Journalism professor featured on WalletHub

For an article about 2016's best and worst cities for basketball fans, WalletHub turned to journalism professor Frank Shorr, who is also the director of The Sports Institute at Boston University.

Do you think the NBA or the NFL has a better chance of successfully adding a European franchise?

I think the NFL has already made inroads into Europe with both the world league and now actual NFL games and this might make it easier to be successful… but with basketball, the game played in the states and Europe is virtually the same so fans just might warm to it.

What, in your mind, makes a good basketball fan?

A good basketball fan is someone who enjoys the game for the way it’s played, not just someone who needs to see or root for a winner… if you can appreciate the level of play, you’ll keep coming back.

What do you think is the best city for basketball fans and why?

I’m not sure I can quantify which city is “best” but I would give preference to those cities where the game is played all year round, inside and out - you can always get a game in NYC.

Do you have any tips for how basketball fans can enjoy the sport without breaking the bank?

Ticket prices are always going to be reflective of the other economic factors surrounding the particular sport. Without having undertaken an extensive survey, I would say that basketball probably enjoys the lowest prices of all the major sports. My ten game plan for the Red Sox (at the lowest price available, bleacher seats, runs just under $600 for two seats; similar package for my Boston Bruins tickets (again at the lowest price available, upper balcony) goes for $1500; Patriots tickets for ten games starts at a $2000 level. And there’s always college and high school games in the area … being a fan doesn’t mean you have to attend the games live also.