Gunzlingr
07-01-2003, 06:08 AM
The National Football League appears to be heading into uncertain times encased in a protective cocoon.
While the nation's economy struggles and sports fans seem to be straying from the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's world continues to flourish.
"It is true the NFL seems to be a little more recession-proof than the rest of the leagues," said Rod Fort, professor of economics at Washington State University.
With NFL training camps set to open later this month, the league can look with pride at a 2002 season that showed some impressive numbers.
For example, the NFL's 32 teams lured 16,880,144 fans to 256 regular-season games in 2002. That was an all-time record. The average attendance (65,938) was the league's second-highest ever.
more (http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/8/054663-3108-038.html)
While the nation's economy struggles and sports fans seem to be straying from the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's world continues to flourish.
"It is true the NFL seems to be a little more recession-proof than the rest of the leagues," said Rod Fort, professor of economics at Washington State University.
With NFL training camps set to open later this month, the league can look with pride at a 2002 season that showed some impressive numbers.
For example, the NFL's 32 teams lured 16,880,144 fans to 256 regular-season games in 2002. That was an all-time record. The average attendance (65,938) was the league's second-highest ever.
more (http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/8/054663-3108-038.html)