2020 End of Season / Playoffs

[nba_4_life]

NBA finals rating are down, even over the Raptors/GSW finals numbers last year when the Canadian numbers wouldn't have counted.

Why?

-lebron has become boring and predictable. Maybe fans are sick of him having to form super teams to win titles (except Cleveland)
-Miami was a Cinderella story but not the dream matchup that Giannis or the Celtics would have been
-First two games were not competitive and it looked like a boring sweep was incoming
-Certain percentage of fans don't want political messages mixed with their sports yet remaining silent on atrocities in China
-Finals up against other sport finals and still others starting up
-Bubble and no fan attendance both sucked

Anything else?

I think one of the biggest reasons for the lower ratings is the political stances (china,etc.) and the fact that the outcome is some what predictable. Lebron being "boring" has nothing to do with the lower ratings, it can be debated that he is the reason why its this high otherwise would have been way lower if he wasn't there. Another factor to add to the reason of lower rating can be attributed to the many injures to high level players this year, (curry, klay, durant, irving, wall, etc). As much as people hate super teams, super teams help the league a lot with regards to ratings. Casual fans only watch if stars are playing. Casual fans are not watching Butler and co in the finals. Other points you mentioned also plays a big roll, especially the presence of other popular sports like NFL and MLB, which normally wouldn't have started if the NBA did not shut down and the finals occurred in June.

[G__Deane]

I think one of the biggest reasons for the lower ratings is the political stances (china,etc.) and the fact that the outcome is some what predictable. Lebron being "boring" has nothing to do with the lower ratings, it can be debated that he is the reason why its this high otherwise would have been way lower if he wasn't there. Another factor to add to the reason of lower rating can be attributed to the many injures to high level players this year, (curry, klay, durant, irving, wall, etc). As much as people hate super teams, super teams help the league a lot with regards to ratings. Casual fans only watch if stars are playing. Casual fans are not watching Butler and co in the finals. Other points you mentioned also plays a big roll, especially the presence of other popular sports like NFL and MLB, which normally wouldn't have started if the NBA did not shut down and the finals occurred in June.

Yah I don't really mean bored with lebron as much as not buying into to some sort of historic chase at another ring. Just a manufactured team and a pretty easy route to a less than ideal finals .....

[Maury]

I think one of the biggest reasons for the lower ratings is the political stances (china,etc.) and the fact that the outcome is some what predictable. Lebron being "boring" has nothing to do with the lower ratings, it can be debated that he is the reason why its this high otherwise would have been way lower if he wasn't there. Another factor to add to the reason of lower rating can be attributed to the many injures to high level players this year, (curry, klay, durant, irving, wall, etc). As much as people hate super teams, super teams help the league a lot with regards to ratings. Casual fans only watch if stars are playing. Casual fans are not watching Butler and co in the finals. Other points you mentioned also plays a big roll, especially the presence of other popular sports like NFL and MLB, which normally wouldn't have started if the NBA did not shut down and the finals occurred in June.

I don't think it's got much to do with politics. Mostly a pretty poor product in the finals right now with injuries and a matchup that is not compelling to say the least combined with a boring fan atmosphere.

[S.R.]

I don't think it's got much to do with politics. Mostly a pretty poor product in the finals right now with injuries and a matchup that is not compelling to say the least combined with a boring fan atmosphere.

Yeah, plus MLB playoffs and now football has started. There's a reason NBA usually schedules the playoffs for May-June.

How were the bubble ratings before the Finals?

[G__Deane]

Yeah, plus MLB playoffs and now football has started. There's a reason NBA usually schedules the playoffs for May-June.

How were the bubble ratings before the Finals?

Down a ton
https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/202...akers-blazers/

[DanH]

It's basically impossible to pull meaning from ratings with how different this year is to every other year, just on the bubble/time of year alone.

Certainly it is a reach to think that the political messaging, LeBron fatigue, China stuff, matchups are really drivers when there is a far more obvious explanation. And all that leaves aside the rapid acceleration away from traditional television watching.

[The Great One]

Ratings across ALL major sports are down - not just the NBA. NHL ratings are down, NASCAR, US Open Tennis, Golf, College Football, NFL, WWE, MLB Pennant Race/Playoffs. So why not talk about those sports as well why only single out the NBA? I tell you why, because it doesn't fit their narrative.

[planetmars]

During the pandemic "break" I was thinking a Christmas->August schedule would be nice going forward. Now that we are in the thick of things, and are seeing the playoffs in September/October I've realized how crappy it really is. It's not ending in August, but this is the time of year where I'd be looking forward to a new season, fresh off a summer break.

I hope the NBA can learn from these poor ratings that it would be more prudent for them to shrink the size of next season down to 50 games or something.. and then try to restart the 2021-2022 season in its normal time after a vaccine is most likely ready, during which arenas can probably open up safely. Better long term solution then to continue jamming in a lot of games in a weird ass schedule that just kills the ratings for the sport.

[G__Deane]

During the pandemic "break" I was thinking a Christmas->August schedule would be nice going forward. Now that we are in the thick of things, and are seeing the playoffs in September/October I've realized how crappy it really is. It's not ending in August, but this is the time of year where I'd be looking forward to a new season, fresh off a summer break.

I hope the NBA can learn from these poor ratings that it would be more prudent for them to shrink the size of next season down to 50 games or something.. and then try to restart the 2021-2022 season in its normal time after a vaccine is most likely ready, during which arenas can probably open up safely. Better long term solution then to continue jamming in a lot of games in a weird ass schedule that just kills the ratings for the sport.

I don't watch much NFL so shortly we'll have zero NBA, NHL and MLB until at least after Christmas. Going to be a crappy Fall major sports-wise

[KeonClark]

The ratings are low for ONE major reason ONLY:

COVID.

Guys, this no fan atmosphere is not appealing. Yeah, we're watching, but the hardcore fan is not the demographic they're worried about. Have you guys not noticed that the casual fan is barely aware sports are ongoing? Like, NOBODY gave a rats ass when the Jays made the "playoffs" for the first time since 2016 with a surprising young team. In normal years you'd be hearing about it everywhere. Here in Calgary, nobody gave a rats behind about the Flames being in the playoffs, when normally its around the water cooler, in the streets, texting with friends. No buzz.

Its a) covid atmosphere (crappy bubble, time of year etc), and b) covid/BLM/tense life we live now. Sports seems so meagre and inconsequential. They've been pushed back to page 9.

But either way they both tie back to the same root. Covid is reeeeallly hurting professional sports.

[inthepaint]

Ratings across ALL major sports are down - not just the NBA. NHL ratings are down, NASCAR, US Open Tennis, Golf, College Football, NFL, WWE, MLB Pennant Race/Playoffs. So why not talk about those sports as well why only single out the NBA? I tell you why, because it doesn't fit their narrative.

I think people are interested in sports just as much as they've been in the past. If anything with the rise of internet communities to discuss sports over the past 5-8 yrs, fans are even more engaged. The difference over the past few years is that more and more people watch it online as opposed to traditional TV, so the rates there will be down regardless of what's on, across all leagues. The problem (for them) is not with the product, it's with the delivery.

They're stuck in the dinosaur age where a lot of the delivery is through bloated cable TV packages, and the younger generations are moving further and further away from that. The leagues need to come up with a way to deliver their content online through a subscription service that is lean, affordable, recordable, high image quality, and mobile (so you don't have to be by your box/dish to watch).

It's what Netflix/Amazon Prime managed to do with movies and shows and now are also producing (and delivering) their own content. If sports leagues came up with a way to deliver their seasons the same way drama/action seasons are delivered through Netflix/Prime, and on top of that added an interactive interface where fans could talk about the games and their teams, plus an interface where product (like Jerseys could be sold), plus a spot for sponsors/ads they'd have so much subscribers and revenue they wouldn't have to worry about "ratings" anymore. I think that will come (sports are the last bastion of cable), but it will be a while.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Can only speak for myself. Lebron and butler and lakers and heat are not worth cheering for

[G__Deane]

Report: Heat’s Bam Adebayo plans to return for Game 4 vs. Lakers

[G__Deane]

Eddie Van Halen, 65 dead of cancer

[The Great One]

I just shake my head everytime I watch Nunn play. This dude is horrible. Somehow he made the All Rookie team? how?