Sports in which skill levels have increased the most

[NUFAN]

What criteria are you basing your statement that AFL is one of the top 10 sporting codes?

 

[the big bambino]

Fantasy I'd guess.

 

[sledger]

Fantasy I'd guess.

Nah, it's more likely to be anecdotes about a dinner he had with a famous Sheikh or something.

 

[King Pietersen]

MMA is the most improving sport on the planet. Not only have the skill levels improved drastically in the last 20 years, but the sport as a whole has grown exponentially. You compare guys like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock to Jon Jones and Jose Aldo and the development is astounding. It's really come from nothing. UFC 1 started as a battle to find the most successful martial art, and it has grown, and morphed into one of the most popular sports in the world, driven by the development of the UFC. It's the ultimate form of competition, and the fastest growing sport in the world.

 

[Ausage]

Can you imagine if the Socceroos had the first, rather than 4th/5th, choice of male athletes in Oz?

You know Soccer is the highest participation sport in the country right?

 

[vic_orthdox]

There's been such a huge change in the way that AFL is played now because of that change of skills. 15 years ago, the best side of the era was also the one with the least possessions. While teams who tried to implement a game style that is the basis of success now, would rarely succeed because the skills weren't up to it.

I'm interested in what more regular watchers of rugby league think on the subject. As a very casual watcher, there seems to be improvements in some areas (e.g. aerial work from wingers), but a lot of other areas where you'd expect to see greater improvement you don't really see it, mainly because of risk minimisation.

 

[NUFAN]

15 years ago League was already a well established professional sport so the difference is minimal. Back then you had wingers scoring from cross-field kicks such as Sailor and someone like Nathan Blacklock was as flashy as many wingers of today. Of course, the change in corner post rules has helped wingers of this era and they certainly get themselves into freakish positions to score inches inside the line.

I agree about risk being kept to a minimum, especially in the NRL where its often 2 runs from dummy half and 2 hit ups in the first 4 tackles with the aim of making 40 metres in 4 tackles or drawing a penalty.. The game was great 15 years and I enjoy it just as much today, but the skill level has not changed that much.

 

[Hurricane]

15 years ago League was already a well established professional sport so the difference is minimal. Back then you had wingers scoring from cross-field kicks such as Sailor and someone like Nathan Blacklock was as flashy as many wingers of today. Of course, the change in corner post rules has helped wingers of this era and they certainly get themselves into freakish positions to score inches inside the line.

I agree about risk being kept to a minimum, especially in the NRL where its often 2 runs from dummy half and 2 hit ups in the first 4 tackles with the aim of making 40 metres in 4 tackles or drawing a penalty.. The game was great 15 years and I enjoy it just as much today, but the skill level has not changed that much.

tackling (gang tackling) is more scientific and coached now than 30 years ago.

 

[Ausage]

Yeah, the wrestle is much more prominent now in League and there's also a ton of small things players do to disrupt the play the ball that slows the game down. The slower game leaves defenders with more energy, so it's tougher to break them down and consequentially risks don't pay off as often. I reckon the skills are similar, but the game is just played differently these days.

 

[Athlai]

Only team sports IIRC (think aussie rules actually ranks #4 world wide)

Basketball is the epitome of a niche sport as it is most popular in the Philippines where the average height is about 3'6"

#4 my ass. It won't even have the fan base of field hockey.

 

[social]

#4 my ass. It won't even have the fan base of field hockey.

Based on revenue

Field hockey has the 4th largest fan base in the world and, not surprisingly, Australia has the best team in that as well

 

[marc71178]

I would say the skill level in Darts and Snooker are definitely ones where skill levels have increased incredibly in recent years.

 

[social]

MMA is the most improving sport on the planet. Not only have the skill levels improved drastically in the last 20 years, but the sport as a whole has grown exponentially. You compare guys like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock to Jon Jones and Jose Aldo and the development is astounding. It's really come from nothing. UFC 1 started as a battle to find the most successful martial art, and it has grown, and morphed into one of the most popular sports in the world, driven by the development of the UFC. It's the ultimate form of competition, and the fastest growing sport in the world.

Skill levels have improved due to better guys participating/sport being worked out rather than a quantum leap in the standard of any particular martial art IMO

 

[BoyBrumby]

Well if we just killed off league in both countries and forced everyone into union NZ would get better too. We have lost our most populated city (Auckland) to league. The super XV team up there is a shadow of its former self and their young first 5 in the last game comes from Hawkes bay.

Or you could do what we do and sign all the best players from league. Eastmond, Ashton, Myler & (soon) Sam Burgess have all moved over.

I'd actually say union's skillset has improved out of all recognition since it went open, thanks in no small part to league's influence both in terms of coaching and playing stocks.

 

[ripper868]

Gymnastics has to be it. compare the 1960's gold medal winning vaults with vaults and routines of today. the Lycra goes a bit further up the clakker as well one would presume mainly due to the influence of AFL and rugby league.

 

[hendrix]

wouldn't be fair for your blokes

According to Michael O'Connor, the best footy players he ever saw/played against was the Queensland SOO backline

Not hard to imagine when it was Lewis, Miles, Meninga etc as those guys were light years ahead of anyone playing union at the time

Think you guys would still get killed tbh. You still wouldn't have a forward pack.

 

[dermo]

I think you guys underestimate just how few people play union in australia

 

[Jono]

Probably any sport which has increased tenfold in its professionalism would be a candidate. I know in AFL players/coaches talk about just how much longer they spend preparing than they used to even 10 years ago, when it was still extremely professional.

Cricket is an interesting one because a lot of the skill improvements have become because of new formats or rule changes which have forced the players to improve or adapt.

 

[Athlai]

Based on revenue

Field hockey has the 4th largest fan base in the world and, not surprisingly, Australia has the best team in that as well

NFL - American Football
MLB - American Baseball
NBA - American Basketball
EPL - Football
NHL - Ice Hockey

+ a dozen country versions of baseball and football

Then you get AFL

This is only for "leagues" though. It doesn't include the international games for any of these sports and there are a heck of a lot of sports that are played on primarily a national basis.

So 6th unique sport in terms of revenue from a professional sports league. 21st highest revenue from any professional sports league.

 

[Howe_zat]

Late rise of professionalism in rugby union comes to mind. I can't think of something that would change skill levels on show as dramatically as the game turning professional, which means that union is probably the the best answer if we comparing today's matches to 30 years ago.