by Todd Pheifer

Created on: March 27, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

It seems difficult to imagine our modern American society without professional sports. Our sports leagues are woven deeply into our social consciousness and fan dedication can sometimes reach almost religious proportions. In addition, certain sports leagues are multi-billion dollar industries, which only heightens the potential for longevity. Being a fan is one thing, but when a lot of money is involved, there is an incentive to maintain the business. Still, if history has taught us anything, it is that nothing is absolute and anything can change over time. This is particularly pertinent when it comes to entertainment. Here are a few specific reasons why American professional sports can die at some point in the future.

FICKLE FANS

Popularity is never guaranteed. There was a time when all of the major professional sports leagues did not exist, and there is always a possibility that they may not exist again. Even the last couple of decades have shown that sports can dramatically shift in popularity. For example, the National Hockey League (NHL) had a labor dispute just a couple of years ago. The league has now returned to play, but the popularity, revenue, and overall fan base has drastically diminished. Given the number of options that people have for entertainment, it would not be out of the realm of possibility that fans would abandon the league altogether. Many leagues have come and gone, included the American Basketball Association (it did merge with another league) and the United States Football League (folded).

CHANGING TRENDS

Without sounding like "Buck Rogers" or delving into science fiction, it is possible that the future may bring changes that render current professional sports irrelevant. Perhaps technological advances or conquests of space may turn the attention of people away from the pigskin, puck, and roundball. Granted, this delves into the fictional and imaginative, but we cannot discount the impact that societal trends have on our preferences. You can debate whether or not we are becoming more "sophisticated" throughout society, but it is possible that at some point we may find some professional sports too violent or barbaric for our tastes.

Right now, American professional sports are very popular but we shouldn't assume current popularity would guarantee future success. The rise of the X-Games and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) shows that the "traditional" professional sports of baseball, football, and basketball are vulnerable to competition. In addition, the United States may come to a point where they move on to other forms of entertainment and simply leave professional sports behind.

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