Jalen Rose says figuring out the difference between the NFL and NBA is easy: just look at their logos. The former NBA player and current NBA Countdown panelist had a great analogy about the two leagues and their differences, and it’s all based on graphic design.
The comment came from an unused quote Rose gave For the Win while doing a story about ESPN’s changing NBA coverage. It wasn’t originally used in the story, but the site posted the comment separately because it’s a pretty interesting take.
“The logo of the NBA is, what? A player. The NBA promotes, who? The players. The NFL promotes the shield. People cheer for helmets rather than the individuals.”
Rose makes a good point about the player-forward approach the NBA has in marketing its league. The Association’s logo is modeled after Jerry West (who actually wants someone else to become the logo), while the NFL shield has only been modified in recent years to take away a few stars to streamline the design and, in a symbolic move, represent each division. In fact, “The Shield” has been used as a synonym for the league in recent years.
While I don’t necessarily think every fan is cheering strictly for the helmet rather than the player inside, there’s definitely the sense that players are not cared for as well in football as they are in other sports. And not just, you know, physically. While the top NFL players like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are covered in the media in a similar way to NBA stars, the team—the Cowboys, the Patriots, the Packers—is everything in football.
(Via For the Win)
