NBA champions call themselves World Champions, the baseball big games are called "World Series". What's with the obsession about "World", even though they don't compete against other countries.
2006-06-15 02:57:53 · 23 answers · asked by vectorx 3 in Sports ➔ Basketball
USA thinks they own the world
2006-06-15 03:00:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
At the time these sports were first established and played professionally, the United States was the only country participating in them. When the World Series began in 1903, the only country with paid professional baseball leagues was the United States, so the champion of the paid leagues would be the world champion. The NBA was formed in 1949 through the merging of two rival leagues. While basketball was being played in the Olympics, it was not yet being played professionally (by paid players) in other parts of the world, so the professional champion would have been the world champion. Today, it is not correct to call them World Champions, but the titles have remained in place.
2006-06-15 10:49:27 · answer #2 · answered by elcasey 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In basketball, they call it "The Finals". The "World" part could come from baseball which is the oldest pro sport in America. After all, in football, it's the Super Bowl and they become the defending "Super Bowl Champions", not World.
But then, baseball was America's past time for the first half of the last century and most of the second half.
And during all this time, there were no leagues in other countries that would have been capable of challenging them.
2006-06-15 10:44:17 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Baseball, Basketball and American football were all invented in the US and the top pro leagues for those sports are all based here. While other countries (except for Canada) don't have teams in the US leagues there are players from all over the world that compete in them.
Sadra mentioned that there are better baseball leagues in other countries but I would have to disagree. The only other country with a pro league that comes even close to rivaling the US is Japan and unfortunately for them they lose many of their best players to US teams. Conversely, 2nd tier US players go to Japan when they aren't signed by a US team.
As far as Americans thinking they own the world, I would have to disagree with that as well. Many Americans are oblivious to what goes on outside its borders, but I think that is more out of ignorance than anything else.
More to the point, I hope that Americans, as a people, are not judged by either our government or our mass media. Despite being a democratic society we actually have very little control over the decisions that our leaders make.
Sorry to bring up politics but it seemed unavoidable when talking about foreign relations, even regarding sports. Just keep in mind that the US is a large country with a very diverse population and, like anywhere else, we are mainly good people.
2006-06-15 10:29:31 · answer #4 · answered by Peter E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the early days of sport for baseball, football, and basketball, there was no doubt the teams could make the claim to be world champions, because other countries barely (if at all) played these sports. With the emergence of international competition these past few decades, techically, you are correct. The American champions cannot realistically make the claim to be world champions as well. But they are so used to using that title by tradition, it has not changed. I'm not saying that is right; but that is the way it is.
2006-06-15 10:09:25 · answer #5 · answered by whabtbob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of too much self confidence, come on guys I mean it is reasonable for NBA Champions because it is the best basketball league in the world but there are better Baseball leagues in the world
2006-06-15 10:00:39 · answer #6 · answered by sadra 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because, we, as Americans are pretty provincial. However, to be fair, in basketball, when we began calling it a "world championship", we were the only ones with a professional league. It is probably that way with all the sports we call ourselves "world champions" of. A little outdated and condescending, probably.
2006-06-15 10:03:20 · answer #7 · answered by dvabt 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We do that, because YOUR players come HERE to play in OUR sports. Thats why we're world champions, because we beat all the worlds best players, unless they are on the championship team. Maybe if the world had a better league for other sports, we wouldn't think that we were world champions, until we dominated your sport too...
2006-06-15 10:02:34 · answer #8 · answered by Jason W 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
USA carries the pro divisions of these sports currently. If other leagues with the same rules were set up in foreign countries, I am sure they could petition to join MLB or the NBA, etc.
Gimme a break on the name tip. It's merely tradition.
2006-06-15 10:07:46 · answer #9 · answered by csucdartgirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because to Americans the rest of the world only exists to supply the United States with cheap labor.
2006-06-15 10:15:31 · answer #10 · answered by David S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you put best against best, the pro teams of the United States would win and win big. Don't look at the stupid Olympics or that so called World Baseball Classic, the best on the best.
2006-06-15 11:06:55 · answer #11 · answered by sescottou1 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋