NBA playoff viewership figures are being overstated by the media.
NBA Frenzy
The NBA enthusiasts were officially hyped up last week, learning that viewership for the initial weekend of the playoffs surged by a whopping 17 percent comparing to the previous season.
But we tried our best not to burst their bubble, we informed them the mind-blowing increase was predominantly due to the curiosity about how Luka Doncic and the Lakers would perform in the postseason.
They had been warned.
Since the opening weekend, the NBA hasn't exactly had a bed of roses to lie on. In total, the initial round averaged 3.27 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, recording a modest 4 percent increase year-over-year.
Not great, considering last year's first round was one of the NBA's least popular in decades. Plus, Luka and the Lakers are no longer in the picture. Although the NBA still has the Warriors, Steph Curry succumbed to a hamstring injury Tuesday night, and he might miss the rest of the season.
To put it simply, the narrative that the NBA is on an upward trajectory may not be as accurate as the media wants it to be.
In reality, the regular season was down by 2 percent nationally and a whopping 6 percent locally. Meanwhile, other sports are reaching new heights, with the NFL draft last month and the Kentucky Derby latest weekend setting records.
However, the NBA does have its perks. The past few nights have been thrilling, to say the least. We've witnessed 20-point comebacks, game-winning shots, and nail-biting competition. Plus, the upsets have added some much-needed freshness to a league often criticized for its predictability.
That being said, the NBA still can't compare to its former glory in terms of its universal appeal.
(Photo by EDUARDO LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
One glaring void is the absence of a true heir apparent to LeBron James as the face of the NBA. James will turn 41 next season, and the clock is ticking. The media's been pinning their hopes on Anthony Edwards, but he also has baby mama drama, and he's not even as good as several European players.
Furthermore, regular-season games are still far too irrelevant for casual fans to care about. For crying out loud, several stars sat out for the final few weeks of the season because they simply didn't care.
The product is also marred by excessive three-point shooting, which dilutes the once graceful flow of professional basketball. Make Dunks Great Again.
Lastly, the NBA still struggles to bridge the gap between the league and ordinary Americans—the very people who control the marketplace.
Just like the Democrats, the NBA has paid the price for that disconnect. Appealing to the masses is essential, and that's something that the NBA must actively work towards.
Here's Colin Cowherd discussing this issue in December:
"The NBA ratings are down 48 percent in the last 12 years, and they have plummeted this year. Adam Silver's solution is to make the courts brighter. It's a bad look for a family of four to go to a game and the [stars] don't play," Cowherd said.
"Go ask the Democrats. Be warned, once you detach from regular people in America, you will pay a price."
The NBA has paid that price, just like the Democrats.
We just don't want people like Ryen Russillo to get hurt. Yes, the opening weekend ratings were impressive, but one strong weekend doesn't erase a decade of steady declines.
- Despite the initial surge in viewership for the NBA playoffs, the NBA hasn't exactly had a smooth ride since then, with the first round averaging a modest 4 percent increase year-over-year.
- In contrast to the NBA, other sports like the NFL and Kentucky Derby have been setting records recently, with the NBA still struggling to regain its former universal appeal.
- The NBA's ratings have been in decline for the past 12 years, a fact highlighted by sports broadcaster Colin Cowherd, who cautioned that one strong weekend doesn't erase a decade of steady declines.
- The NBA still faces several challenges, including the lack of a clear heir apparent to LeBron James, the irrelevance of regular-season games for casual fans, the excessive focus on three-point shooting, and the disconnect between the league and ordinary Americans.
