I live in Brazil and for me and for many, the main reason why it's difficult to follow NBA games is the commercials, every time out call for a commercial, they are very repetitive. Another reason is that as a 48-minute game lasts almost two hours, there was a study done here that the game itself lasts around 54 minutes counting the free throws and just for advertising it's 43 minutes, it's very boring
There are many things that contribute to the ratings being down in the NBA. Piracy streams, expensive streaming services, regional blackouts, out pricing a lot of the hardcore fans out of arenas, the NBA app being trash, load-managing being rampant, players getting too egotistical or injured, not marketing new stars or the actual teams overall, no differentiating styles of play to give a team an identity, the lack of or hampering of defense, egotistical refball, too much negative media or debate hot takes around the NBA, a terrible All-Star weekend format, the In-Season tournament being a Band-Aid with no implications, the Play-In tournament causing too many teams to be in the playoffs, fans these days not having the time to sit down and watch a 3-hour game like in the past, and having some of the worst fans in sports will do that to a product.
@@Pxstranwould you have an intelligent and reasonable and honest reply why the power that the players would have would bother somebody?? how about coming up with an honest answer to see if that's really a reason not to watch the game ..I'll wait and your silence will be deafening hey hey hey hey hey HMMM😅
I agree with most of what you said, but do you not think that politics has something to do with it aswell? E.G Warriors not going to White-house because Trump was in power, or BLM stuff.
Money. That's why. I don't have enough money to watch regular season basketball and afford other stuff, and it's not even guaranteed my team will be on TV because of blackouts. It's also hard to be interested at the beginning of the season when everything is still kinda low stakes. It's like the MLB, I start caring when the playoff race starts heating up.
You're the MVP, thanks for this. I tuned out with them talking about 3 pointers. Nah, bros, you're not selling this point well enough to me. Baseball viewership, hear me out for a sec, went down because people tuned out to more exciting stuff out there for entertainment. Same thing with theater owners and dwindling attendance, streaming services struggling to retain customers, etc. Lack of interest in sports and traditional forms of entertainment are the big picture, my guys. The market is diversified and attention is diffused because people are spoiled for choice.
It’s a bad TV product. There’s never any flow or momentum because of how many stoppages there are. The final minutes of any close game takes forever. They’re in a similar problem that baseball was in before the pitch clock helped that. The NBA is one big money product. It’s just commercials and branding everywhere. As an adult, it’s just not enjoyable anymore EDIT: I want to add that I also think the nba needs to establish a routine schedule. Make it to where your games are always Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or something. Then you can have an “nfl red zone” type of show that takes you in and out of games throughout the evening. Wonder how many viewers that would bring back who just want to tune into one channel and be given a view to every game and when the most important moments and swings of momentum are
Yeah it starts with the product. Baseball also has shitty streaming deals, a clusterfuck of regional tv deals and blackouts. But they improved the product and now ratings are up.
Also another reason why ratings might be lower is I feel like old heads and college kids have completely stopped watching basketball due to streaming services. Cable is almost obsolete now and a lot of people don’t want to have to pay for 4 different streaming services just to have access to every televised network. I guess with the more streaming services you need to watch games, the more people look to piracy.
I think a big contributing factor is the lack of team-loyalty from NBA players today. During the peak Warriors dynasty, part of the marketing was the fact that everyone already knew what that team was. Same goes for the Lob City Clippers, the Bench Mob/Lebronto Raptors, the James Harden Rockets, and a bunch of other teams over the years. Because their rosters were fairly consistent over the years, the NBA did not have to put in the extra effort of introducing the teams to the casual audience.
Why would I watch the NBA now? Everyone and everything associated with the NBA says the regular season doesn't matter. Half the league is tanking, players need to be motivated with stupid in season tournaments and playing time rules for awards, load managing is rampant, the sports media constantly says the regular season doesn't matter "do it in the playoffs" is said constantly. The NBA has devolved into an 82 game preseason with the only games that matter starting in mid April. So I'll watch then... maybe.
@@MarvelMadness2003 football is just on a completely different level, plus weekly games so people tune in to watch the one game that there team plays each week
For starters , the three point shooting rate has increased including high offence scoring. I also feel like most of the players don’t take the regular season seriously and they have to save it for the playoffs. It’s mostly the in-season tournament and playoffs that are somewhat more competitive for the players but they get pay a lot of money. Another thing is that League Pass still hasn’t been fixed. Like it’s pointless if you can watch a few games in there but you can’t watch the rest when it’s blackout like your favourite team. It’s been like this for a long time. Idk how they can fix the rating struggle but it doesn’t look good right now.
Cable will be dead soon. NBA is just trying to catch with the times. Everybody gets news and entertainment from TH-cam or streaming services. The NFL is the only thing keeping cable alive.
Y’all don’t have a specific tv channel in Dallas that shows Mavs games or talks anything Mavs? Out here in so called we have spectrum sports net and it’s basically the laker channel
It's simple really - the actual game has boiled simply down to 3s and easy layups if it's there which is brutal to watch because everyone is doing it and not everyone is good or the least decent at it. Also the availability of games (or lack thereof), there's so many options to stream games now that people aren't willing to pay for all different platforms like League Pass, ESPN, Max, local cable to actually watch your own team. The downward trend of viewership is not surprising at all.
I just want to see a complete game. I want to see: Steals Blocks Contested Rebounds Long 2s Short 2s Layups 3pt plays And the list goes on. I don't wanna just see 3s all game long
You guys pretty much nailed it. One point you glossed over which I think contributes a lot to decline in ratings is the existence of fantasy basketball and apps like Real. With so much focus on stats and betting/player props, a lot of fans tend to just check box scores to see who put up what stats and who broke what records on any given night. It pulls the fan away from watching because of ease of checking their phone to see crazy stat lines. An overall lack of interest in the outcome of regular season games doesn’t help either.
That’s the problem tho, the nba has become a stat padding haven, it’s no longer about the game and strategy and hustling. It’s just about 3 pointers, open layups and free throws
Yeah I think they were really understating it, like there was that game winner the other day where I think Julius Randle had and the defender just flopped instead of defending the shot, it gets ridiculous at times
A major factor that goes into it is how hard it has now become to watch NBA games legally; you need like 3 different subscriptions. And with how pointless they've made the regular season, it kills interest. And with apps like Real, you don't need to watch the games to keep up with the live action.
82 games makes the whole season feel like filler episodes the best players don’t even play all the time. The season only becomes relevant come play-offs
Even when the Knicks stunk, folks out here could still watch and follow them and know how they fare in the grand scheme of the NBA hierarchy. Now you can’t even watch your home team unless it’s nationally televised. Thats the most prevalent problem, you could be a fan of some team on the other side of the country but if you know nothing abt your local team you won’t care abt the league fr.
For the threes, as a Celtics fan, I just want to claw my eyes out. There are times when the Celtics have a free lane, and what do they do? “Tatum for three! Wayyyy off” 😡 Edit: I remember my uncle took me to game one of Celtics vs Heat last season for my birthday, and knowing that Jimmy was out, it just felt like a worse product than what could have been
@ it’s not really the main issue since it’s been like it forever obviously, but having less games would make the regular season feel way more important and thus makes each game equally important. It would attract more viewers. Just a suggestion really
No defense, 50 threes a game, teams scoring 115+ points a night, questionable refereeing etc… it’s crazy honestly. My dad has been a big nba fan since 1991 and this is first time Ive ever seen him so bored of basketball and actually not watch on a nightly basis anymore lmao. I’ve been watching since 2011 and I even started tuning out around 2021 just because of how boring it is to watch now. Honestly for me peak nba was around 2011-2015 where teams actually played defense and a slower pace before things were changed to create a more “entertaining” high scoring product, seriously high scoring does not mean more fun to watch
Nothing matters until like All Star break anyway, so u gets players and fans not caring that much this early in the season , probably why they got that tournament now
I understand the ''it will take you less shots to reach 80 by shooting 2s'' argument, but the reason the 3 is so valuable is that it keeps the defence on the perimiter which allows for more shots inside than before, leading to more points in the entire game and you win games by having more points
Officiating that heavily favors offense over defense is one of the reasons that could be easily addressed. Those uncalled violations like traveling, offensive fouls, flopping and foul-baiting is so infuriating.
@@Skinslyfe Not everybody has to know you live in the USA. You know, the world is much much bigger than USA, Canada and Mexico. And the League Pass is at first a product for international Viewers, since this is most of the time the only option to watch the NBA. Blackouts only happen in your country
I feel like the second apron is the new problem. Its one thing when players and teams decided to make moves but wnen they get forced to by the league it feels inauthentic. People love dynasties and the second apron kills them before they can even start.
Great analysis by you guys! All the points are argues well (and with your guys’ signature laughing). About the load management, player have said that sometimes playing more will prepare the body for the playoffs. It’s hard to know the balance between running players into the ground and not playing them enough to be in shape.
about 3s, actually MJ used to say a thing about that. He said that he deliberately not be very good at 3, because if he get really good at it, that will be the only thing he do, shooting 3s. to me it might be that basketball as a hole has gone to the point that there's a plain optimal option for things, and that's all they do, or at least the variation of that. players adapt to rules, (lebron don't even travel in Olympics) the only practical way for playstyle to change is rule change and nothing else will do.
I truly believe that if the rules change so that it can allow defenders to defend and punish floppers and ref baiters, then the games would be more watchable. I think it would reignite the physicality of the games, it could reignite rivalries, and make those players that are true stars stand out even more because they are going against tough defenses. It may not be pretty for those that enjoy a 3 point contest, but it would make the games way more entertaining imo to see defenses actually have a chance.
For me, it's kinda been a combination of the topics you guys talked about: - too many teams are living and dying by three-pointers, and I don't find that to be as interesting basketball - load management (obviously not including guys who are legitimately injured) - I feel like the small market teams often get overlooked, so it's usually the same 4-6 teams on national games Generally, I don't think there's that much apathy in the sport, but it is there in spots. For example, the All-Star Game was fine/great, for 60+ years, and it's been terrible these past few years. Personally, I don't think they need to treat it like the playoffs or Finals, but a little effort would be nice. They're trying so many ideas to revitalize the event, but the best way to do this would be just having the players give some effort in a regular game.
The college football game probably has an older audience than the NBA, one that still has cable. There is for sure a younger demographic watching the NBA who even if they do have access to ESPN they might just wanna watch the game on the laptop off some illegal site cause of convenience (like me)
I think it’s a combination of things both within and somewhat outside of the NBA’s control. I definitely think play style is a part in it. For a casual fan, it looks the same. Shoot 3’s at all costs. I can’t blame teams for doing what they think is best for winning, especially as a former athlete myself. But the fact remains, it’s boring. Defense will likely catch up eventually, but I worry if there is a ‘culture of 3 pointers’ developing for lack of a better term. Everyone wants to be Steph Curry without actually being Steph Curry. There’s also the NFL rn. That’s always gonna get more viewers than the NBA. However, I would argue there is far more within the NBA’s control. First, the players. I have no issue with players preserving their health, especially for a playoff run. I’ve never been a hater on load management. But it has crossed a line. Why should fans pay attention to the regular season when players they want to watch decide to not play a lot of games, even prime time ones. Injuries do seem more common but Paul George (ironically) once said he thought load management was making players weaker because their bodies aren’t prepared for the pace of an NBA game. I think that is so spot on. Teams need to do a better job protecting players so they can both play and not break immediately. I will also never not find it infuriating that guys like Tatum will worship the ground Kobe walked on, but Kobe would scoff at players sitting out and denying the fans what they paid for. MJ too. Finally, the media. NBA media is easily the worst media in sports imo. Other leagues and sports media deserves criticism, but no other sport’s media will consistently avoid talking about great stories so they can talk about the same thing over and over again. As a fan of the Raptors, it’s incredibly infuriating and makes me want to stop watching the NBA altogether. On top of that, broadcasts are dreadful. Commentary and play by play during the game are fine. But halftime, constant commercials and the lack of any insight between the play is maddening. That’s before we consider how boring it is. Before, during and after games can be boring at best and infuriating at worst, this is before we consider Inside the NBA’s departure. As a whole, the NBA has done this to themselves with outside forces not doing them any favours. It’s hard to say what the solution is. The media NEEDS to do a better job at hyping the next generation, the players need to play more and give fans something to enjoy watching, the NBA needs to figure out what gimmick actually works and stop switching it every year and so much more. There’s too many problems to count and there is no one solution to fix it.
I’m not a huge Tatum fan but it feels wrong to call him out for being a Kobe fan when Tatum himself is pretty consistent. He’s been in the mid 70s for games played per season for years.
I remember having mavericks tickets last yr or the year before to see them play the blazers and found out Luka was sitting out at like 2pm. Honestly made me not want to go to the game at all afterwards. I do love that you highlighted this in the video.
It just the natural progression of the way people view content. The younger generations are moving towards watching content on their phones, tablets etc. I don’t think they count in TV viewership figures. Why watch a stop start game with a million commercials when you can see the whole highlights in like a 10 minute summary or on tick toks and shorts. The other is that with 82 games nothing feels important until after the trade deadline and the playoffs.
Rusty Buckets said this and tbh I agree with him one of the biggest reason ratings are down is because on shows like inside the nba you have guys like shaq and barkley constantly shitting on the product. As a fan if you see these nba legends just shitting on players like this you would then think why would I care about nba basketball and then just not watch it.
I grew up on frozen pizza. My highschool had off campus lunch and there was a pizza by the slice joint on the same block. Probably ate pizza for lunch 3-4 times a week during all 3 in person years of highschool (I was a pandemic teen). As long as it’s only one meal of pizza a day, I can eat it almost everyday. 3 weeks is rookie numbers. I will say, now that I’m an adult, my main concern is the nutrition. As much as I love pizza, I probably only have it once every 2 months since graduating highschool. Holy crap I want pizza now. 😅
For me, it’s narratives. At the end of the day, people care about people. Sports fans will always complain about analysts pushing narratives because people should just care about the ball being played, but most people are going to engage more with stories than statistics. I’m a league of legends fan, but I’ve stopped playing for a while. I still tune into worlds every year because Riot puts on a great product, especially the narratives. I’ll know nothing about most teams, but the casters and teasers tell me everything I need to know
The overall price in crease and even in Chicago where i live we have a greedy owner who pulls broadcasting rights from local channels just to spin it around and introduce a new streaming option to watch the Bulls for 29.99 a month, just a straight disrespect to loyal fans
I think load management is overhated. Though i agree the evidence is insufficient. But its so that players can get to the playoffs and be healthier for it and to preserve the rest of their career. Its not that theyre scared of getting injured but more to play important games. Remember, Kobe also played a psrt in this, because he drove his body into the ground. It was great, but robbed him of his later years and playoff games.
the hate is deserved, the league isnt nearly as physical as it used to be to justify the levels of load management. Pre 2010s, yes load management was probably necessary, but these guys are playing glorified pickup these days. Dont even see guys breaking a sweat when theres a tv break every 4 minutes.
I distinctly remember Steve Kerr commentary in NBA Live 06 and 07 saying “What is he doing, Marv? He could’ve had a wide open layup if he wanted but instead he settled for a 30 footer!” 😂
My Dad and I (we made enough money to get by, but not like, a ton of money) went to a Raptors and Bucks game around 2018/19. Prime Bucks and Raptors times. We found out as we were leaving home in Rockford, IL, that both Kawhi and Giannis would be out. It broke my Dad's heart. The Bucks ended up blowing the Raptors out and the game was meh. My Dad now has a better job and is much happier, but shout out to that one game. It will stick in my mind forever.
Sports betting has ruined the experience for me. Before FanDuel and other sportsbooks became widely advertised, the game itself was the top priority for die-hard fans. Now, with sports betting on the rise, it’s difficult to enjoy watching basketball without others being upset about losing money or excited about winning. This shift has taken away from the authentic experience and love for the game. Additionally, it seems like the NBA is focusing more on promoting betting than on marketing their actual product-the players. I remember a time when narratives, storylines, and organic rivalries were highlighted in marketing efforts, making the game feel bigger than life. On a side note, the lack of national television coverage for certain games is disgraceful, and the games that are televised often feel overwhelming. For instance, I was watching the Warriors vs. Pelicans the other night. Although it was a close game, I wasn’t entertained by the players on the court. I understand that injuries happen, but a depleted Pelicans team is not something I look forward to watching.
One Of The Biggest rating ive Noticed is Once they Started Intentionally Fouling across the league when Up By 3, This ruin the Suspense of the Game for Fans and Non fans Alike and Kills the Moments We could All potentially Remember, Once JJ and Lebron Said They will do it everytime, this Blew Up
8:58 Clip farming answers this question. And to speak on optimal shot selection, the modern game isn't actually driven by people who believe in analytics. If you believe that the modern game is actually driven by analytics you believe Darryl Morey is a genius whereas in reality all he did in both Houston and Philly is play 2K with the rosters. Because anybody who actually understand analytics would never let people with shit 3 point percentages shoot that many threes, they would give out sheets telling people exactly how many shots of each type they need to go for and where exactly to shoot from, as the information is easy to get and the plays would be easy to incorporate. Basing the current game on analytics would be telling people what shots they are statistically most likely to hit and making them take those shots, not hurr durr 3 > 2. However, because people don't actually understand that and instead parrot dudes like Darryl Morey you get people who suck at shooting taking hella 3s because of Herd Effect and being sheeps WHILE ALSO trying to farm clips by taking contested shots because of some strange dedication to clout. The reason the modern game is so wonky to watch is because people are combining Faux-Analytics with clip farming for internet clout, which are 2 very very different ways to approach the game. Combining 2 extremes into one product always goes extremely bad.
I don't think a viewer drop of this precedent would have to do with the game itself. Something this big is an economical and accessibility issue, which the NBA definitely has now cause League Pass is horrible and more people than ever turn to piracy, local blackouts, terrible prices. People can barely afford eggs now so most would be willing to let go of basketball.
One thing the NBA can do to boost the ratings is give the 3 division leaders a top 3 spot. Also play fewer games. Here's one example: Each team played their division rivals 4 times (16 games) Each team plays the remaining 10 teams in their conference 3 times (30 games) Each team plays teams from opposite conference 2 games (30) Total games would be 76 which is better than 82 and it makes marquee games more interesting like Celtics vs Knicks, Bucks vs Pacers, etc.
The NBA is too focused on marketing the players not the team. Football(soccer) has so many rivalries around the world, even the mlb and nfl have these. But when I think of rivalries between teams in the nba, I can hardly think of one
The only one in recent memory that is the definition of an actual rivalry in the NBA is Heat vs Celtics, but now it's pretty lopsided with the Celtics having the better roster. I think something that might reignite rivalries around the NBA would be changing rules that would benefit defenders again, so we have a more physical game that leads to bad blood amongst teams.
@@nightshadow317 Some possible rivalries that could be made would be between the three Texas teams, the clash of LA, Nets vs Knicks, and Heat vs Magic since they're all in the same city or state, but I highly doubt they would try anything
Honestly the worst parts of it for me are the extreme overuse of the 3 point shot and their absolute fetish for ads at this point. Every single chance they get in the game they will run ads to the point where its become as over saturated as youtube has become.
They gotta toughen up the game and let it be more physical. Not like 80s stuff just more physical advantage on defence. For instance, with all these extra steps, double step backs etc, a hand check outside the paint should be at least allowed etc. And CONSISTENCY. Fans accept not calling meaningless egregious travels, swallowing the whistle a bit at the end of games to let the players decide etc. But there is just no consistency for what is a foul and what isn’t.
I truly believe (and I know this annoys NBA fans) the true problem lies with the draft age. Right now the NBA isn't even in the top 100 most watched television programs in the United States every year...but do you want to know what is? March Madness. March Madness outdraws the NBA every year now. Instead of the NBA embracing that their junior disivion is doing so well the NBA has spent the last ten years attacking College Basketball. They've lowered the draft age, created the G-League as an alternative, etc. I'm telling you so many problems stem from this. March Madness is an opportunity for guys to grow themselves as brands before entering the league. Just see how it works in the NFL. If these guys spent 3-4 years in college building their brand rather than 1 or 0 the NBA would have more people in the league that casual sports fans would know. The WNBA point is so close to the mark why I think NBA ratings aren't what they could be. How did Clark and Reece grow their brand? How did they get that exposure? March Madness. NBA needs to raise the draft class age and cut the G-League out. If anything I would start encouraging international stars to go play at least two years in college before coming to the NBA. All I'm saying is MJ, Magic, and Bird became stars in college then blew up in the league and the league ratings followed. Lebron and Kobe became stars in the NBA and the league ratings started taking a dive. I don't think that's just a conisidence.
The amount of fatigue, wear, and tear that players accumulate is compounded by lack of recovery time. Freak accidents happen but players being able to rest and recover more frequently definitely extends their longevity. The reason that injury prone players are load managing is because they are injury prone and need more time for their body to heal.
It might be hard to schedule, but at least one game that isn't played at 1 in the morning in europe would increase them. I live in Spain, we have one of the "earliest" time zones and every night I check the schedule and the earliest game is at 1:30 with like 10 games per season that happen at 22:00
People dog on the MLB for being boring but at least you get to watch a game like holy. You can go an entire inning in MLB without seeing an ad and every inning doesn't have a set time where it ends so you're getting uninterrupted sports for a solid 20 minutes at least but basketball? It feels like there's an ad every minute. Foul? AD. Player tweaks a foot? AD. Timeout? You bet there gonna squeeze in an AD. It's just ADS!!!
You really only need to watch the fourth quarter of NBA games- a cliche but true. Moreover, flopping really needs to be stopped. Flopping is on the decline in soccer, yet totally taking off in pro basketball, largely thanks to LeBron James. Yes, when the most famous player in your league is also the biggest drama queen and flopper- it's a problem. Basketball is on the decline, and baseball is coming back, baby!
People talk about piracy streams, like they only started popping out this year. Of course networks/streams shenanigans have a part in that, but there's a problem with the peoduct itself.
For me this video explains it very well. i have watched many YT videos pertaining to this topic, but this one is what i can say the best one showing why NBA ratings are down... Its a multi factorial one, but i do believe that they need that NEW STAR that will be the face of NBA... As you look today who is the face of NBA, is it Jokic, Embiid, Tatum, Wemby, Edwards, Luka, SHai etc... of course not, as ESPN and NBA media are still talking about LBJ and Curry...
Could you guys maybe in the future make a video about the decline of the nba media? Especially how they’re not tapping into the storylines already present in the NBA, as well as not creating new and interesting ones?
The easy answer is streaming and most people aren’t willing to pay cable and piracy. Can’t blame them because Cable is high enough why spend extra for league pass when you can stream on other websites for free Also people not caring much about the regular season as much especially when a bunch of players are injured like the Sixers. So yeah it’s a number of reasons
i tried getting my girlfriend into the nba. she said the following things 1) way too many commercials/timeouts. especially at the end of close games 3-5 minutes of game time can be stretched to 30 minutes with challenges and time outs. the commercials and all just makes things such a chore and a commitment for the average/casual nba fans 2) too many free throws. she watched celtics vs sixers and she got tired of embiid shooting free throws and just went on her phone (understandable) 3) load management. if you watch celtics vs lakers, you are expecting to watch the star duo of the Jays playing Bron and AD. if both bron and ad sit out, there's really no incentive. if you watch the avengers to watch avengers fight thanos, only to suddenly hear thanos is not fighting the avengers, well no one would watch the movie. not the same i know but i hope it makes sense. 4) kinda connecting to point #1 but is not fun watching teams fouling each other during the end of close games. i get the tactical aspects on why you foul but it's just a hard watch. no one enjoys that.
Over reliance on 3s touches on the main problem, but that isn't the whole story. The main problem is that everyone plays the same way, not just in shooting 3s, but in every aspect of the game. There's no players who play much differently than any other player, therefore every game looks the same. Back in the day Dirk, KG, Tim Duncan, and Chris Webber all played the same position in 4 different ways. Now, there's not much difference between any of the positions, let alone between different guys playing the same position. If you watched today's game in black & white, you couldn't tell the difference between most of the teams.
i was gonna say the over-commercialization. it just seems like they crossed the limit that most fans could handle.. it might just be them trying to squeeze every dollar out of their product.
A lot of people are just catching the TH-cam highlights. They are as long as 8-10 minutes now and you see every important moment. Sometimes they post the last 5-6 minutes of a game uncut when the most important info happens. People have continued to cut cable at at rapid pace as well. I think the NBA caving into TH-cam helped the product but hurt the ratings.
For me the biggest two reasons are availabilty of the games and the number of high end talent missing games. Make it easier to access any game without the shit nba app, reduce market blackouts and many more people will likely be willing to pay to watch. Also who wants to watch a mid season game when both teams are missing their two best players
I think an unexplored reason is that this is a consequence of parity. No multiyear dynasties means no growing wave to crest the mainstream wall. The biggest eras for ratings saw superstars repeatedly compete year in and year out. Now with six different champions in the last six years, instead of a casual draw of can the dominant team do it again, we have an any given team can win. Fewer viewers, but not necessarily worse. Parity appeals to the hardcore fans who still pay attention to bad teams. That and two top 5 players in the league's teams are the worst in the league right now.
Besides 3s, the fact that they haven’t marketed the younger guys over the years has hurt the product. Giannis Jokić and Embiid are all about to turn 30. Yet Bron is 39, Steph is 36, and are still faces the league.
I still think it has a lot more to do with how expensive and inaccessible it is to watch games with all the streaming services and blackouts than it does with the 3 pointers and basketball play itself
Every team runs the same offense, flopping is not only overlooked, it's actively rewarded, carrying and traveling are legal, and the current game has rendered two positions, 80% of the court, and defense completely irrelevant. Change the rules, the court, or both.
I think for the nba, they need argument and image. With MJ you could argue was he inevitable, a ball hog, graceful? Or blessed with a whistle? Clutch, a leader? Same with Lebron. Oh and obviously dynasties and high peaks. Certain stats draw people, not generic 25 and 6 (which is wild to say)
For me it’s lack of defense they give to many fouls for nothing, another thing is it’s to expensive to actually watch games live in arena or just watch it’s to many streaming platforms
Here's the math I use to dispel the notion shooting 3s is more efficient: Last year's 3 point percentage of 35.8 is 107.4 points per 100 shots. Which means if you shoot 100 2 point shots, you only have to make 53.7% to match. Last season the NBA average for 2s was 54.5% and that isn't even calculating potential And1s which are almost non-existent in 3 point attempts. Think about it. If you shot league average from both ranges, you could average 5 more points per 100 attempts shooting all 2's than all 3s depending on how many And1s. Am I wrong?
3 things) I think the idea of expanding the arc to the sidelines is a cool idea. No more standing in the corner 2) fouls/complaining needs addressed. Why do the Lakers have +500 per season?! Also, biggest stars like Luca, Embiid, Bron complaining is a bad look. They are supposed to be these big tough talented guys, but they go whiney baby 10+ times a game 1) carry/travel needs to be called. It's such a widespread problem we have arguments at local courts over gather and palming
They do a poor job of communicating and allowing people to actually watch games. Also the media which includes former players that constantly shit on today’s game. Everything else is just chatting.
I mean, to get a contract like that, have a team believe in you and invest in you, to just give up on the team like that says a lot about ben’s character
Everyone knows it’s because Rodney Hood retired duh
like when Jordan hung it up. Just ain't the same man😢
Yeah Rodney just needs to step up.
1, 2, 3 Rodney!
Because of Rodney King
@@yoofij4724Elite reference
Cavs legend
I live in Brazil and for me and for many, the main reason why it's difficult to follow NBA games is the commercials, every time out call for a commercial, they are very repetitive. Another reason is that as a 48-minute game lasts almost two hours, there was a study done here that the game itself lasts around 54 minutes counting the free throws and just for advertising it's 43 minutes, it's very boring
None of those are changes to the games tho, that’s been true for decades
How are the girls over there
@@xI2eLoaDeDx they lowkey bad af
That's why in the UK I watch my games next day
@@CheepsAhoy69I've noticed ads repeat each break, their used to be different ones. I bet nba can't get as many advertisers since less people watch.
There are many things that contribute to the ratings being down in the NBA. Piracy streams, expensive streaming services, regional blackouts, out pricing a lot of the hardcore fans out of arenas, the NBA app being trash, load-managing being rampant, players getting too egotistical or injured, not marketing new stars or the actual teams overall, no differentiating styles of play to give a team an identity, the lack of or hampering of defense, egotistical refball, too much negative media or debate hot takes around the NBA, a terrible All-Star weekend format, the In-Season tournament being a Band-Aid with no implications, the Play-In tournament causing too many teams to be in the playoffs, fans these days not having the time to sit down and watch a 3-hour game like in the past, and having some of the worst fans in sports will do that to a product.
Nah every other sports league is dealing with the same issues and the ratings are not plummeting like the NBAs . Its the Power the players have
@@Pxstranwould you have an intelligent and reasonable and honest reply why the power that the players would have would bother somebody?? how about coming up with an honest answer to see if that's really a reason not to watch the game ..I'll wait and your silence will be deafening hey hey hey hey hey HMMM😅
Idk I think the tournament format are interesting and bring in competitive matches
Don’t forget how strongly they’ve leaned into politics over the last four years including this past election.
I agree with most of what you said, but do you not think that politics has something to do with it aswell?
E.G Warriors not going to White-house because Trump was in power, or BLM stuff.
Money. That's why. I don't have enough money to watch regular season basketball and afford other stuff, and it's not even guaranteed my team will be on TV because of blackouts. It's also hard to be interested at the beginning of the season when everything is still kinda low stakes. It's like the MLB, I start caring when the playoff race starts heating up.
Need a website?
Real, blackouts are BS. It's in football too, I almost couldn't watch the Cowboys last week and I live in Texas!
@@MetalheadSaplingwhy would you want to watch that sorry team anyway
@@Skinslyfewats the website
brother, shit is free to watch on the internet lol
Timestamps:
2:42 - 3 Pointers
9:01 - No Defense
12:01 - Injuries/Load Management
15:59 - Apathy/Flopping
18:34 - The NBA Cycle and Conclusion
You're the MVP, thanks for this. I tuned out with them talking about 3 pointers. Nah, bros, you're not selling this point well enough to me. Baseball viewership, hear me out for a sec, went down because people tuned out to more exciting stuff out there for entertainment. Same thing with theater owners and dwindling attendance, streaming services struggling to retain customers, etc. Lack of interest in sports and traditional forms of entertainment are the big picture, my guys. The market is diversified and attention is diffused because people are spoiled for choice.
Also Refs being on a power trip doesn't help at all either
If they made the streaming services affordable and reliable, ratings would definitely bounce back
I have nba league pass and I only watch my favorite team. NBA is just a bad product now
Amen to that
It’s a bad TV product. There’s never any flow or momentum because of how many stoppages there are. The final minutes of any close game takes forever. They’re in a similar problem that baseball was in before the pitch clock helped that. The NBA is one big money product. It’s just commercials and branding everywhere. As an adult, it’s just not enjoyable anymore
EDIT: I want to add that I also think the nba needs to establish a routine schedule. Make it to where your games are always Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or something. Then you can have an “nfl red zone” type of show that takes you in and out of games throughout the evening. Wonder how many viewers that would bring back who just want to tune into one channel and be given a view to every game and when the most important moments and swings of momentum are
Yeah it starts with the product. Baseball also has shitty streaming deals, a clusterfuck of regional tv deals and blackouts. But they improved the product and now ratings are up.
The standard days a la NFL or college football is not a bad idea, if it's possible logistically
Also another reason why ratings might be lower is I feel like old heads and college kids have completely stopped watching basketball due to streaming services. Cable is almost obsolete now and a lot of people don’t want to have to pay for 4 different streaming services just to have access to every televised network. I guess with the more streaming services you need to watch games, the more people look to piracy.
Yeah I don’t have cable anymore, and sports is the only thing I’m missing but I just watch highlight videos on TH-cam at this point
I have cable and league pass, the nba is unwatchable, I only watch bc of Anthony Edwards. If it wasn’t for his games I wouldn’t watch the nba at all
I think a big contributing factor is the lack of team-loyalty from NBA players today. During the peak Warriors dynasty, part of the marketing was the fact that everyone already knew what that team was. Same goes for the Lob City Clippers, the Bench Mob/Lebronto Raptors, the James Harden Rockets, and a bunch of other teams over the years. Because their rosters were fairly consistent over the years, the NBA did not have to put in the extra effort of introducing the teams to the casual audience.
What you said in one word: money
Why would I watch the NBA now? Everyone and everything associated with the NBA says the regular season doesn't matter. Half the league is tanking, players need to be motivated with stupid in season tournaments and playing time rules for awards, load managing is rampant, the sports media constantly says the regular season doesn't matter "do it in the playoffs" is said constantly. The NBA has devolved into an 82 game preseason with the only games that matter starting in mid April. So I'll watch then... maybe.
Just watch in April to June
The main issue in my opinion is the access to watch the games; there shouldn’t be more than 3 networks
The average NBA game is a hard watch with all the ads that run every couple minutes.
The NFL has more ads and brings in millions very week
@@MarvelMadness2003 football is just on a completely different level, plus weekly games so people tune in to watch the one game that there team plays each week
For starters , the three point shooting rate has increased including high offence scoring. I also feel like most of the players don’t take the regular season seriously and they have to save it for the playoffs. It’s mostly the in-season tournament and playoffs that are somewhat more competitive for the players but they get pay a lot of money. Another thing is that League Pass still hasn’t been fixed. Like it’s pointless if you can watch a few games in there but you can’t watch the rest when it’s blackout like your favourite team. It’s been like this for a long time. Idk how they can fix the rating struggle but it doesn’t look good right now.
I’m sick of all the bs streaming services. I can’t even watch the Mavs play because i live to close. I just pirate it 🤷🏻
Cable will be dead soon. NBA is just trying to catch with the times. Everybody gets news and entertainment from TH-cam or streaming services. The NFL is the only thing keeping cable alive.
Where do you pirate from?
Y’all don’t have a specific tv channel in Dallas that shows Mavs games or talks anything Mavs? Out here in so called we have spectrum sports net and it’s basically the laker channel
@@ghastlyfloaters Meth Streams
@@ghastlyfloaters methstreams bro
It's simple really - the actual game has boiled simply down to 3s and easy layups if it's there which is brutal to watch because everyone is doing it and not everyone is good or the least decent at it. Also the availability of games (or lack thereof), there's so many options to stream games now that people aren't willing to pay for all different platforms like League Pass, ESPN, Max, local cable to actually watch your own team. The downward trend of viewership is not surprising at all.
I just want to see a complete game.
I want to see:
Steals
Blocks
Contested Rebounds
Long 2s
Short 2s
Layups
3pt plays
And the list goes on.
I don't wanna just see 3s all game long
You guys pretty much nailed it. One point you glossed over which I think contributes a lot to decline in ratings is the existence of fantasy basketball and apps like Real. With so much focus on stats and betting/player props, a lot of fans tend to just check box scores to see who put up what stats and who broke what records on any given night. It pulls the fan away from watching because of ease of checking their phone to see crazy stat lines. An overall lack of interest in the outcome of regular season games doesn’t help either.
That’s the problem tho, the nba has become a stat padding haven, it’s no longer about the game and strategy and hustling. It’s just about 3 pointers, open layups and free throws
Flopping is definitely a top 5 problem. It delays the game, kills momentum, and this kills any immersion of watching a game
Yeah it looks too much like pro wrestling.
Yeah I think they were really understating it, like there was that game winner the other day where I think Julius Randle had and the defender just flopped instead of defending the shot, it gets ridiculous at times
A major factor that goes into it is how hard it has now become to watch NBA games legally; you need like 3 different subscriptions. And with how pointless they've made the regular season, it kills interest. And with apps like Real, you don't need to watch the games to keep up with the live action.
82 games makes the whole season feel like filler episodes the best players don’t even play all the time. The season only becomes relevant come play-offs
Even when the Knicks stunk, folks out here could still watch and follow them and know how they fare in the grand scheme of the NBA hierarchy. Now you can’t even watch your home team unless it’s nationally televised. Thats the most prevalent problem, you could be a fan of some team on the other side of the country but if you know nothing abt your local team you won’t care abt the league fr.
For the threes, as a Celtics fan, I just want to claw my eyes out. There are times when the Celtics have a free lane, and what do they do? “Tatum for three! Wayyyy off” 😡
Edit: I remember my uncle took me to game one of Celtics vs Heat last season for my birthday, and knowing that Jimmy was out, it just felt like a worse product than what could have been
Too many games. NFL is just better when it comes to that because there are way less games and every game feels important.
Too many games? Bro. The NBA has had 82 games since 1968. That's not the issue.
@ it’s not really the main issue since it’s been like it forever obviously, but having less games would make the regular season feel way more important and thus makes each game equally important. It would attract more viewers. Just a suggestion really
No defense, 50 threes a game, teams scoring 115+ points a night, questionable refereeing etc… it’s crazy honestly. My dad has been a big nba fan since 1991 and this is first time Ive ever seen him so bored of basketball and actually not watch on a nightly basis anymore lmao. I’ve been watching since 2011 and I even started tuning out around 2021 just because of how boring it is to watch now. Honestly for me peak nba was around 2011-2015 where teams actually played defense and a slower pace before things were changed to create a more “entertaining” high scoring product, seriously high scoring does not mean more fun to watch
Nothing matters until like All Star break anyway, so u gets players and fans not caring that much this early in the season , probably why they got that tournament now
I understand the ''it will take you less shots to reach 80 by shooting 2s'' argument, but the reason the 3 is so valuable is that it keeps the defence on the perimiter which allows for more shots inside than before, leading to more points in the entire game and you win games by having more points
Officiating that heavily favors offense over defense is one of the reasons that could be easily addressed.
Those uncalled violations like traveling, offensive fouls, flopping and foul-baiting is so infuriating.
Literally 0 effort from anybody on the court. Nobody trying to watch that
Because you need ATLEAST 3 services to watch every game meaning to be a nba fan you have to be well off which is stupid
Leaguepass?
@ blackout games?
@@Skinslyfe
Not everybody has to know you live in the USA. You know, the world is much much bigger than USA, Canada and Mexico.
And the League Pass is at first a product for international Viewers, since this is most of the time the only option to watch the NBA.
Blackouts only happen in your country
@@maxwell7911 what the hell are you talking about?😂nba is American based it’s tailored to us Americans first get a grip Maxwell
I feel like the second apron is the new problem. Its one thing when players and teams decided to make moves but wnen they get forced to by the league it feels inauthentic. People love dynasties and the second apron kills them before they can even start.
Great analysis by you guys! All the points are argues well (and with your guys’ signature laughing).
About the load management, player have said that sometimes playing more will prepare the body for the playoffs. It’s hard to know the balance between running players into the ground and not playing them enough to be in shape.
about 3s, actually MJ used to say a thing about that. He said that he deliberately not be very good at 3, because if he get really good at it, that will be the only thing he do, shooting 3s.
to me it might be that basketball as a hole has gone to the point that there's a plain optimal option for things, and that's all they do, or at least the variation of that.
players adapt to rules, (lebron don't even travel in Olympics) the only practical way for playstyle to change is rule change and nothing else will do.
I truly believe that if the rules change so that it can allow defenders to defend and punish floppers and ref baiters, then the games would be more watchable. I think it would reignite the physicality of the games, it could reignite rivalries, and make those players that are true stars stand out even more because they are going against tough defenses. It may not be pretty for those that enjoy a 3 point contest, but it would make the games way more entertaining imo to see defenses actually have a chance.
Exactly, when everyone is a star, then nobody is a star. Bring back defense!
No story lines and rivalries anymore. There is no consistency of rosters across seasons which makes for very few story lines.
For me, it's kinda been a combination of the topics you guys talked about:
- too many teams are living and dying by three-pointers, and I don't find that to be as interesting basketball
- load management (obviously not including guys who are legitimately injured)
- I feel like the small market teams often get overlooked, so it's usually the same 4-6 teams on national games
Generally, I don't think there's that much apathy in the sport, but it is there in spots. For example, the All-Star Game was fine/great, for 60+ years, and it's been terrible these past few years. Personally, I don't think they need to treat it like the playoffs or Finals, but a little effort would be nice. They're trying so many ideas to revitalize the event, but the best way to do this would be just having the players give some effort in a regular game.
The college football game probably has an older audience than the NBA, one that still has cable. There is for sure a younger demographic watching the NBA who even if they do have access to ESPN they might just wanna watch the game on the laptop off some illegal site cause of convenience (like me)
Nobody watches nba games anymore, they just watch highlights and podcasts, and YT videos
I think it’s a combination of things both within and somewhat outside of the NBA’s control.
I definitely think play style is a part in it. For a casual fan, it looks the same. Shoot 3’s at all costs. I can’t blame teams for doing what they think is best for winning, especially as a former athlete myself. But the fact remains, it’s boring. Defense will likely catch up eventually, but I worry if there is a ‘culture of 3 pointers’ developing for lack of a better term. Everyone wants to be Steph Curry without actually being Steph Curry. There’s also the NFL rn. That’s always gonna get more viewers than the NBA.
However, I would argue there is far more within the NBA’s control. First, the players. I have no issue with players preserving their health, especially for a playoff run. I’ve never been a hater on load management. But it has crossed a line. Why should fans pay attention to the regular season when players they want to watch decide to not play a lot of games, even prime time ones. Injuries do seem more common but Paul George (ironically) once said he thought load management was making players weaker because their bodies aren’t prepared for the pace of an NBA game. I think that is so spot on. Teams need to do a better job protecting players so they can both play and not break immediately. I will also never not find it infuriating that guys like Tatum will worship the ground Kobe walked on, but Kobe would scoff at players sitting out and denying the fans what they paid for. MJ too.
Finally, the media. NBA media is easily the worst media in sports imo. Other leagues and sports media deserves criticism, but no other sport’s media will consistently avoid talking about great stories so they can talk about the same thing over and over again. As a fan of the Raptors, it’s incredibly infuriating and makes me want to stop watching the NBA altogether. On top of that, broadcasts are dreadful. Commentary and play by play during the game are fine. But halftime, constant commercials and the lack of any insight between the play is maddening. That’s before we consider how boring it is. Before, during and after games can be boring at best and infuriating at worst, this is before we consider Inside the NBA’s departure.
As a whole, the NBA has done this to themselves with outside forces not doing them any favours. It’s hard to say what the solution is. The media NEEDS to do a better job at hyping the next generation, the players need to play more and give fans something to enjoy watching, the NBA needs to figure out what gimmick actually works and stop switching it every year and so much more. There’s too many problems to count and there is no one solution to fix it.
In a nutshell.
I’m not a huge Tatum fan but it feels wrong to call him out for being a Kobe fan when Tatum himself is pretty consistent. He’s been in the mid 70s for games played per season for years.
I’m not even checking the state line anymore in the NBA.
I remember having mavericks tickets last yr or the year before to see them play the blazers and found out Luka was sitting out at like 2pm. Honestly made me not want to go to the game at all afterwards. I do love that you highlighted this in the video.
If they brought back the 90s - before '04 Finals rules, brought back fights/rivalries, team variety etc, the league would be watchable!
Nah their never bringing back fights and this isn’t even nba it’s everything
It just the natural progression of the way people view content. The younger generations are moving towards watching content on their phones, tablets etc. I don’t think they count in TV viewership figures. Why watch a stop start game with a million commercials when you can see the whole highlights in like a 10 minute summary or on tick toks and shorts. The other is that with 82 games nothing feels important until after the trade deadline and the playoffs.
The NBA prioritizes gamblers and advertisers, not sports fans.
Rusty Buckets said this and tbh I agree with him one of the biggest reason ratings are down is because on shows like inside the nba you have guys like shaq and barkley constantly shitting on the product. As a fan if you see these nba legends just shitting on players like this you would then think why would I care about nba basketball and then just not watch it.
I grew up on frozen pizza. My highschool had off campus lunch and there was a pizza by the slice joint on the same block. Probably ate pizza for lunch 3-4 times a week during all 3 in person years of highschool (I was a pandemic teen). As long as it’s only one meal of pizza a day, I can eat it almost everyday. 3 weeks is rookie numbers. I will say, now that I’m an adult, my main concern is the nutrition. As much as I love pizza, I probably only have it once every 2 months since graduating highschool. Holy crap I want pizza now. 😅
For me, it’s narratives. At the end of the day, people care about people. Sports fans will always complain about analysts pushing narratives because people should just care about the ball being played, but most people are going to engage more with stories than statistics. I’m a league of legends fan, but I’ve stopped playing for a while. I still tune into worlds every year because Riot puts on a great product, especially the narratives. I’ll know nothing about most teams, but the casters and teasers tell me everything I need to know
The overall price in crease and even in Chicago where i live we have a greedy owner who pulls broadcasting rights from local channels just to spin it around and introduce a new streaming option to watch the Bulls for 29.99 a month, just a straight disrespect to loyal fans
I think load management is overhated. Though i agree the evidence is insufficient. But its so that players can get to the playoffs and be healthier for it and to preserve the rest of their career. Its not that theyre scared of getting injured but more to play important games. Remember, Kobe also played a psrt in this, because he drove his body into the ground. It was great, but robbed him of his later years and playoff games.
the hate is deserved, the league isnt nearly as physical as it used to be to justify the levels of load management. Pre 2010s, yes load management was probably necessary, but these guys are playing glorified pickup these days. Dont even see guys breaking a sweat when theres a tv break every 4 minutes.
I distinctly remember Steve Kerr commentary in NBA Live 06 and 07 saying “What is he doing, Marv? He could’ve had a wide open layup if he wanted but instead he settled for a 30 footer!” 😂
Yeah I remember commentary would always spazz out in old Live games if u attempted a logo shot 😂
16:13 wasn't expecting a KOTOR 2 reference in 2024 lmao
Viewing habits of people are evolving as well (streaming and cable tv)
My Dad and I (we made enough money to get by, but not like, a ton of money) went to a Raptors and Bucks game around 2018/19. Prime Bucks and Raptors times. We found out as we were leaving home in Rockford, IL, that both Kawhi and Giannis would be out. It broke my Dad's heart. The Bucks ended up blowing the Raptors out and the game was meh. My Dad now has a better job and is much happier, but shout out to that one game. It will stick in my mind forever.
Sports betting has ruined the experience for me. Before FanDuel and other sportsbooks became widely advertised, the game itself was the top priority for die-hard fans. Now, with sports betting on the rise, it’s difficult to enjoy watching basketball without others being upset about losing money or excited about winning. This shift has taken away from the authentic experience and love for the game.
Additionally, it seems like the NBA is focusing more on promoting betting than on marketing their actual product-the players. I remember a time when narratives, storylines, and organic rivalries were highlighted in marketing efforts, making the game feel bigger than life.
On a side note, the lack of national television coverage for certain games is disgraceful, and the games that are televised often feel overwhelming. For instance, I was watching the Warriors vs. Pelicans the other night. Although it was a close game, I wasn’t entertained by the players on the court. I understand that injuries happen, but a depleted Pelicans team is not something I look forward to watching.
One Of The Biggest rating ive Noticed is Once they Started Intentionally Fouling across the league when Up By 3, This ruin the Suspense of the Game for Fans and Non fans Alike and Kills the Moments We could All potentially Remember, Once JJ and Lebron Said They will do it everytime, this Blew Up
8:58 Clip farming answers this question. And to speak on optimal shot selection, the modern game isn't actually driven by people who believe in analytics. If you believe that the modern game is actually driven by analytics you believe Darryl Morey is a genius whereas in reality all he did in both Houston and Philly is play 2K with the rosters. Because anybody who actually understand analytics would never let people with shit 3 point percentages shoot that many threes, they would give out sheets telling people exactly how many shots of each type they need to go for and where exactly to shoot from, as the information is easy to get and the plays would be easy to incorporate. Basing the current game on analytics would be telling people what shots they are statistically most likely to hit and making them take those shots, not hurr durr 3 > 2. However, because people don't actually understand that and instead parrot dudes like Darryl Morey you get people who suck at shooting taking hella 3s because of Herd Effect and being sheeps WHILE ALSO trying to farm clips by taking contested shots because of some strange dedication to clout. The reason the modern game is so wonky to watch is because people are combining Faux-Analytics with clip farming for internet clout, which are 2 very very different ways to approach the game. Combining 2 extremes into one product always goes extremely bad.
Absolutely love this channel and I get so happy when you guys upload. Keep it up guys🔥🔥
dig the vibes fellllas. first vid ive seen and llooking forward to more!
I don't think a viewer drop of this precedent would have to do with the game itself. Something this big is an economical and accessibility issue, which the NBA definitely has now cause League Pass is horrible and more people than ever turn to piracy, local blackouts, terrible prices. People can barely afford eggs now so most would be willing to let go of basketball.
One thing that is honestly driving me crazy about sports in general it’s the amount of sports gambling commercials they show it’s so annoying.
Piracy📈📈
rs
Even LeBron uses Stream East
Y’all so entertaining bro😂 love yalls content 🙏
One thing the NBA can do to boost the ratings is give the 3 division leaders a top 3 spot. Also play fewer games.
Here's one example:
Each team played their division rivals 4 times (16 games)
Each team plays the remaining 10 teams in their conference 3 times (30 games)
Each team plays teams from opposite conference 2 games (30)
Total games would be 76 which is better than 82 and it makes marquee games more interesting like Celtics vs Knicks, Bucks vs Pacers, etc.
Plain and simple, it's boring. Even if they gave me free tickets I wouldn't go
The NBA is too focused on marketing the players not the team. Football(soccer) has so many rivalries around the world, even the mlb and nfl have these. But when I think of rivalries between teams in the nba, I can hardly think of one
The only one in recent memory that is the definition of an actual rivalry in the NBA is Heat vs Celtics, but now it's pretty lopsided with the Celtics having the better roster. I think something that might reignite rivalries around the NBA would be changing rules that would benefit defenders again, so we have a more physical game that leads to bad blood amongst teams.
@@nightshadow317 Some possible rivalries that could be made would be between the three Texas teams, the clash of LA, Nets vs Knicks, and Heat vs Magic since they're all in the same city or state, but I highly doubt they would try anything
Honestly the worst parts of it for me are the extreme overuse of the 3 point shot and their absolute fetish for ads at this point. Every single chance they get in the game they will run ads to the point where its become as over saturated as youtube has become.
They gotta toughen up the game and let it be more physical. Not like 80s stuff just more physical advantage on defence. For instance, with all these extra steps, double step backs etc, a hand check outside the paint should be at least allowed etc. And CONSISTENCY. Fans accept not calling meaningless egregious travels, swallowing the whistle a bit at the end of games to let the players decide etc. But there is just no consistency for what is a foul and what isn’t.
I truly believe (and I know this annoys NBA fans) the true problem lies with the draft age. Right now the NBA isn't even in the top 100 most watched television programs in the United States every year...but do you want to know what is? March Madness. March Madness outdraws the NBA every year now. Instead of the NBA embracing that their junior disivion is doing so well the NBA has spent the last ten years attacking College Basketball. They've lowered the draft age, created the G-League as an alternative, etc. I'm telling you so many problems stem from this. March Madness is an opportunity for guys to grow themselves as brands before entering the league. Just see how it works in the NFL. If these guys spent 3-4 years in college building their brand rather than 1 or 0 the NBA would have more people in the league that casual sports fans would know. The WNBA point is so close to the mark why I think NBA ratings aren't what they could be. How did Clark and Reece grow their brand? How did they get that exposure? March Madness. NBA needs to raise the draft class age and cut the G-League out. If anything I would start encouraging international stars to go play at least two years in college before coming to the NBA. All I'm saying is MJ, Magic, and Bird became stars in college then blew up in the league and the league ratings followed. Lebron and Kobe became stars in the NBA and the league ratings started taking a dive. I don't think that's just a conisidence.
The amount of fatigue, wear, and tear that players accumulate is compounded by lack of recovery time. Freak accidents happen but players being able to rest and recover more frequently definitely extends their longevity. The reason that injury prone players are load managing is because they are injury prone and need more time for their body to heal.
It might be hard to schedule, but at least one game that isn't played at 1 in the morning in europe would increase them. I live in Spain, we have one of the "earliest" time zones and every night I check the schedule and the earliest game is at 1:30 with like 10 games per season that happen at 22:00
Jxmmy made a video that even if theyre not shooting threes well, it still makes the game easier and more effecient
My dumbass thought my from the thumbnail, that he was going to talk about NBA2K player ratings😭😭😭
It is just uninteresting as college basketball is. I'd rather watch college football and that's coming from Australian. lol.
People dog on the MLB for being boring but at least you get to watch a game like holy. You can go an entire inning in MLB without seeing an ad and every inning doesn't have a set time where it ends so you're getting uninterrupted sports for a solid 20 minutes at least but basketball? It feels like there's an ad every minute. Foul? AD. Player tweaks a foot? AD. Timeout? You bet there gonna squeeze in an AD. It's just ADS!!!
You really only need to watch the fourth quarter of NBA games- a cliche but true. Moreover, flopping really needs to be stopped. Flopping is on the decline in soccer, yet totally taking off in pro basketball, largely thanks to LeBron James. Yes, when the most famous player in your league is also the biggest drama queen and flopper- it's a problem. Basketball is on the decline, and baseball is coming back, baby!
My favorite sports channel is also a massive CoD Zombies fan? The crossover i never knew i needed
@11:06 giving up 26 and 30 points when your offense sucks isn’t that bad actually. That means their defense was on the field all day
The fact that there’s more 3pt volume with no % change is more reason to shoot more 3s.
People talk about piracy streams, like they only started popping out this year. Of course networks/streams shenanigans have a part in that, but there's a problem with the peoduct itself.
It’s because Commissioner Voldemort wants to be “buddy buddy” with the players instead of trying to please the fans.
For me this video explains it very well. i have watched many YT videos pertaining to this topic, but this one is what i can say the best one showing why NBA ratings are down... Its a multi factorial one, but i do believe that they need that NEW STAR that will be the face of NBA... As you look today who is the face of NBA, is it Jokic, Embiid, Tatum, Wemby, Edwards, Luka, SHai etc... of course not, as ESPN and NBA media are still talking about LBJ and Curry...
Could you guys maybe in the future make a video about the decline of the nba media? Especially how they’re not tapping into the storylines already present in the NBA, as well as not creating new and interesting ones?
The easy answer is streaming and most people aren’t willing to pay cable and piracy. Can’t blame them because Cable is high enough why spend extra for league pass when you can stream on other websites for free
Also people not caring much about the regular season as much especially when a bunch of players are injured like the Sixers.
So yeah it’s a number of reasons
i tried getting my girlfriend into the nba. she said the following things
1) way too many commercials/timeouts. especially at the end of close games 3-5 minutes of game time can be stretched to 30 minutes with challenges and time outs. the commercials and all just makes things such a chore and a commitment for the average/casual nba fans
2) too many free throws. she watched celtics vs sixers and she got tired of embiid shooting free throws and just went on her phone (understandable)
3) load management. if you watch celtics vs lakers, you are expecting to watch the star duo of the Jays playing Bron and AD. if both bron and ad sit out, there's really no incentive. if you watch the avengers to watch avengers fight thanos, only to suddenly hear thanos is not fighting the avengers, well no one would watch the movie. not the same i know but i hope it makes sense.
4) kinda connecting to point #1 but is not fun watching teams fouling each other during the end of close games. i get the tactical aspects on why you foul but it's just a hard watch. no one enjoys that.
It's just streameast garunteed if you add their viewership increase to the nba decrease it will equal what we expect
Over reliance on 3s touches on the main problem, but that isn't the whole story. The main problem is that everyone plays the same way, not just in shooting 3s, but in every aspect of the game. There's no players who play much differently than any other player, therefore every game looks the same.
Back in the day Dirk, KG, Tim Duncan, and Chris Webber all played the same position in 4 different ways. Now, there's not much difference between any of the positions, let alone between different guys playing the same position. If you watched today's game in black & white, you couldn't tell the difference between most of the teams.
i was gonna say the over-commercialization. it just seems like they crossed the limit that most fans could handle.. it might just be them trying to squeeze every dollar out of their product.
A lot of people are just catching the TH-cam highlights. They are as long as 8-10 minutes now and you see every important moment. Sometimes they post the last 5-6 minutes of a game uncut when the most important info happens. People have continued to cut cable at at rapid pace as well. I think the NBA caving into TH-cam helped the product but hurt the ratings.
For me the biggest two reasons are availabilty of the games and the number of high end talent missing games. Make it easier to access any game without the shit nba app, reduce market blackouts and many more people will likely be willing to pay to watch. Also who wants to watch a mid season game when both teams are missing their two best players
16:12 Was not expecting one of my favorite games of all time referenced in one of y'all's videos lol
For me it's the games are just not very fun to watch anymore, the product just isn't very good
I think an unexplored reason is that this is a consequence of parity. No multiyear dynasties means no growing wave to crest the mainstream wall. The biggest eras for ratings saw superstars repeatedly compete year in and year out. Now with six different champions in the last six years, instead of a casual draw of can the dominant team do it again, we have an any given team can win. Fewer viewers, but not necessarily worse. Parity appeals to the hardcore fans who still pay attention to bad teams. That and two top 5 players in the league's teams are the worst in the league right now.
Besides 3s, the fact that they haven’t marketed the younger guys over the years has hurt the product. Giannis Jokić and Embiid are all about to turn 30. Yet Bron is 39, Steph is 36, and are still faces the league.
I still think it has a lot more to do with how expensive and inaccessible it is to watch games with all the streaming services and blackouts than it does with the 3 pointers and basketball play itself
Every team runs the same offense, flopping is not only overlooked, it's actively rewarded, carrying and traveling are legal, and the current game has rendered two positions, 80% of the court, and defense completely irrelevant.
Change the rules, the court, or both.
I think for the nba, they need argument and image. With MJ you could argue was he inevitable, a ball hog, graceful? Or blessed with a whistle? Clutch, a leader? Same with Lebron.
Oh and obviously dynasties and high peaks. Certain stats draw people, not generic 25 and 6 (which is wild to say)
For me it’s lack of defense they give to many fouls for nothing, another thing is it’s to expensive to actually watch games live in arena or just watch it’s to many streaming platforms
Here's the math I use to dispel the notion shooting 3s is more efficient: Last year's 3 point percentage of 35.8 is 107.4 points per 100 shots. Which means if you shoot 100 2 point shots, you only have to make 53.7% to match. Last season the NBA average for 2s was 54.5% and that isn't even calculating potential And1s which are almost non-existent in 3 point attempts.
Think about it. If you shot league average from both ranges, you could average 5 more points per 100 attempts shooting all 2's than all 3s depending on how many And1s. Am I wrong?
W Kino Teleporter transition
What the hell zombies got a whole section?? When we linking
3 things) I think the idea of expanding the arc to the sidelines is a cool idea. No more standing in the corner
2) fouls/complaining needs addressed. Why do the Lakers have +500 per season?! Also, biggest stars like Luca, Embiid, Bron complaining is a bad look. They are supposed to be these big tough talented guys, but they go whiney baby 10+ times a game
1) carry/travel needs to be called. It's such a widespread problem we have arguments at local courts over gather and palming
They do a poor job of communicating and allowing people to actually watch games. Also the media which includes former players that constantly shit on today’s game. Everything else is just chatting.
I mean, to get a contract like that, have a team believe in you and invest in you, to just give up on the team like that says a lot about ben’s character