10 Reasons Why Basketball is Better than Baseball

10. You Watch Basketball Indoors

Basketball is much better for fans, as we get to sit in a climate controlled arena – instead of sitting outside in cold, rainy weather.

Photo Source = Flickr – glenn

9. Basketball Games Don’t Take Forever to Play

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has the longest basketball game time, with four 12 minute quarters (48 total minutes per game). College basketball (NCAA) plays two 20 minute halves, for a total of 40 minutes per game. With standard and “T.V.” timeouts and half-time factored in – NBA basketball games last a little under 2.5 hours on average. College basketball games are about 1/2 hour less than the NBA, averaging right around 2 hours per game. This is pretty much the “norm” for basketball, but you’ll get the occasional overtime period. These last just five minutes for both the NBA and NCAA and can take anywhere from 10 to 30 additional minutes to complete because of time outs, fouls, etc.

Baseball, on the other hand, takes forever for fans to watch an entire game. Checking many sites on the Internet, I see that Major League Baseball (MLB) games take, on average, 3.5 hours to complete. However, anyone who has ever been to an MLB game (or watched one on T.V.) can tell you that the real amount of time a baseball game lasts can and does take a whole lot longer – sometimes up to four and five hours (or longer). College baseball is pretty much the same. There are several reasons that baseball games take longer to play, but the main reason is that there are no time limits on any action in baseball. Basketball has both a time limit on the amount of time you can take to get the ball to the half-court line AND a shot clock, which greatly helps to both speed up the game and make it more exciting.

Photo Source = Flickr – ewan and donnabel

8. A Game of Street / Pick-Up Basketball is Much Easier to Organize

It is much, much easier to get together a game of back yard basketball than it baseball. There is almost no equipment for basketball, besides the ball itself. And, it’s really just a matter of finding a basket or a court to play on. You can wear just about any type of athletic shoes to play basketball. Basketball courts are all over the place these days, and people everywhere are looking for pick up games. (Or, you can find a court and play by yourself. Try doing that with baseball.)

Finding enough people to start a baseball game, with their own equipment, is hard to do – to say the least. Then, finding an open field with decent grass and enough space to play (without fear of breaking something) is not easy for most kids today either.

Photo Source = Flickr – Vadim Lavrusik

7. Basketball is an Olympic Sport – Baseball is NOT

Baseball was an Olympic sport for a brief period of time, from 1992 until 2008, but it has been eliminated as an Olympic sport for the 2012 games. Reasons for eliminating baseball stem primarily from baseball not being popular worldwide.

6. Cheerleaders

Beautiful women in hot outfits… Duh! No brainer, right? Well, not in baseball. Basketball has cheerleaders. Baseball, as a whole, does not. There are two MLB teams that understand this is a good thing… The Florida Marlins and the Cincinnati Reds. Both of these teams have recently employed cheerleaders to mixed reviews. Some baseball fans liked the idea of entertainment between innings by these lovely ladies, but a large percentage of baseball fans feel it is a travesty to the game. The latter baseball fans would rather watch the players warming up on the field. Are you kidding me? Nope, not at all.

A recent Gallup Poll study found that nearly 50% of all men are MLB / professional baseball fans. So, with one out of every two men as their target audience, why would the MLB NOT want cheerleaders? Good question.

Photo Source = Flickr – terren in Virginia

5. The Alley Oop

Arguably the most exciting play in all sports, the alley oop dunk is a momentum changing, crowd pleasing display of power and skill. By the odd chance you’re not a basketball fan and haven’t heard of this before, the alley oop involves one player tossing the ball to another player who soars through the air to dunk the ball. But, don’t worry baseball fans… You’ve got squeeze plays, bunts, and intentional walks.

4. Basketball is Fast Paced and Action Packed

Unlike basketball where there is constant action, the most action you’ll see during a baseball game typically takes place during the 7th inning stretch. Baseball can be exciting, don’t get me wrong. But, there is just so much “down time” during a baseball game. You simply don’t have this down time in basketball.

3. Celtics vs. Lakers Rivalry

I know baseball has some pretty good rivalries – like Yankees / Red Sox and Dodgers / Giants – but these just don’t compare to the heated, stoic rivalry of Celtics / Lakers. These two teams, the most storied franchises in all basketball, have collided 12 times in the NBA finals. The most recent was just this past year, with the Lakers winning a seven game series in 2010. Prior to that, the Celtics won a 4-2 victory in 2008.

The Celtics currently lead in total championships with 17 to the Lakers’ 16. Together, the two teams’ 33 championships account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history.

Photo Source = Flickr – Avinash Kunnath

2. March Madness is the Best Sports MONTH of the Year

Sure, October is a great month for baseball – but the few games you actually get to watch just can’t touch the frenzy that is NCAA March Madness.

1. Players Are More Athletic, Exciting, and Fun to Watch!

Basketball has, arguably, the most athletic and well-known athlete of all time… Michael Jordan. There are now and have been many exciting athletes in basketball… Lebron James, Dr. J, Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Durant – the list goes on and on. Sure, baseball has some great names too, no doubt… Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Joe Dimagio, Willie Mays, and more. But, modern day baseball players are more known for steroid use than being an “athlete.” (Plus, I don’t think you can compare the overall athletic ability of say Lebron James to Alex Rodriguez – now would you?)