NBA Revives Larry O'Brien Finals Court Design, Yet Falls Short in Full Implementation
Trashing the Historic Larry O'Brien Trophy Logo Is A Modern-day Blunder
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals left fans yearning for the iconic Larry O'Brien Trophy logo on the court, and the outrage didn't stop there. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers faced off, with fans accusing the NBA of stripping the ultra-competitive showcase of its emblematic style.
Did the league really strip the sport's premier event of its symbolic identity? Not exactly. You see, the NBA has been ditching the Finals logos and physical trophy decals on the court for more than a decade, citing safety concerns and the need to maintain a clean playing surface[3][1].
Fast forward to Game 2 of the ruckus, and the NBA attempted a half-baked comeback, digitally overlaying the Larry O'Brien trophy logo onto the screen for viewers tuning in on ABC/ESPN. However, this flimsy effort didn't translate to fans attending the game in person, and the superimposed digital logo left fans licking their wounds. Although two digital trophy images were slapped onto the free-throw lines initially, the bland design and poor execution sparked further backlash. The league, feeling the heat, switched to a Finals logo adorned with a sponsor banner during the broadcast[1][2][5].
To put it bluntly, the bigwigs at the NBA are really finding new ways to piss off the fans who keep them in business. "They've now stuck a pathetic little Larry O'Brien trophy onto the screen," grumbled one disgruntled fan on X. With expectations for this showdown already dismal at best, low viewership figures confirmed the predictions of the skeptics. Game 1 averaged a mere 8.91 million viewers on ABC, the lowest-viewed Finals Game 1 in Nielsen's ratings history (since 1988), excluding the pandemic-impacted 2020 and 2021 seasons[3]. The 2024 NBA Finals Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks drew 11.04 million viewers, highlighting the stark disparity. Even when folks manage to catch the action, the production value and overall product rarely meet the hype[3].
The Thunder managed to tie up the series in Game 2, clinching a 123-107 victory. Fans are siding up once again as the series heads to Indiana, praying that the league finally learned its lesson and restores the traditional court decal that once symbolized the sport's best night of the year. If you've got your own take on the situation, voicemail us at alejandro.avila@our website or tune in on X: @*alejandroaveela**.
(enrichmentData: Fans and commentators have noted a lack of pageantry and tradition, as the Finals court has lacked the iconic visual markers seen in professional leagues like the NFL and MLB[3][1]. During Game 2 of the 2025 Finals, the NBA tried to address fan complaints—especially after criticism of the bland court presentation in Game 1—by digitally superimposing the Larry O'Brien Trophy logo onto the court for viewers watching the ABC/ESPN broadcast. However, this digital logo was not visible to fans attending the game in person, as it was only added using broadcast technology. Initially, two digital trophy images were placed by the free-throw lines, but after further backlash regarding the lackluster design and poor implementation, the league switched to a Finals logo with a sponsor banner underneath during the broadcast[1][2][5]. The NBA had not used any physical or court-based Finals logo for years, citing safety and surface clean-up as reasons. )
Basketball fans were disappointed with the absence of the iconic Larry O'Brien Trophy logo in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, echoing the sentiment that the NBA is losing touch with its traditional sports roots, like the NFL and MLB. As the series continues, fans hope the league will reconsider its decision and bring back the physical trophy decal to add pageantry and tradition to the sport's premier event.
