What Kind Of Basketball Fan Are You?

As the NBA playoffs heat up, the team at Tickets.com can’t help but debate the classic argument: NBA or college basketball, or better yet, NBA Playoffs or March Madness?  It’s the same sport, played very differently. Whichever you prefer, it’s hard to debate that one is better than the other however in the spirit of high intensity basketball playoffs; for fun, let’s compare.

Making a college basketball team is the pivotal point in a young player’s career allowing them to take what they’ve learned during countless games played in rec and travel leagues, and improve upon their skills.  It is also the place where legends are born, stars shine in high pressure situations and players show what they are made of. During March Madness raw emotion is on display for fans, players and coaches.  A win in the tournament advances your team to the next round and when you’re following your team through the brackets it feels like a personal victory when your bracket soars! The thrill of March Madness is that at any point your team can be eliminated or thrive against all odds creating an instant “Must See” event.

The game NBA players play is a very different game with best in class talent and a maturity that only comes from being the star or player under pressure over and over again.  Each player on an NBA roster was the best player on their college (or in some instances high school) teams.  They get paid to play night after night and to bring home a championship.  The NBA also drafts international players which help the league draw fans from all over, including celebrities and other high profile people who clamor for courtside seats and a chance to be part of the action. In many cities NBA basketball is an obsession.

From the fans perspective both games are evenly matched and you’d be hard pressed to convince a die-hard Knicks fan that watching the local college basketball team would be the same or vice versa; so let’s talk numbers.

College hoops start in the fall and hits its frenzied climax with March Madness where 68 teams battle it out during a single-elimination tournament played out over 30+ games.  Brackets are busted, Cinderella stories emerge and likely and unlikely heroes have the opportunity to show their grit in front of a global audience.  In 2013, the NCAA Tournament averaged 10.7 million viewers per game.  The Championship Game – Louisville Cardinals vs. Michigan Wolverines pulled in 23.4 million viewers. [Source: CBS Corp.]

The NBA Playoffs on the other hand is a four-part, best-of-seven elimination tournament among 16 teams between the Eastern and Western Conferences, ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the conference finals.  Battling it out the last two teams standing play a final best-of-seven series to win the championship.  The 2013 Playoffs averaged 17.7 million viewers per game while the Championship Game – Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs captivated 26.3 million viewers. [Source: NBA.com]

Strictly looking at the numbers, the NBA is the winner but you can’t put numbers to a fans passion for their team so we want to know what you think.  Comment below or use #FAN @ticketsdotcom and tell us, which do you prefer: March Madness or the NBA Playoffs?

Tickets are available for NBA Playoffs here.
Image credit: wallethub.com

Looking Up

I recently watched the video “Look Up” (with more than 30 million views on YouTube in a week) which claims that technology is corrupting our country, our relationships, our children and that we are missing out on life by always looking down at our devices.  While we can all agree that people need to “look up”, engage and be present, there is a fine line between using technology and being completely consumed by it.  In truth, technology is a way of life personally and professionally and there are plenty of benefits that go along with this progress.  For instance, the freedom and mobility we have now would have been unfathomable twenty years ago when phones were still attached to the wall by long cords and you heard a dial tone before you connected to the internet.   Responsible technology consumption doesn’t limit interaction, it enriches it.

Our lives are enriched by the content and information available at our fingertips.  According to an article published by Science Daily (May 22, 2013), more than 90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years.  Every 60 seconds there are 571 new websites created, more than 204 million emails sent, etc., etc. (source: www.domo.com).  That kind of immediate access and information sharing didn’t exist ten-twenty years ago.  Today the internet allows you to find the answer to any question in a matter of minutes, often time seconds.

Traveling to a new city you have never been to and you need a car or a taxi? Don’t worry; there’s an app for that. Need directions when you’re lost? Yup, there’s an app for that too. Not to mention apps that fully integrates your experience at stadiums, arenas and ballparks.  With the ability to check-in, upgrade your seats, pay for parking, order food or even distribute tickets to guests who haven’t arrived yet, technology makes attending live events easier than ever before.

Communication with friends and family, sharing photos or ideas and organizing events has never been simpler with Face Time, real time, Skype and a million other ways to stay connected.  Corporations also benefit by embracing technology to better communicate with their employees, clients and prospects, promote products, advertise and share news in real time.

The benefits of technology far outweigh the negatives.  It has forever changed the way we live and it is here to stay.  There is value in “Look Up” as a reminder not to let technology control or overtake you but instead embrace it and let it make your life richer and easier.  Disconnect every once in a while from it all, go outside, enjoy time with loved ones.  Encourage your kids to play with other kids and not just with a tablet or a console. Teach them to use technology responsibly, to enrich their lives while showing them the importance of human interaction.  Embrace life to its fullest but allow technology to be there when you want it.

Tickets.com and Los Angeles Dodgers Ticketing Partnership

Tickets.com, Inc. and the Los Angeles Dodgers announced a new long-term ticketing agreement beginning with the 2014 Major League Baseball season

“We’re excited about leveraging the ProVenue platform and continuing to improve the ticketing experience for Dodger fans – especially around digital ticketing,” said Lon Rosen, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles will become the 17th MLB Club to utilize Tickets.com’s ProVenue platform. In 2014, MyTickets Mobile, a new feature launched in September within the award-winning MLB.com At The Ballpark app for iPhone and Android smartphones, also will debut for the Dodgers, giving fans mobile access to any ticket purchased for Dodger Stadium.

“The Dodgers have made a huge commitment to using new technology to improve every facet of the experience for their fans – both inside and outside of Dodger Stadium.  We’re thrilled they’ve chosen Tickets.com to lead that effort around ticket purchasing, digital/mobile delivery and managing season tickets,” said John Walker, President and CEO of Tickets.com.  “We’re very proud to be partners with such an iconic professional sports franchise.”

MLB Postseason Awards!

With the Postseason officially over, it is time for the awards to be handed out. The Rawlings Gold Glove awards were presented on Tuesday night and next week the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) awards will be announced.

The Rawlings Gold Glove awards were voted on by the managers and coaches in both the National and American Leagues. Carlos Gomez, centerfielder, from the Milwaukee Brewers won the Gold Glove award for the NL. Gomez was the first Brewers player to win the award in 31 years! The Baltimore Orioles lead the American League with six Gold Glove finalists with three winners taking home the award. Shortstop J.J. Hardy and centerfielder Adam Jones each won the award for their second year in a row and third baseman Manny Machado was a first time recipient.

To view the winners of the Players Choice Awards click here.

Starting on November 12th, tune into the MLB Network for the presentation of the BBWAA awards to the top players and managers in all of MLB!

NBA Season Is Here!

It is officially that time of year – NBA Season! Last night marked Opening Night of the NBA season with three highly anticipated games. Most basketball fans had their eyes set on the Lakers – Clippers match-up, which was expected to be an easy win for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Last night Doc Rivers rejoined the Clippers for the first time in 21 years but for the first time as head coach. Rivers primary focus this season is to create a defense-oriented team that will require the opposing team to work extra hard for their points.

The Los Angeles Lakers scored 14 of 29 three pointers last night even without Kobe Bryant.  The Lakers ended up winning the game 116 to 103. Phil Jackson took notice of the new energy the Lakers are playing with and wrote on Twitter, “Fun to watch a team play with great emotion and purpose. Laker game was played for the faithful… now it’s on.” The Lakers are hungry to regain the Pacific Division title and last night’s play proves it.

Here are the highly anticipated games remaining for week one:

Fenway’s Green Monster

The 2013 MLB World Series is underway with two Historic teams fighting for the Pennant, each with a 97-65 season record!

Game 1 of the series was played at Fenway Park, home to the Green Monster and the Boston Red Sox baseball team. For those that are unfamiliar with the Green Monster, it is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot, two-inch high left field wall and is a mere 310+ feet away from home plate. The Green Monster is famous for preventing home runs on many line drives that would easily clear the walls of most other ballparks. The ballpark’s storied scoreboard was added in 1934 and occupies the lower half of the ‘Green Monster’. To this day, the score is manually updated from behind the wall throughout each game.

Watch this video for an inside look at Fenway Park’s Green Monster.

Good luck to both the Boston Red Sox and the St Louis Cardinals baseball teams – may it be a nail-biter series!

Share with us your World Series winner prediction!

Back To Top