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Do Americans care about tennis?


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Do Americans care about tennis?
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Nov 17, 2007

July 3, 2008 3:11 pm
I was just listeneing to a national sports radio show and the host said point blank: "Americans just don't care about tennis".  Is he right?  I can't begin to say all the things I wanted to say to the man.
 

Do Americans care about tennis?
-
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 20, 2006

July 3, 2008 3:55 pm
I'm assuming you disagree?

Look at the television ratings: 1.7 for the Roland Garros finals both for men and women. Given, it was on early in the morning on the weekend, but it was much lower than the ratings the U.S. Open golf playoff on Monday got with Tiger Woods while most of America was at work.

So a playoff during work is more important than a tennis match involving the top two players in the world? Apparently it is to Americans. The U.S. Open draws a little bit more attention, but it still is a secondary sport in the United States. Only when an American makes the finals of a grand slam do the ratings approach non-Tiger non-major golf numbers.

What it comes down to is Americans like to plan what they watch on television. We like knowing when something begins and ends so that we can plan our day around it. A football or baseball game is three hours. A basketball game is 2 or 2:30 hours depending on whether it is college or pro. A hockey game is 2:30 hours. A golf round is 4 hours.

How long is a tennis match? Sure, the other events can go longer or shorter, but there is a general length that most games fall within 10-15 minutes of. Not in tennis. A match could go 45 minutes or 3 hours in women's tennis and it wouldn't be shocking either way. Men's matches can go anywhere from 1:15 minutes (at a slam I mean) to more than 5 hours. Boxing too has fallen substantially in recent times and it has the same problem of undetermined length, although unlike tennis there is a maximum. Additionally, it is one vs. one. Which is my next point.

Look at the sports Americans watch. They're all team sports or if they're individual, it's a large-field competition like golf or NASCAR. Ryder Cup ratings have been going down for two decades. The Accenture Matchplay Championship, even when Tiger is in the finals, is annually the lowest-rated WGC event. We don't like watching one person take on another usually.

The Tiger-Rocco playoff at the U.S. Open is a major (no pun intended) exception, but that's about it. Boxing is down. Bowling is down. Tennis is down. Drag racing has had a resurgence in the past three years in terms of viewership but the recent spectator deaths has led to a decline this year in attendance. There has not been a meaningful match race in horse racing in three decades. People just don't watch one vs. one sports anymore.

Except at the olympics.

Do Americans care about tennis?
-
Level:Amateur
Since:Jul 3, 2008

July 3, 2008 4:09 pm
Funny thing.. I just came across this site about Leading Wimbledon Title Winners... yes, Pete is still THE man in Wimbledon. Americans have great tradition in tennis, many great rivalries and many smart players (Chang!)... They do care about tennis, I am sure!

Do Americans care about tennis?
-
Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 20, 2006

July 3, 2008 5:19 pm
I think he meant watching tennis, not playing. Which also is an interesting question. Do Americans still play tennis as much as they used to. I'd like to see some numbers on that because I'm not sure.

Do Americans care about tennis?
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Level:Amateur
Since:Jul 3, 2008

July 4, 2008 2:28 am
Yes, maybe my answer was a bit misleading. I know he meant watching.. But my point was that Americans DID and STILL DO have great players... And people just love to watch great and attractive tennis so IMO there is no reason to believe Americans just turned away from this sports. But on the other hand it is true, that they expect from every athlete to be amongst the best in the World! And beacuse some tennis players (Roddick) did not perform as people expected from them many were disappointed... BUT this doesn't mean that Americans do not care about tennis anymore... At least I see it this way

Do Americans care about tennis?
-
Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Nov 22, 2006

July 5, 2008 12:24 pm
What is Tennis..... lmao


Do Americans care about tennis?