Pro sports are rigged?

[Bob Cock]

I sometimes have the feeling that they are. Like, look at how the RedSox, a pretty good team through the ages, never won a world series. There hasd to be something that kept them down, and it wasn't a "curse".

This idea of mine was further brought out by my economics teacher today. Whenever we got into discussions they were dull. So, he presented us with a topic he claims to have fabricated - he claimed that pro sports were rigged. The class got into a heated discussion about this, and after a while, he said "i made this theory up". But, he had some REALLY interesting points - many of which seemed 100% plausible.

His main point was that pro sports, particularly NFL and NBA, are an industry that is fabricated simply for money. If the viewers want to see something, the industry will make it happen - supply and demand.

I am interested in others' opinions.

[Slave of the Beast]

I don't know about the NBA or NFL specifically, but in professional team sports I think individuals (especially referees) can certainly be bribed (and are) to screw up the outcome of a game at a critical moment. It all revolves around gambling on the outcome of games, and the massive profits to be made by unscrupulous individuals...

Some attribute the murder to his own goal in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, costing gambling losses to several drug lords. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9s_Escobar)

... or possibly their losses.

[IdentityCrisis]

Of course they are. 9/11 happens and who wins the Super Bowl? Patriots. We invade Iraq, who wins the Super Bowl? If you said Patriots, you are correct. Then there is the Super Bowl with Indy and Chicago. I was living in Indy at the time, and I can defiantly say that win was only for money. Money so the city could build a new stadium to HOST the Super Bowl a few years later (even though the city tax went up, forcing the citizens to pay for the stadium... even though the one they just tore down was PAID FOR YET). Where do I think most of the money came from for the new one? The Chicago Mafia betting AGAINST Chicago in said Super Bowl.


:facepalm: organized supports... more organized than you think:biggrin:

[powder]

Yeh FIFA world cup is very dodgy.. Also the Olympics.

[lostmyface]

i think the NBA is rigged. not sure about the rest of pro sports.

[Darkhunter]

Pro Wrestling.... I couldn't resist

[IdentityCrisis]

Pro Wrestling.... I couldn't resist

I sometimes ponder if the UFC is or not. Obviously not to the extent that the WWE is.

[Young Meth]

I sometimes have the feeling that they are. Like, look at how the RedSox, a pretty good team through the ages, never won a world series. There hasd to be something that kept them down, and it wasn't a "curse".

This idea of mine was further brought out by my economics teacher today. Whenever we got into discussions they were dull. So, he presented us with a topic he claims to have fabricated - he claimed that pro sports were rigged. The class got into a heated discussion about this, and after a while, he said "i made this theory up". But, he had some REALLY interesting points - many of which seemed 100% plausible.

His main point was that pro sports, particularly NFL and NBA, are an industry that is fabricated simply for money. If the viewers want to see something, the industry will make it happen - supply and demand.

I am interested in others' opinions.

Do you have a goofy ass Economics teacher too?

[The Jitterskull]

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/output/motivator1539751.jpg

[Bob Cock]

Do you have a goofy ass Economics teacher too?

Yes I do. He looks like a cross between Monopoly Man and Teddy Roosevelt... complete with twizzle mustache.

[IIIII]

Patriots first Super Bowl win was always suspect to me. It made me thing "fixed"

[Death_Merchant]

I heard this once from the mouth of a reality TV producer. There is no such thing as reality TV, they're all scripted shows. Do you think Survivor would be so damn popular if it didn't have a soap opera plot line. They're all paid actors that are put on a diet, that causes them to drop weight fast while making the show. What they don't show is them taking vitamins the whole time, as to not be damaged. It's all lies.

When I look at professional sports, I see massively rich organizations, and actual competition would be negative to business. In most sports leagues, you have naturally dominating teams. Ever notice that disappears in the pros, but the leagues below them with nearly the same caliber players have the issue. Can you imagine if 5 NHL teams won almost all games, and some won none? The ones at the bottom would go broke, and that would be bad for the really good teams, as they'd have less venues to play, and make less money. So to maximize profits, what's wrong with letting the other team win a few games to keep their fans dishing out cash.

It's all big business, and it's corrupt, like all things.

Someone mentioned UFC. Of course it's bullshit. Did you know that they speed up the film when showing the fights to make it look like their punches and kicks are faster than they are? If they're already misrepresenting the fights to the viewers, how much of a stretch would it be that the whole thing is a show. Another thing I noticed, is the lack of injuries. They're not fighting full force. I'm only 175lbs, have some martial arts background, in great shape, but not near the shape and skill level of a UFC fighter. However, I can throw a punch that would break a grown mans jaw, and kick hard enough to shatter ribs. If these guys really fought full force, they'd be breaking bones every fight, and the fight would only last until one guy landed something solid, and it would be over, like in real life.

[moby_dick]

Shut the fuck up? Your theory is so fucking stupid I could scream. Or laugh. I don't even know quite what to say.... Maybe the odd game is fixed for financial reasons, sure. But the whole of sport is a conspiracy?? lol they're some pretty good actors if all sport wordwide is made up of people who are playing a script. How can you even think that? The leagues are definitely out to make money - what company isn't? But the players are just good at a sport.

You'd believe anything your teacher argued just because he's smarter than you.

[Trix Are For Kids]

Yeah, I've noticed more than a few times how there seems to be a convenient home run when the team is down. Also, the final touchdown of the Super Bowl this year AND last seem to be a little played out. I mean, whenever a game looks to be over, more often than not there is a comeback. I could imagine a game being fixed now and again.

[Nigger-8]

Bump.