Team sports have higher level athletes than combat sports

[Vincentsky]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

This is not an A level Athlete argument rather it is stating that the level of competition is a direct result of marketing, outside of MMA there are almost no sports where a losing bad performing athlete can have a decade long career.

 

[Roghog]

Team sports is gay

 

[Lukn4trbl]

No fighting In team sports (except hockey).

Vagina

 

[AWilder]

I agree with some of what you say. Another factor is the progression built into society for other sports. Little league, travel ball, highschool, college, minor league, Intl. Leagues, big leagues, etc. That doesn't exist at an early age for MMA. No ones getting a scholarship for MMA. Wrestling, yes, boxing also yes, but MMA doesn't have a feeder system like other, mostly team, sports.

 

[El Fernas]

Takes a different skill and mindset to become a fighter, on any combat sport than to play a team sport...

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Team sports is gay

^ Someone upgrade this guys belt. He spitting facts.

 

[HatKick]

98% of those athletes aren't cut out to be fighters anyway so...

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

Maybe you should join a ball sports forum instead then?

FOH

 

[Mortal Wombat]

Except you can hide in team sports. No hiding when it's one on one. And all the pressure is on you. You take the loss and bear the punishment. Combat Sports>Contact Team Sports.

 

[Rvd Slmr]

Who cares if a sport that sucks has the "best athletes"? Track and field and gymnastics have been the pinacle of athleticism for over two thousand years, and I'm still not watching that shit. Some guy is the best in the world at throwing a specific object very far, at running very fast over a very specific distance or at jumping very high, yet 95% of the population have no clue who they are outside of the sprint.

 

[boladiQup]

I think most people already agree that higher level athletes end up playing pro team sports rather then getting their brains banged in for pennies in MMA etc

however the reason isn’t necessary just the money for the actual athletes, rather IMO it takes a lot of more of an effort to build up a fan base for an individual over a fan base for a city based team.

The average NFL player plays professional for 3.3 years, this is when a young man is in his absolute athletic prime. It is because a team can afford to switch the player up often as the fans aren’t as attached to the squad as they are for the team that in some cases has been around for generations.

MMA is an individual sport that takes a while to build up awareness and a fan base for an individual athlete, the sponsorship opportunities are low in comparison to other individual sports like golf, F1, etc.

The result is MMA having athletes who are fighting way past their physical prime, and athletes who stay relevant despite having many losses simply because they have a fan base.

team sports such as football have players who are competing in their prime for an average of 3.3 years after graduation and as a result they have the absolute best athletes completing at their physical prime resulting in the highest level competition.

http://www.sectiononewrestling.com/documents/nfl_players_wrestled.html

i believe it was the combat sports (wrestling) that made most of these elite NFL players the elite athletes that they are.

 

[Vincentsky]

Not disagreeing with anyone here

I am first and foremost an MMA/ combat sports fan

however I am frustrated when I see guys who are way past their prime or guys who have suffered multiple ko losses continue to compete and we are being sold that this is the highest level on the planet

 

[jsbx45]

Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Roger Federer disagree with you.

In the Early 2000's Michael Shumacher (F1) was the highest paid athlete in the world.

 

[HHJ]

Dont give a fuck about athletes,only fighters.

 

[Vincentsky]

Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Roger Federer disagree with you.

As mentioned certain individual sports have very big sponsorship opportunities due to being very mainstream with a massive worldwide hobbyists market, others are just absolute stand outs who are famous for their out of this world dominance.

 

[PeleProtege]

Probs true, because teams of athletes can command a higher price/level of investment+training, economy of scale and all that...

 

[Doctor Grudge]

I'm confused - you said team sports but you're only talking about the NFL..?

MLB, NHL, Cricket and a lot of football (soccer) leagues don't really have athletes that are out of this world relative to the top MMA athletes. They got some outlier guys for sure, just like MMA does. NBA guys are very athletic relative to their height - but they still have long careers compared to NFL guys - using the average length of a career as a barometer for athleticism is a little wacky.

MMA has a lot of elite wrestlers and wrestlers are pretty damn stellar athletes. There is a steady stream in athleticism because of them alone.

Boxing has a ton of great athletes also. Inoue, Lamenchenko, Canelo, Floyd, Manny - I mean when you think about their training and what they have to do it makes sense.

Muay Thai filled with a lot of athletic Thai's - just look at how explosive they are in their fights when they throw strikes. A lot of athletes from other sports cannot duplicate that without a ton of training, if then.

MMA fighters can fight when they're old because a lot of it is a technique heavy sport. American Football players are heavily specialized to do a few movements depending on their position hence why when they get a bit old they fall off significantly in usefulness - they are like track athletes (in fact many of them were great track stars).


Team sports do not have greater athletes than combat sports - not at the top end of combat sports at least. NFL is an exception, hardly representative of all team sports.

Fighters do not need to run and jump. As you age your ability to run and jump declines faster than the other stuff.

 

[AnotherOldGuy]

Takes a different skill and mindset to become a fighter, on any combat sport than to play a team sport...

Except for hockey. Though I suppose hockey is arguably a combat sport ...

 

[Vincentsky]

I'm confused - you said team sports but you're only talking about the NFL..?

MLB, NHL, Cricket and a lot of football (soccer) leagues don't really have athletes that are out of this world relative to the top MMA athletes. They got some outlier guys for sure, just like MMA does. NBA guys are very athletic relative to their height - but they still have long careers compared to NFL guys - using the average length of a career as a barometer for athleticism is a little wacky.

MMA has a lot of elite wrestlers and wrestlers are pretty damn stellar athletes. There is a steady stream in athleticism because of them alone.

Boxing has a ton of great athletes also. Inoue, Lamenchenko, Canelo, Floyd, Manny - I mean when you think about their training and what they have to do it makes sense.

Muay Thai filled with a lot of athletic Thai's - just look at how explosive they are in their fights when they throw strikes. A lot of athletes from other sports cannot duplicate that without a ton of training, if then.

MMA fighters can fight when they're old because a lot of it is a technique heavy sport. American Football players are heavily specialized to do a few movements depending on their position hence why when they get a bit old they fall off significantly in usefulness - they are like track athletes (in fact many of them were great track stars).


Team sports do not have greater athletes than combat sports - not at the top end of combat sports at least. NFL is an exception, hardly representative of all team sports.

Fighters do not need to run and jump. As you age your ability to run and jump declines faster than the other stuff.

My point still stands

In any team sport if a player starts sucking he gets cut and doesn’t get signed to play again

In MMA in particular there are tons of fighters with multiple knockout losses who are fighting on PPV cards and co main events simply because they have a fan base and not because they are the highest caliber athletes in the sport.

You would never see that in team sports as teams have a loyal fan base regardless of the squad and fans expect the highest level competition on the planet, in MMA fan bases are harder to gain hence why you have Guys like Chris Weidman staying somewhat relevant even though he has no business competing at the highest levels.

 

[Fergelmince]

Except you can hide in team sports. No hiding when it's one on one. And all the pressure is on you. You take the loss and bear the punishment. Combat Sports>Contact Team Sports.

not in professional team sports. you don't make it to the NFL, NBA, MLB by "hiding"