[discostu]

There wasn't widespread distribution of music prior to the record. Prior to the record (and with it the music radio station) music was distributed in sheet form often by door-to-door salesmen, and anybody that didn't know how to play and instrument and own one to play was left out, and almost nobody heard the original version.

Basketball players have a national league (actually two national leagues if you count the college career) they play in with national (and international) TV contracts. They are watched live but they are watched live EVERYWHERE, without the NBA and NCAA (and NBC and TNT and ESPN and now Fox Sports) acting as the distrubution channel you would only know about these guys if you went to local basketball games and they played in them.

[Not Insane]

So, financially speaking, what motivates everyone in the sports industry to do their part. Clearly it is not from sales of RECORDINGS of basketball games.