Which Pro Sports league is the most competitively balanced?

[Deberg_1990]

NFL
MLB
NBA
MLS
NHL

IMO, No to MLB....too many haves and have nots.
NO to NBA, same problem.....Does anyone really think the Bucks or Timberwolves have a shot at the title over a team like the Lakers?

Admittedly, i dont know much about the MLS and NHL competitive balance.

Your opinion? Discuss.....

[ChiefMojo]

MLB is by far the worst! The NFL and NHL are very good with parity. The NBA is to star driven at this point... different than MLB in the sense the players themselves dictate where they play together at. In the MLB, the most $$$ talks.

[|Zach|]

I would say the NFL, NHL, and MLS are pretty balanced.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I would say the NFL, NHL, and MLS are pretty balanced.

Not really sure on the NHL (don't follow), but the NFL and MLS definitely.

[tk13]

The funny thing about this is that MLB is clearly set up to have the least competitive balance, but if you look at the actual results on the field they absolutely have as much parity as the other leagues, if not moreso. Pretty much every team not named the Pirates or Royals has had some stretch of success in the last decade or so, and a solid variety of teams have made the Series. If you actually pay attention to the NFL, the Pats, Steelers or Colts have been the AFC winner for the last 9 years. And if you go back a quarter century, add the Broncos and Bills and those 5 teams have gone to something like 21 of the last 26 Super Bowls. The other 11 AFC teams have five. The only other conference with less parity might be the West in the NBA.
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[KC_Connection]

It's the NFL and NHL at the top.

Toronto definitely sucks in all of them, though (if you include the Bills).

[Frazod]

The only two I give a shit about are the NFL and MLB. MLB certainly isn't. The NFL would be if officiating wasn't so obviously biased toward big market/big money teams.

[Bump]

NFL
NHL
NBA
MLB

[tk13]

Forgot about the Blue Jays. They might be on that list too. I think otherwise every other MLB team has made the playoffs in the last decade or so. Maybe the Mariners? But even they're barely a decade removed from one of the best baseball regular seasons in modern history. Plus there are less teams making the playoffs in baseball. People don't really pay attention, they just assume.
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[mcaj22]

even though the NBA is star driven half the ****ing league makes the playoffs.

teams that are .500 can be an 8 seed. So in terms of like that kind of success the NBA has it. In terms of winning an actual title the NBA is shared by like 4 teams.

But still there is a enough cities with 5 role players that make the playoffs every year.

In the NFL you literally need a really good QB or really good defense to even have a chance at a good season/playoffs. If you dont have that, you suck

[Bearcat]

IMO, the competitive balance in the NFL = mediocrity. It's improving since there are several good, young QBs, but I've seen a lot of brutal football being played in the past few years.

I think the NHL has the best competitive balance. Like the NFL, there's a fine line between winning and losing, but the NHL is deeper in terms of quality. There are only a handful of teams I don't really care to watch. Some NHL fans say the parity is just mediocrity, but I watched a lot of great hockey last season.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

even though the NBA is star driven half the ****ing league makes the playoffs.

teams that are .500 can be an 8 seed. So in terms of like that kind of success the NBA has it. In terms of winning an actual title the NBA is shared by like 4 teams.

But still there is a enough cities with 5 role players that make the playoffs every year.

In the NFL you literally need a really good QB or really good defense to even have a chance at a good season/playoffs. If you dont have that, you suck

If you're in a weak division, you can make the playoffs with a crappy QB/suspect defense (see Kansas City Chiefs, 2010) but you won't last long (see Kansas City Chiefs, 2010).

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by tk13

The funny thing about this is that MLB is clearly set up to have the least competitive balance, but if you look at the actual results on the field they absolutely have as much parity as the other leagues, if not moreso. Pretty much every team not named the Pirates or Royals has had some stretch of success in the last decade or so, and a solid variety of teams have made the Series. If you actually pay attention to the NFL, the Pats, Steelers or Colts have been the AFC winner for the last 9 years. And if you go back a quarter century, add the Broncos and Bills and those 5 teams have gone to something like 21 of the last 26 Super Bowls. The other 11 AFC teams have five. The only other conference with less parity might be the West in the NBA.
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Damn you for always bringing facts into a discussion! : )

[PunkinDrublic]

WNBA. Each team has equal access to the amount of oat and hay to pay the players.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

even though the NBA is star driven half the ****ing league makes the playoffs.

teams that are .500 can be an 8 seed. So in terms of like that kind of success the NBA has it. In terms of winning an actual title the NBA is shared by like 4 teams.

But still there is a enough cities with 5 role players that make the playoffs every year.

In the NFL you literally need a really good QB or really good defense to even have a chance at a good season/playoffs. If you dont have that, you suck

It's pretty much the same in the NHL... in both leagues, you can make the playoffs and even advance one round without a good quarterback/goalie, but after that point if you aren't really good at that position you have to be exceptional somewhere else.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Not really sure on the NHL (don't follow), but the NFL and MLS definitely.

I don't either but it always seems like different players are in the mix when I am curious about post season.

I could be off.