With all due respect, you're quite wrong here.
by NDMike2001 (2024-04-17 14:10:07)

In reply to: The problem is that there wasn’t a “rising tide” effect.  posted by usaf_irish

Post Reply Return to McGraw's Bench

If you want to attribute the rise in interest in women's basketball across the board to CC, that's fine by me. That's point can be debated, as I think her popularity has coincided with the beginning of growth of the game, which has had an exponential impact on her interest. But I'm happy to concede it that point.

But arguing that there weren't rising tides from the other athletes is just wrong. A quick google search for example: "In the 1996 season when Woods joined late that year, the total prize money amounted to $101 million; between 1997 and 2008, the total prize money rose by an average of 9.3 percent per year, bringing the PGA Tour’s purse to $292 million by 2008."

Jordan revolutionized an entire culture and industry. His personal brand aside, the growth of NBA revenue and player salaries reflected the kind of growth during Tiger's prime.

I think Clark and Jordan are probably similar insofar as the sport's popularity was ready to embrace their next hero. But guys like Lance and Tiger undoubtedly lifted interest in sports that people just weren't watching.



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