The NBA had been thriving. Ever since 2014 (post-Donald Sterling incident), it seemed like the NBA as a league had been on Cloud Nine. It had been raking in the revenue while it’s popularity steadily increased, with very few big controversies or incidents. The NBA was flourishing all while the NFL was embroiled in controversy after controversy. It appeared as if the NBA could do no wrong.
However, this season is not going as smoothly, to say the least. One of the biggest issues currently facing the league is that NBA TV ratings are struggling. With viewership on ESPN, TNT and NBA TV being down 15% according to Nielsen figures, it seems fewer people are tuning in to watch regular-season games.
Along with its China conflict (a delicate situation requiring a separate article to get into), the NBA is suddenly faced with popularity and revenue issues that no one saw coming. In this article, we’ll dive into what could be the drivers behind the sudden drop in TV ratings; and what the NBA could do to solve some of these issues.
The Injury Bug and NBA TV Ratings
One of the biggest problems facing the league right now is the easiest to explain. Injuries. No one likes them; every one hates them, but they are intrinsically a part of sports. They happen every year, but it seems that this year is an especially brutal one for the NBA. This has been especially true when it comes to bigger stars.
It actually began last season, when the league lost two huge stars. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will miss this whole season due to Achilles and ACL tears, (respectively) in last season’s NBA Finals. In addition, Zion Williamson, Paul George, Victor Oladipo and John Wall were also shelved to start this year.
Then the season got underway, and we immediately lost Steph Curry to a broken hand. Add in less severe but still significant injuries to Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley, Lonzo Ball; and hefty suspensions to Deandre Ayton and John Collins. Many of the young, up-and-coming teams that NBA fans were excited to watch this year (Kings, Hawks, Pelicans, Nets) have lost some of their appeal. When fans’ favorite players don’t play, the fans won’t watch. It is as simple as that.
No Historic Dynasty to Root For or Against
Regardless of whether or not you are a fan of them, there is no denying that the Golden State Warriors have been a huge attraction for the league in the last half-decade, having gone to five straight NBA Finals. People either loved the dominant Warriors or loved to hate them. Either way, people tuned in to watch them.
Besides how fun they were to watch play, their historic rivalry with the Cavaliers was also a great storyline for the league. The Warriors and Cavaliers met a record four consecutive times in the finals. Although people were complaining that they were tired of the rivalry, it resulted in some of the most-watched finals games in NBA history. Now the rivalry is dead and the Warriors and Cavaliers are both tanking. That leaves a large void left in the league that teams are struggling to fill. People love a good supervillain to root against. Currently, the league is lacking a clear front runner for that role.
Talk to me when he does it in the playoffs…
If you go on NBA Twitter much, you will see this phrase or something like it quite often. It is a go-to argument for when people want to slow down the hype for players balling out in the regular season. However, I think that this way of thinking has really taken a hold of the league’s fans and players as well.
It began with the 2015-16 Warriors. Ever since they went all out to win 73 games and then ran out of steam in the Finals, teams (the Warriors chief among them) shifted their emphasis to being rested and ready for the playoffs. Teams began to almost treat the regular season as an extended pre-season. NBA fans are treating the regular season in a similar fashion.
They see players like James Harden put up insane stats year after year, but almost dismiss it because they don’t see him have that same success in the playoffs. This way of thinking can reduce fans’ interest in watching Harden go bonkers during the regular season. With so much emphasis being put on the playoffs and championships by teams, players, and fans, it is no surprise that regular-season NBA TV ratings are struggling.
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Solutions?
Weather the storm
It may sound simple, but in reality one of the best things the NBA can do here is just wait it out. Time heals all wounds. Given time, players’ injuries will heal and fans’ favorite players will return, giving them reasons to watch again. The NBA is also currently competing with (and losing to) the NFL for the attention of fans. But the NBA should receive another rating boost soon since the NFL season is close to wrapping up. Also, giving the league a few seasons could allow for a new rivalry to develop or a new dynasty to replace the Warriors-Cavs dynamic.
Could Changes in the Schedule Help NBA TV Ratings?
One solution that would actually require doing something on the league’s part would be to shift the regular-season schedule. While Adam Silver is considering some sort of mid-season tournament, a simpler change would just be to shorten the regular season. Doing so would allow for players to take games more seriously and to play harder in the regular season. That could result in more fans tuning in to catch these suddenly exciting and competitive regular-season games.
Overall, the NBA is not going to disappear overnight. It is still an immensely popular league worldwide and given some time and a few tweaks here and there, it should recover from this dip in popularity fairly quickly. I doubt that NBA TV ratings will be struggling for too much longer.
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