I was lucky enough to attend the Cavaliers vs. Heat game on Thursday night. As tempted as I am to debate the actual game or the implications of it on Cleveland Basketball, I am going to go in a different direction with this one. Namely, the advantage of big markets over small markets in sports.
Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James uniting in Miami was undoubtedly the biggest sports story of the summer, but these situations almost never happen in small markets. The closest team to ever build a dynasty in a small market is the San Antonio Spurs with Duncan, Robinson, Ginobili, and Parker in the span of a decade. Markets such as Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angelese, Miami, Dallas, etc. have teams and fan bases that expect to contend for championships every year, and they almost always have the talent to do it. This is why the season the Dallas Cowboys are having this year is such a big story.
Growing up in a big market city, I have definitely been spoiled in terms of being a fan. The Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots have had tremendous success the past decade, and one of them does not make the playoffs, it becomes a big story. So what can small markets do to have this success? It is usually through free agency that these teams lose their superstars, ie. LeBron James going to Miami. And to a certain extent, how can you blame him? The only major advantages Cleveland had in comparison to Miami were a better fan base, and the ability to offer more money.
Some questions for thought:
1) Should teams in smaller markets be given financial bonuses because of their disadvantages?
2) What are some things that can be done to have players stay in smaller markets?
3) Should teams study success stories like the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Twins, Green Bay Packers, and copy what they are doing?
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