I don’t necessarily disagree with that premise, I just think neither one is a sport. They’re sports-adjacent entertainment, which definitely has a place, I just don’t think anyone should care who wins a game of Banana Ball the way they care who wins an MLB game.
If Banana Ball can actually stretch itself to having a bunch of teams, suddenly it does matter. Like in the way wrestling wins and losses wind up mattering to a larger story. When it's just the globetrotters vs the Generals, sure it doesn't matter.
The G1 in Japan is a huge story told through a month long tournament and Boy oh Boy do those matches feel like they matter as they are happening. You could easily apply a booked finish to a banana ball season with a dozen+ teams.
I'm just saying that I could see it as something bigger. IDK if it will get that far, but It would be a fun thing to grow like that.
Have a villainous team who cheats! Have commentary point it out but the dozy refs not notice. Get the crowd steamed about it until they're caught.
YES. YES. This is the direction it should go.