Was Kobe Bryant The Most Influential Sports Athlete Ever?

[Hawk-Lock]

Okay, I’m not saying he is. But he’s definitely up there. Even before his passing.

He obviously wasn’t better than MJ, and didn’t dominate his sport like some others. But after seeing his impact across multiple countries and different sport athletes, he might have been the most influential athlete of all time.

- Kobe came to fame during the internet and social media age. Jordan didn’t. NBA was yet to really go global in the 80’s and 90’s. By the 2000’s, the NBA was second to soccer in world popularity.

- Everyone plays basketball. What kid hasn’t grown up and shot hoops at their local park? Now take Tom Brady for example, I don't think I’ve ever tried to play QB. Or Lawrence Taylor, I’ve never lined up and tried to sack someone. I’d bring up baseball as an example, but MLB just doesn’t have the star power of NFL and NBA. I think the only comparison would be soccer, which is huge globally but not in America. Maybe I’m being a close minded American, but if you aren’t having a major influence on America, you can’t be the most influential (I hate that statement but I think it’s true).

Only other guys I can think of who compare to Kobe are Tiger Woods and LeBron James.

 

[Uncle Si]

Christiano Ronaldo.

His global impact and influence is far greater than Kobes was, or what James and Woods is. I think the only question would be is how transformative Ronaldo's influence is to athletes in other sports.

But Ronaldo's presence is incredible. 200 million instagram followers, has been in a running battle as best player in the world in the world's most supported sport for going on 16 years and across 4 major competitions.

Not to make it a competition, but I think something like this happening to him would have a far greater impact on the world than what we are seeing with Kobe, or would with a James or Woods.

 

[chris98251]

Okay, I’m not saying he is. But he’s definitely up there. Even before his passing.

He obviously wasn’t better than MJ, and didn’t dominate his sport like some others. But after seeing his impact across multiple countries and different sport athletes, he might have been the most influential athlete of all time.

- Kobe came to fame during the internet and social media age. Jordan didn’t. NBA was yet to really go global in the 80’s and 90’s. By the 2000’s, the NBA was second to soccer in world popularity.

- Everyone plays basketball. What kid hasn’t grown up and shot hoops at their local park? Now take Tom Brady for example, I don't think I’ve ever tried to play QB. Or Lawrence Taylor, I’ve never lined up and tried to sack someone. I’d bring up baseball as an example, but MLB just doesn’t have the star power of NFL and NBA. I think the only comparison would be soccer, which is huge globally but not in America. Maybe I’m being a close minded American, but if you aren’t having a major influence on America, you can’t be the most influential (I hate that statement but I think it’s true).

Only other guys I can think of who compare to Kobe are Tiger Woods and LeBron James.

Not Even close.

Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell, Jordon, Walter Payton, Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owen, Bjorn Borg, Tiger Woods, are some that I would call much more influential.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Christiano Ronaldo.

His global impact and influence is far greater than Kobes was, or what James and Woods is. I think the only question would be is how transformative Ronaldo's influence is to athletes in other sports.

But Ronaldo's presence is incredible. 200 million instagram followers, has been in a running battle as best player in the world in the world's most supported sport for going on 16 years and across 4 major competitions.

Not to make it a competition, but I think something like this happening to him would have a far greater impact on the world than what we are seeing with Kobe, or would with a James or Woods.

I think you are right. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. His impact reaches everywhere. Obviously wouldn’t impact America like Kobe or another American athlete, but we are only one country.

 

[chris98251]

Christiano Ronaldo.

His global impact and influence is far greater than Kobes was, or what James and Woods is. I think the only question would be is how transformative Ronaldo's influence is to athletes in other sports.

But Ronaldo's presence is incredible. 200 million instagram followers, has been in a running battle as best player in the world in the world's most supported sport for going on 16 years and across 4 major competitions.

Not to make it a competition, but I think something like this happening to him would have a far greater impact on the world than what we are seeing with Kobe, or would with a James or Woods.

I think you are right. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. His impact reaches everywhere. Obviously wouldn’t impact America like Kobe or another American athlete, but we are only one country.

Pele was much more a world influence, when he signed with the Cosmos it really woke up the US Market, he was also a world wide phenomena

 

[Uncle Si]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

I don’t know soccer, but I think that would be comparable to say Kobe and Bill Russell. Kobe has reached more people and is more popular, but someone like Russell probably had a bigger impact on the sport itself.

It’s difficult to compare athletes today to guys from 50 years ago as so much has changed. Technology. Social media. The list goes on.

 

[chris98251]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

Influential not popularity.

There is a difference.

 

[James in PA]

Muhammad Ali, anyone?


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[chris98251]

Muhammad Ali, anyone?


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Yes I was thinking of him, he like this generation with the internet was a huge influence, he took a medium that was still being figured out as Television and used it to market himself, promote himself, and to influence his image and demoralize his opposition, really started Smack Talk as we know it.

As a Professional he had Lightweight hands and feet and Heavy Weight punching power, not elite punching power but enough, developed strategies in the ring that took heart and determination away from many opponents, Ken Norton and Frazier being two he did not and were his most brutal fights where they were just Gladiator type bouts. But again the medium of TV and marketing made them world wide events.

 

[Uncle Si]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

Influential not popularity.

There is a difference.

Not as much today, not when you are as popular as Ronaldo.

Look, much like Kobe, Ronaldo has a past, and much of his influence is in building his own brand. Whereas Pele was/is a genuine doer of good deeds in his post soccer life.

But Ronaldo's impact on the sport has changed the landscape of not just soccer, but many other sports. It's global reach, stemming from he and Messi's popularity, is and has forced a change in the way sports are marketed, distributed, and viewed.

They won't name a holiday after him. But FIFA would certainly christen their own money (which will probably happen soon) with his face.

The likes of Robinson merely broke down barriers that were fairly specific to the US. Pele was a name to associate with the global sport. Ali challenged the changing social landscape of the US through his popularity.

Ronaldo, without a long list of good deeds to his name, is the most popular athlete in all of sports and a time when sports are at their most popular. The influence there is whatever you want to attribute to that.

 

[DomeHawk]

Ali definitely, most Americans don't have the slightest idea who Ronaldo is. So I guess it just depends on where you are talking about.

Right or wrong we are Americans and couldn't care less what the rest of the world cares about.

 

[chris98251]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

Influential not popularity.

There is a difference.

Not as much today, not when you are as popular as Ronaldo.

Look, much like Kobe, Ronaldo has a past, and much of his influence is in building his own brand. Whereas Pele was/is a genuine doer of good deeds in his post soccer life.

But Ronaldo's impact on the sport has changed the landscape of not just soccer, but many other sports. It's global reach, stemming from he and Messi's popularity, is and has forced a change in the way sports are marketed, distributed, and viewed.

They won't name a holiday after him. But FIFA would certainly christen their own money (which will probably happen soon) with his face.

Never seen Ronaldo or Messi or know who they play for or what they have done, heard of Renaldo but just know he is a soccer player.

This is why I say influential, he may be popular in the Soccer world but if you step away from your chosen sport to watch you have to look big picture. Pele did what he does on a scale that didn't have instant notification like tweets, internet etc. It still reached the world through other mediums.

Pele got what was the biggest contract in history for a Soccer player in New York, he was well past his prime then but still was such a influence the MLS put their campaign on him to draw attention to him and the sport to leverage the league, they then brought the German player over as well and I can't remember his name but was a big influence to get a balance of two teams with world class players.

Could you imagine a Ali starting his career in the Social Media Generation ? He mastered Television and News Paper and Magazine interviews, and created a style for them, he would have a huge amount of followers and would break the internet today.

 

[chris98251]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

Influential not popularity.

There is a difference.

Not as much today, not when you are as popular as Ronaldo.

Look, much like Kobe, Ronaldo has a past, and much of his influence is in building his own brand. Whereas Pele was/is a genuine doer of good deeds in his post soccer life.

But Ronaldo's impact on the sport has changed the landscape of not just soccer, but many other sports. It's global reach, stemming from he and Messi's popularity, is and has forced a change in the way sports are marketed, distributed, and viewed.

They won't name a holiday after him. But FIFA would certainly christen their own money (which will probably happen soon) with his face.

The likes of Robinson merely broke down barriers that were fairly specific to the US. Pele was a name to associate with the global sport. Ali challenged the changing social landscape of the US through his popularity.

Ronaldo, without a long list of good deeds to his name, is the most popular athlete in all of sports and a time when sports are at their most popular. The influence there is whatever you want to attribute to that.

It is INFLUENCE not popularity jesus there is a difference.

 

[chris98251]

I think anyone from our generation attributes soccer with pele first. His impact was tremendous on america, but Ronaldo has transformed the reach of the sport and it's global impact.

He's not the heart nor the soul of pele (even if a better player) but he's far more influential. In terms of popularity, Ronaldo edges it.

Peles appeal comes from his impact on the game and how it changed with his style. Ronaldo is the most popular player of the most popular sport at its most popular time.

Influential not popularity.

There is a difference.

Not as much today, not when you are as popular as Ronaldo.

Look, much like Kobe, Ronaldo has a past, and much of his influence is in building his own brand. Whereas Pele was/is a genuine doer of good deeds in his post soccer life.

But Ronaldo's impact on the sport has changed the landscape of not just soccer, but many other sports. It's global reach, stemming from he and Messi's popularity, is and has forced a change in the way sports are marketed, distributed, and viewed.

They won't name a holiday after him. But FIFA would certainly christen their own money (which will probably happen soon) with his face.

The likes of Robinson merely broke down barriers that were fairly specific to the US. Pele was a name to associate with the global sport. Ali challenged the changing social landscape of the US through his popularity.

Ronaldo, without a long list of good deeds to his name, is the most popular athlete in all of sports and a time when sports are at their most popular. The influence there is whatever you want to attribute to that.

Really he was just a guy then that happened to be black and played a what was then a Caucasian sport and that's it ?

Where else in the world were there black sports superstars, even in Boxing there was huge world wide racial bias.

Jesse Owen was almost as influential as the Atomic Bomb, on a world stage what he did in the Olympics shook the world and proved that Hitler's whole propaganda campaign was false about his ideas of the Supreme Race and really caused doubt amongst his own people he had convinced up until then.

But yeah he was just a black guy running in a White Supremacists Olympic event that was steered to try and prove racial dominance. No big deal.

That's influence.

Jesse's popularity came after, that's popularity.

 

[Uncle Si]

The popularity has a great deal of influence on today's society. If you can't see that then that's fine.

Ronaldo popularity and the power that his name brings is incredibly influential across the landscape of sports and culture. It is not directly attributable to social change, like some others being mentioned. But his presence and popularity in itself has had a massive influence and impact on sport, economics, and culture.

Literally why social.media stars are called influencers.

What you are trying to argue is what constitutes influence as it's important to you, and doing so in a way as if someone else is discrediting the impacts those athletes had, which I am not. You are also conflsting impact on american cultute as a global impact. I don't need a history lesson. But you may need a more open understanding of how impactful athletes are in today's society, even of they aren't attributed to specific movements.

 

[chris98251]

The popularity has a great deal of influence on today's society. If you can't see that then that's fine.

Ronaldo popularity and the power that his name brings is incredibly influential across the landscape of sports and culture. It is not directly attributable to social change, like some others being mentioned. But his presence and popularity in itself has had a massive influence and impact on sport, economics, and culture.

Literally why social.media stars are called influencers.

What you are trying to argue is what constitutes influence as it's important to you, and doing so in a way as if someone else is discrediting the impacts those athletes had, which I am not. I don't need a history lesson. But you may need a more open understanding of how impactful athletes are in today's society, even of they aren't attributed to specific movements.

So by your standards anyone who is popular is influential due to the amount of social media hits they get, So Megan Merkel is the most influential person in the world right now I guess.

That's why I think your assessment is incorrect and if you don't understand history and how it affected the present and the influence of those that came before Renaldo who laid the foundation for him then it's kinda sad, Pele in our current environment would be bigger I think.

 

[Uncle Si]

I think you misunderstand and greatly underestimate how influential these people are becoming in a social, cultural, economic, and even political way.

I very much understand history. I also understand Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens place in it. They didn't change the world. Neither were firsts. Robinson was not the first professional black athlete. He broke American baseball's color barrier. Amazing fortitude. But not nearly the first person to break a sports color line. Jesse Owens wasn't even the first American black athlete to win gold in track and field. He did it in front of Hitler though.

These are incredible achievements that will stand on their own as historic.

But again, if we are going to talk history, let's really do that.

Back to the present, the influence, yes influence, an athlete like Ronaldo has is not measured only in popularity.

 

[sc85sis]

Kobe was a great talent, but he wouldn’t have been nearly as known or influential had guys like Chamberlin, Jabbar, Dr. J., Magic, Bird, Jordan and others not paved the way first.

 

[chris98251]

I think you misunderstand and greatly underestimate how influential these people are becoming in a social, cultural, economic, and even political way.

I very much understand history. I also understand Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens place in it. They didn't change the world. Neither were firsts. Robinson was not the first professional black athlete. He broke American baseball's color barrier. Amazing fortitude. But not nearly the first person to break a sports color line. Jesse Owens wasn't even the first American black athlete to win gold in track and field. He did it in front of Hitler though.

These are incredible achievements that will stand on their own as historic.

But again, if we are going to talk history, let's really do that.

Back to the present, the influence, yes influence, an athlete like Ronaldo has is not measured only in popularity.

He didn't win A gold he won 4 in that Olympic, dominance and unprecedented at that time.

I just think there is more to the world then Round Soccer balls who people kick around a field till someone falls down trying to stop them from kicking.

Never could get into to soccer, sorry I know it's about position and movement, triangle offense was popular when I grew up.

I know there is a skill set to control a ball and dribble it and put a spin on it when you kick, and position on defense in understanding where a offensive player wants to go.

Other then that it becomes repetitious to watch for me personally. Or play when I was younger.