Board 8 > "I don't watch any kind of sporting event." What in the actual hell?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Can someone who voted for this explain why they don't watch ANY sports? I don't get it.

Because sports are boring, duh.
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Big Bob posted...

Because sports are boring, duh.

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i didn't vote for this, but there was a time when i would have

the question is more why would you watch sports rather than why wouldn't you

there are plenty of good reasons to watch sports, but for some people, none of them applies
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I'm just not a slave to mainstream social programming
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Some people just don't like sports

My parents, for instance, are some of those people
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I find it curious that you seem to think this is a universal experience everyone enjoys.
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ulti knows this is a dumb question already guys
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Don't find them interesting, and even if I did I don't really have the time to follow sports

I'd still watch a game if it were in the context of hanging out with friends/coworkers
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I think they're fine, but like everything else I could be doing is way more interesting.
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CelesMyUserName posted...

ulti knows this is a dumb question already guys

whoa

must be a new alt, not used to seeing these
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LapisLazuli posted...

Big Bob posted...

Because sports are boring, duh.

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I'm more confused about why people DO watch sports. Like there are so many better things to watch at any given moment, and people choose sports?

Actually playing sports is one thing, I fully get the appeal of that. And I can give a pass to people actually going to the games to watch live, because then it becomes more of an event, but watching them on TV just feels so pointless most of the time.

But it still wouldn't be so bad if people didn't care so fucking much about them. Sports culture is so ugh.
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CelesMyUserName posted...

ulti knows

doubt it
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Sports are awesome. I watch more sports than I play video gamez
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mnkboy907 posted...

I'm more confused about why people DO watch sports. Like there are so many better things to watch at any given moment, and people choose sports?

Actually playing sports is one thing, I fully get the appeal of that. And I can give a pass to people actually going to the games to watch live, because then it becomes more of an event, but watching them on TV just feels so pointless most of the time.

But it still wouldn't be so bad if people didn't care so fucking much about them. Sports culture is so ugh.

the original Let's Plays
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SeabassDebeste posted...

i didn't vote for this, but there was a time when i would have

the question is more why would you watch sports rather than why wouldn't you

there are plenty of good reasons to watch sports, but for some people, none of them applies

All of this, all of this exactly.
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mnkboy907 posted...

I'm more confused about why people DO watch sports. Like there are so many better things to watch at any given moment, and people choose sports?

Actually playing sports is one thing, I fully get the appeal of that. And I can give a pass to people actually going to the games to watch live, because then it becomes more of an event, but watching them on TV just feels so pointless most of the time.

But it still wouldn't be so bad if people didn't care so fucking much about them. Sports culture is so ugh.

I can give three viewpoints

1. It can be cool to watch talented people do what they're talented at. Same reason you might go to a concert, watch a speed run of a video game, or even watch a cooking competition or something.

2. Fandom means belonging to something bigger. It can feel nice to have something in common and a rooting interest in a competitive event that won't have real repercussions, and to feel part of a community.

3. You can enjoy following stats and storylines. There's a reality TV-ish pull around athlete shenanigans, and then there's fairly advanced analytics surrounding how to value players or plays. Any of these might be of intrinsic interest.

but obviously, there are plenty of people to whom these won't apply and that's fine too
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mnkboy907 posted...

I'm more confused about why people DO watch sports. Like there are so many better things to watch at any given moment, and people choose sports?

For me it's mostly a social thing. I don't watch sports by myself, but if friends are watching basketball/League/etc. then I'll join.

Also what SD said about watching talented people do what they're talented at.
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MoogleKupo141 posted...

I think they're fine, but like everything else I could be doing is way more interesting.

This more or less, with the addendum that I'd watch more baseball than I currently do if I had cable
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After several seasons with the Jets and the Knicks at their lowest points in already embarrassing histories, I can see how people would give up on sports entirely. If I didn't have the Yankees, I might not have watched anything for a few years.

tl;dr I think people who live in places without a local team or a really godawful local team won't be inclined to spend their time caring about sports.
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SeabassDebeste posted...

mnkboy907 posted...

I'm more confused about why people DO watch sports. Like there are so many better things to watch at any given moment, and people choose sports?

Actually playing sports is one thing, I fully get the appeal of that. And I can give a pass to people actually going to the games to watch live, because then it becomes more of an event, but watching them on TV just feels so pointless most of the time.

But it still wouldn't be so bad if people didn't care so fucking much about them. Sports culture is so ugh.

I can give three viewpoints

1. It can be cool to watch talented people do what they're talented at. Same reason you might go to a concert, watch a speed run of a video game, or even watch a cooking competition or something.

2. Fandom means belonging to something bigger. It can feel nice to have something in common and a rooting interest in a competitive event that won't have real repercussions, and to feel part of a community.

3. You can enjoy following stats and storylines. There's a reality TV-ish pull around athlete shenanigans, and then there's fairly advanced analytics surrounding how to value players or plays. Any of these might be of intrinsic interest.

but obviously, there are plenty of people to whom these won't apply and that's fine too

No, these all make sense. Honestly I do get the general idea of it, so I was probably being hyperbolic in some of my wording. And I guess I was more directing my confusion towards the hardcore fans rather than just the casual fans who try to catch a game of their favorite teams when they can.
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It's fun watching the strategies and execution play out. It's fun to be a fan. But as I get older I watch way less because I find there's just more stuff I'd rather do than watch other people run around.
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It's boring and I have a million other things I could enjoy better with my time.

Who cares about watching a bunch of men fumble each other's balls?
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i think you mean fondle

I watch fake sports, does that count?
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mnkboy907 posted...

No, these all make sense. Honestly I do get the general idea of it, so I was probably being hyperbolic in some of my wording. And I guess I was more directing my confusion towards the hardcore fans rather than just the casual fans who try to catch a game of their favorite teams when they can.

fan is short for fanatic

it's easy to get a lot of your identity tied up in something you do often, which can result in unfortunate/toxic behavior from people of any hobby

but i'd say prioritizing watching sports isn't that different from, say, insisting in 100%ing games after they've ceased to be enjoyable
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SeabassDebeste posted...

but i'd say prioritizing watching sports isn't that different from, say, insisting in 100%ing games after they've ceased to be enjoyable

But what % of people do the latter? That's an insane standard that like 0.01% of people who play games even attempt, let alone complete.

But crazy sports fans are way more common than that. There's something especially weird about that culture.
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I used to. Mostly it was good bonding time with my dad or certain friends. It led do some really exciting and/or painful memories

I moved and I dunno, I guess I just got over it. I always liked playing more than watching, anyway

I'll still pop in for important games sometimes
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The only groups of people I see where no sports is the majority opinion are socially awkward fringe nerds.

Like if thats your thing, cool, nothing against you, but those people are in the vast minority and I dont relate to it. It was never like that in the 90s. You could go from talking about Sonic the Hedgehog to Michael Jordan and everyone knew what was up. Now? People cant even look each other in the eye anymore and a lot of gamers detest sports. Its ridiculous.
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In the 90s you could also chase after 11 year old girls and no one batted an eye. Now everyone looks at you like some kind of monster.
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Didn't you make a similar topic just about the superbowl a few months ago?
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UItimaterializer posted...

I dont relate to it

Different opinion BOOM DONE DISCUSSION OVER
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He can't not relate to it, no matter how many sports he pretends to enjoy watching
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I'm probably too obsessed with sports for my own good. It is a huge time commitment, though sports is the perfect thing to have on "in the background" while you multi-task and do something else, so it's not all wasted time if watched correctly.

I am a bit surprised at the poll results though. On one hand, this is a gaming website, so it'll draw a lot of the nerdy, gaming types who don't like watching sports. But on the other hand, this is a highly male dominated site, so you'd think sports would be a little more popular based off that. Ah well.
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I don't know a single person with cable and any sports would require a payment package, meaning the away from home youth of the day has no casual sports access without paying a premium. If you don't care about sports a lot you probably aren't going to pony up. Casual sports fans are on the way out.
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Watching sports is really boring to me. Playing them I get, but unless you're super wrapped up in an existing fandom I don't see a reason to care about watching them.
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I believe Sports is what I live for these days. NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL. Fantasy Football, etc.

I can't imagine a world without it, it would be pretty boring. Like a world without music, boring.
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the only sport I watch is football because basketball and baseball require cable and I'm not paying for that
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I've never been into sports all that much, as a spectator. Sure, I can enjoy playing basketball, but watching it just doesn't do it for me. Though the thing that really gets me the most about sports is sports culture. I just baffles me how we so readily accept sports fans going on drunken rampages, just because their team lost, or in some cases, because they won. No one would accept gaming fans doing anything similar, & such behavior in most gaming communities, is usually frowned upon, & individuals such as Chris-chan are typically seen negatively. Even the users who try to talk big behind a screen with the usual e-threats aren't nearly as accepted as some of the behavior in sports culture.
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dilateDChemist posted...

Like a world without music, boring.

It's more like a world without boy bands
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I just came in here to say "literally obsessed" and then leave
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1. most pro sports are just a lame circus.
2. only specific sports are interesting to me, and the most popular ones in my region tend to be the least interesting ones to me (I think football is the dumbest shit ever invented yet it's somehow the most popular sport in the US)
3. I prefer playing over watching other people play.

4. in spite of all that I do still watch sports 'sometimes' but it's pretty infrequently and with no discernible pattern.
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Did one of your alts get banned?
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Nelson_Mandela posted...

After several seasons with the Jets and the Knicks at their lowest points in already embarrassing histories, I can see how people would give up on sports entirely. If I didn't have the Yankees, I might not have watched anything for a few years.

tl;dr I think people who live in places without a local team or a really godawful local team won't be inclined to spend their time caring about sports.

So dont cheer for the bottom of the barrel
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So if you dont like sports you are a socially awkward nerd and ulti doesnt relate to you...

Ulti just shitting on people for no reason.
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Id consider watching if dodge ball got a huge professional league. I dont really have any interest in watching sports though. They just seem so boring, but hey theyve all gotta be better than NASCAR at least

Like if thats your thing, cool, nothing against you, but those people are in the vast minority and I dont relate to it

why do you need to relate to people not being into things

it's not like I'm having constant conversations with people about how many sports I'm not watching. I just talk about things I actually am interested in instead.
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Fake sports, uh.... depends what they are, I guess? Pro wrestling involves athleticism. Poker does not.