Why Basketball Is Better Then Soccer

I think that Soccer is definitely better than Basketball. First, I will refute your reasons for why Basketball is better, and then I will add my own reasons for why Soccer is better. Refute 1: "Basketball is played on a higher intensity than Soccer!" While it might be true that there is generally more movement all around the playing field in basketball (or that there appears to be more movement), that doesn't necessarily mean it is a better sport or that it is more intense. Amount of movement doesn't determine how good a sport is, it's simply an aspect of the particular game. Just look at Foosball or ping pong. These are both games that, although not generally played seriously, many people thoroughly enjoy playing. Not because they require a large amount of energy or movement to play because they don't. And, the fact that they don't require this is what makes it so so many people enjoy playing it. As far as professional sports go, football is another example of a game that doesn't require a lot of movement, or, more accurately, that requires about the same amount of movement as soccer does. In football, you are only allowed one pass per play, which limits the total amount of running necessary for the team as a whole because once the ball has been caught, only that person really needs to run. The other teammates could run, however, to stop the other team from getting the ball or tackling the wide receiver that has the ball. Whereas in soccer, everyone needs to constantly be ready to receive the ball and/or help block the other team from getting the ball. Also, soccer fields are bigger than basketball courts, so it makes sense that there would appear to be more movement on a basketball court. You might bring up that there are only 10 maximum people on the court at once in basketball while 22 are on the field in soccer, so the proportions of players to square feet are the same. However, using the dimensions for a professional NBA basketball court and for a regulation adult soccer field, the areas come out as 4,700 square feet for the basketball court and 57,780 square feet for the soccer field. When you divide those numbers by the number of players on the field/court, we find that there are 470 square feet per basketball player and approximately 2,626 square feet per soccer player, meaning the players on a soccer field are more spread out and have more space to do so. So, basketball may not necessarily have more movement, it could just appear to have more because the players are more concentrated. Plus, intensity can't be determined by movement. Sometimes, the fast pace keeps people on their toes, making them feel tense and nervous, increasing the intensity of the game, but then there are times when the intensity is there primarily because of the lack of movement and because of the pressure and stress that can be felt in the air. Personally, I think that the later example of intensity is the greater of the two, but both examples are in both basketball and soccer. Anyone who's watched a game of basketball has felt the intensity of the game whenever a player had to make a foul shot or two within the last quarter of the game and can feel the pressure in the air because of the lack of movement, or whenever there is a player who has just dribbled down the court after the other team has made a basket, the intensity before the lot of motion has begun is definitely there. Similarly, that is how many have felt at soccer games, whether it be during a penalty kick or a kick-off or just during the game as someone is dribbling down the field. There are also times when, in basketball, as you said, someone gets a fast break and everyone runs down the court to block the anticipated shot or to be open for passes, or other instances like that. But, these fast-paced breaks happen in soccer too. There can be people passing back and forth so fast, and dribbling down the field so quickly, that everyone is o edge as they watch the players run to catch up. The air of intensity is present in both cases. Therefore, Basketball isn't played on a higher intensity than Soccer. Refute 2: "Basketball has a lot less injuries than Soccer!" Yes, there are fewer injuries in Basketball. I will admit that because it's true. However, saying that "the slightest contact is punished in basketball" is definitely not true. As many annoyed fans will admit, there are many many times when something is in the rules as a foul is but when that actually happens in the game, the refs don't say anything about it. Plus, the slightest contact isn't punished in basketball because um..hello?! screens? (aka picks). Those require contact, so just careful on wording there. So, while there may be more injuries sustained in soccer, that still doesn't mean basketball is the better sport. There are many other positive things about soccer that outweigh the negative. Reason 1: Soccer has a more level playing field! In basketball, if you don't fit the general physical requirements, you are at a significant disadvantage. For instance, if you are short, there's nothing you can do to be equal to those who are tall. Even if you can jump the same height as the taller people, they can get back down a lot faster than you, making it so you are still disadvantaged. This can be applied to every position in basketball as well. It is just designed to favor certain genetics more than others. For soccer, this isn't the case. While it does help to have a taller goalie in soccer, that is the only position where your genetics really give you an advantage. For everything else, all you have to be good at is talking, running, and kicking a ball, which if you aren't good at, is all stuff that you can work to improve. Thus, soccer is a better sport because there is a better playing field. Reason 2: You get to be in a more interesting environment! Soccer is played both indoors and outdoors so that in itself gives it a better variety of environment. Basketball is only played inside (professionally speaking), which makes it way more boring. When you're outside, you can feel the refreshing breeze around you and hear the sounds of nature, which rejuvenates people and improves their spirits. When you're inside all of the time, it just gets old and smells bad. Plus the fact that soccer is played both inside and out means you can play it more, which leads me to my next point. Reason 3: Soccer is more popular than Basketball! All around the world, the sport that is most commonly played and loved is soccer (or "football" as most others call it). The United States is one of the few places that other sports are bigger than soccer. If so many other people love it, then it is more likely to be better. ---------------------------------------------- On kind of an extra piece, I just want to say that ultimately, it doesn't matter which sport is better because it is an opinion. Everyone has different opinions about what they like and why, and just because one person thinks one thing and another thinks something else, that doesn't mean one person is right and the other person is wrong, they both could be right. That's just the way opinions work, especially when it comes to things as seemingly unimportant as liking a sport. That being said, I will still try my hardest to prove that soccer is better than basketball for the sake of this debate.