Is BASKETBALL the KING in SE Texas? Or FOOTBALL?

[Guest DickVitale]

I was reading on another thread how some misinformed person feels that due to gate receipts at football games, that football is king in this area...Lets see....during football games, there are band, cheerleader, and drill team parents that come out to support squads of 40 or more kids (which means more parents).  Once a week......There has definitely been more success in BASKETBALL in this area over the past 25 years or more...I would even bet that if gate receipts were counted weekly, although there are more bodies, the basketball receipts are comparable even still.....What do you guys think?

[Guest nostradamus]

DV,

I did the research on this after Ron Jackson and I had a conversation one summer.  The success in basketball at the state level from this area absolutely overwhelms the football success in this area.....and I went back 40 years.  I will see if I can find that post.

[Guest DickVitale]

Thats cool, do that...I was wondering from a money standpoint too...They make more per game but they spend five times as much, so does that make it profitable? I don't think so, but you can't tell the football guys that. 

[westend1]

Is this thread supposed to be serious?  No comparison in this area.  Just watch this board light up come August:  that should tell you all you need to know.        :

[Guest DickVitale]

Once again, I am not talking about the numbers, there are too many variables in that..I am talking in terms of financial success overall and Championships won....Yeah you are right...Its NOT even close....Basketball by a landslide!!

[the wise one]

i believe basketball is king in SETX there are to many schools with great basketball tradition statewide

[Guest nostradamus]

Since 1921 when the UIL started keeping records

66 basketball teams from this area have made it to the state finals

32 football teams from this area have made it to the state finals

[Guest stevenash]

Since 1921 when the UIL started keeping records

66 basketball teams from this area have made it to the state finals

32 football teams from this area have made it to the state finals

Nos, you are probably not factoring in the "weak region scenario" in the lower classifications.

[Guest DickVitale]

I am truly curious to learn the exact money amounts to solidify what we are saying... 8)

[Guest nostradamus]

The only way to do that would be to get access to an ISD financial report that show gate receipts vs. expenditures for each particular sport.

[AggiesAreWe]

I will say this, yes, basketball in this area has been more successful as far as teams winning championships and going deep in the playoffs than what football has done. But to suggest that basketball generates the same amount of money as football is ridiculous.

I know from personal experience that we here at SETXsports can get way more sponsors for football than we ever thought about getting for basketball. It's almost apples and oranges. There are the exceptions to the rule (HJ, Silsbee) but trust me, I have tried other schools for basketball sponsors and it just ain't happening. Football on the other hand, well, they actually come to us most of the time. So, as a product that one needs to sell, football is definetly KING here locally over basketball.

As for the gate reciepts, just ask any local football ref or basketball ref and they will tell you were the money is, it's football. I'll just use my home town school Silsbee as an example. Tiger football on average has about 5,000 or more attend their home football games. That's at least 25,000 home attendance for the season. For basketball, Silsbee normally gets 10 home games (only had 7 this year) and they average about 800-1000 for those games. So the most would be 10,000 home attendance for Silsbee basketball. The ticket prices are lower for basketball games than football and football in Silsbee has season ticket holders, guarenteed money even if they don't show up. It's not close as far as the money generated from these two sports. Football wins.

I am pretty sure it's that way for 90% of the schools in our area, sans the HJ's, Kountze's, and Spurger's.

Football generates more revenue, case closed. It may cost more than basketball, and in some cases basketball may profit more, but the arguement was what generated the most revenue and well, it's not even close.

[Guest DickVitale]

I absolutely agree AAW about the gate receipts, but I am talking about PROFIT TURNED...Football may have more people but there are more actually particiapting in the game itself i.e. band, drill teams, pep squads, etc.  So yes as a whole you will have to have more in attendance, it only makes sense.  BUT, how many are there for actual football? Not many..There are some who come to games JUST to watch the halftime show, then leave.  As far as success goes, its not even close, and that is also the case in the Houston area as well. Basketball wins that one too. I just dont think that football SPENDING adds up to its profit made in each district...You think the state basketball tournament in Austin is more or less popular than the football playoff? A step further March Madness, compared to the BCS? I am talking popularity here...Which is more? I would say the tourney!!

[Guest nostradamus]

Aggies,

You ruined my promotional last time this post was made ;D

However, one thing you are leaving out is what one sport costs versus the other.  Football may still win but, the margin is not near as wide when you consider what one sport costs versus the other and go on true profit.

Also, take out the number of people that are there to see their son or daughter perform at halftime and not just there as a fan.  With basketball, you only get people that are there to see the game.

Finally, football is a once a week game on a night where most everyone is off.  Half of all basketball games are played on week nights and because of the number of games played attendance is naturally hurt because of the "I'll just catch them on Friday" attitude by the average (not die hard) fan.......but that same person will go to each football game on Friday because it is the only one that week and it is at the end of the school week.

I think the only reason it is considered king is because for most schools the athletic director coaches the so called "king".

[Guest DickVitale]

Aggies,

You ruined my promotional last time this post was made ;D

However, one thing you are leaving out is what one sport costs versus the other.  Football may still win but, the margin is not near as wide when you consider what one sport costs versus the other and go on true profit.

Also, take out the number of people that are there to see their son or daughter perform at halftime and not just there as a fan.  With basketball, you only get people that are there to see the game.

Finally, football is a once a week game on a night where most everyone is off.  Half of all basketball games are played on week nights and because of the number of games played attendance is naturally hurt because of the "I'll just catch them on Friday" attitude by the average (not die hard) fan.......but that same person will go to each football game on Friday because it is the only one that week and it is at the end of the school week.

I think the only reason it is considered king is because for most schools the athletic director coaches the so called "king".

EXACT-A-MUNDO!

[AggiesAreWe]

As far as popularity goes, it's still football in this area. A local school can have tremendous success in basketball but not so much in football and it will be shown by the support that they get. But let that same school start winning in football and you will see the support for their successful basketball team pale in comparison to the football support. I broadcast both these sports along with baseball for this site, I have seen it with my own eyes. Schools that are traditionally successful in basketball that start getting successful in football will see the support for football be dramatically more than basketball. Even if it's just one year of success in football out of the last 10 years for that particular school, for that one year, football will be KING at that school.

It is what it is.

[Guest DickVitale]

When has THAT ever happened? PA Lincoln? They had a successful football season there a few season before they closed under Suggs, and it was STILL a hoops haven! Footbal is king ONLY in the minds of those who like the sport. I like football too, but happen to know the difference. Football is an expense driven sport, basketball is a profit driven sport....When is the last time this area had a state champ in football? 1987? Thats too long a drought to claim supremacy... :

[AggiesAreWe]

Aggies,

You ruined my promotional last time this post was made ;D

However, one thing you are leaving out is what one sport costs versus the other.  Football may still win but, the margin is not near as wide when you consider what one sport costs versus the other and go on true profit.

Also, take out the number of people that are there to see their son or daughter perform at halftime and not just there as a fan.  With basketball, you only get people that are there to see the game.

Finally, football is a once a week game on a night where most everyone is off.  Half of all basketball games are played on week nights and because of the number of games played attendance is naturally hurt because of the "I'll just catch them on Friday" attitude by the average (not die hard) fan.......but that same person will go to each football game on Friday because it is the only one that week and it is at the end of the school week.

I think the only reason it is considered king is because for most schools the athletic director coaches the so called "king".

I did not leave out that football costs more, I believe that to be the obvious, just like the number of fans attending these sports. But this thread was started with the arguement of basketball generating the same revenue as football, and that's ridiculous.

I understand all the reasons that you stated as to why "some" of the numbers are slanted in favor of football, but the fact still remains the same. If you want to break it down so that it looks much better for basketball, please do. But it doesn't change anything.

I am as big a supporter for high school basketball as they come, but I can even see the writing on the wall.

[Guest DickVitale]

Are saying that the PROFIT factor is greater in football, AAW?

[AggiesAreWe]

I will agree that in some cases the profit % is greater in basketball than in football. But the bottom dollar numbers will still be greater in football.

[Guest DickVitale]

How will the bottom line numbers be greater when you are an expense? I KNOW that in districts like Houston ISD, football is an EXPENSE as it pertains to gate receipts versus output (travel, equipment, etc.)....Maybe not in Silsbee, but in LOTS of places thats what it is...THEN to make matters worse in Houston, they try to make up for that downfall during BASKETBALL SEASON!!!!  Its a fallacy that football is king in ths area....No championships, football economy constantly in the red, and people ALWAYS look forward to basketball season around here...Football too, until the weather changes, then everybody takes it on in the area gyms!! ;) There are legit arguments for both, AAW, but the numbers don't lie...

[Lazeek]

GOLF RULES BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[AggiesAreWe]

How will the bottom line numbers be greater when you are an expense? I KNOW that in districts like Houston ISD, football is an EXPENSE as it pertains to gate receipts versus output (travel, equipment, etc.)....Maybe not in Silsbee, but in LOTS of places thats what it is...THEN to make matters worse in Houston, they try to make up for that downfall during BASKETBALL SEASON!!!!  Its a fallacy that football is king in ths area....No championships, football economy constantly in the red, and people ALWAYS look forward to basketball season around here...Football too, until the weather changes, then everybody takes it on in the area gyms!! ;) There are legit arguments for both, AAW, but the numbers don't lie...

First of all, we here at SETXsports, like you have so many times referred us to, don't consider Houston to be in our area. So when this thread was started asking if basketball is king here in Southeast Texas, I was not including Houston in any of my thoughts. I do understand in the inner cities that football is not the most economic thing to do. I believe that's why they have multiple schools sharing football stadiums, it's more feasible.

But in this area, or rural as been labeled, that is not the case. I have seen more people get excited and support their 5-5 football teams than ones supporting their 22-8 playoff bound basketball teams.

As for the suggestion the majority of people are always looking forward to basketball season around here, I'll just refer you to our numbers here on our site, they don't lie.

[Guest DickVitale]

Yeah, I just wanted to give you a broader perspective of what it is in other areas and comparing them to this one...People WANT football to be the king around here, but its not....Really never HAS been....66 finals appearances to 32....Last title in 1987 for football? They spend more than they make? King? No.

[AggiesAreWe]

Yeah, I just wanted to give you a broader perspective of what it is in other areas and comparing them to this one...People WANT football to be the king around here, but its not....Really never HAS been....66 finals appearances to 32....Last title in 1987 for football? They spend more than they make? King? No.

BTW, the last state championship in football for this area is not 1987. Newton has one 2 state titles since then, last one in 2005 I believe. And yes, they are considered in our area.

[westend1]

For most in this area, basketball is a game to keep up with, just like baseball, until football season rolls around.

The noted exceptions, like HJ, OZEN, etc. are rare.    You want to compare popularity of the sport?  What is the biggest single event of the year?   I love March Madness.  It's a great setup.  But, NBA playoffs verses NFL is no contest.  Surely you can get your head out of the gym long enough to admit that.    Who do you think has higher TV ratings?  College football championship game or ncaa final?

You think football attendance is higher because 200 parents watch their kids in the band and another 100 watch their kid in the drill team?  Oh yeah, maybe another 100 for the extra players.  Do the math.  Local teams may have had more success in basketball at the state level over the years, but football is still more popular.