible and compassionate people, is Lance Armstrong really the villain that he has been made out to be.

Is he a man that has not one ounce of good and honesty in him? Lets look at the over arching person that is Lance Armstrong and the bigger picture of what he stands for.

Do I think that Lance Armstrong maybe has taken some performance enhancing drugs at some point in his cycling career, sure maybe. Is this something that should be condoned or is right, of course not. It is morally and ethically wrong to use any performance enhancers to gain a competitive advantage, when competing in sports or events.

But in Lance Armstong’s case look at what he really represents, when it comes to notoriety in the sports world. He is a man that has defeated and overcome stage 3 cancer. He is the same man that highlighted his cancer victory in order empower other people who have been affected by cancer to take action and fight against it.

He started a foundation with its iconic yellow wristband, to give hope and inspiration to those have endured the same battle as he has with this devastating disease. His foundation provides free patient navigation services to survivors with financial, emotional, and practical challenges that accompany the disease.

Does this sound like a man who has done no good in life? Does the mere fact that he may have cheated in cycling, warrant vilification around the world without pointing out all the good has done? I am personally willing to give him a pass even if he did cheat, because what he has done in his support against the fight of cancer, far out weighs anything he has done in his legacy of cycling.

After all cycling is just a sport and is something that he cannot participate in forever; where as his contributions against cancer can last for eternity.  Despite all of the records he once held in cycling, you know the old saying about records in sports, “They are made to be broken”.


Categories: General

Comments (1042)

Why Atlanta is quickly becoming the HOLLYWOOD of the South!

by Admin 27 November 2012 05:27 AM


The city of Atlanta has seen a fair amount of films and television shows that have been filmed in the area, but recently there has been a major rise in production of films and shows in the dirty south. One of the main reasons is that in a down economy Atlanta has a very favorable cost of living compared to the other major filming cities like Los Angeles and New York. For directors and producers this budget friendly city has turned into a gold mine of opportunities.

The state of Georgia’s generous tax credits have also played a role in the expanded film investment in Atlanta.  Georgia has made a conscious effort to attract film and television production companies through its Camera Ready program; by encouraging private partners to build sound stages, post-production facilities and additional infrastructure to support large-scale productions.

With recent high profile movies like “Flight”, “X-Men: First Class”, The Blind Side” and high profile television shows like “The Walking Dead”, “Teen Wolf”, and “Single Ladies”, Atlanta has securely carved out its place as a major hub for film production.

For all you aspiring actors, producers, screenwriters, directors, etc., the city of Atlanta offers you a great opportunity to break into the film industry.  A key part of following your dreams to break into the industry is to take advantage of the opportunity when it presents itself and the time is now.

Check back often, as job opportunities will be posted here for openings and auditions within the industry!


Categories: General

Comments (642)