how do they calculate these numbers tho? who's to stop them from just giving you random info
2022 NBA Finals on ABC is 5th least-watched series since 1988
- Thread starter FAH1223
- Start date
All facts
9pm is nothing new
The NFL is the only program that has recovered post covid
ABC doesn't do a good job with the product
dora_da_destroyer
Master Baker
Interesting that they only show 9pm and 330pm. There are times in between that they aren't mentioning.
I think the player empowerment has rubbed some people the wrong way as well. We forget how many sports fans - espeically conservative sports fans - are low key resentful of athletes making too much money.
But a big thing could be poor marketing from ABC and lackluster coverage from national networks. When watching the finals and playoffs, it increasingly feels less like a big event. Heat Spurs 2013 and Warriors cavs 2016 were the last time it felt like it was big.
Since then, there's been a weird "apathetic" vibe to the whole thing.
But a big thing could be poor marketing from ABC and lackluster coverage from national networks. When watching the finals and playoffs, it increasingly feels less like a big event. Heat Spurs 2013 and Warriors cavs 2016 were the last time it felt like it was big.
Since then, there's been a weird "apathetic" vibe to the whole thing.
You look at how the Machine, far as the league and mainstream media covered the Bulls in the 90s and the Lakers threepeat team, they went out their way to promote those teams, those players, emphasize their greatness. Plenty of fans was rooting against them, wanting someone to knock them off, but there was interest
Now the coverage is so negative and so reactionary, geared toward tearing down everyone's accomplishments it's counterproductive. Just hot take after hot take about why this player ain't actually that great or that team got lucky
The NBA also done a terrible job of promoting its small market teams and rewarding teams for drafting and developing well. They constantly pushing wishful narratives about every superstar relocating to a big market. The Machine always seemed resentful of the Spurs for example, part of that is their fundamental play and foreign players but if that same team had been in Boston the NBA media would've been swinging from their nuts continually for 15 years
Compare that to the NFL, they will hype hell out of good teams in Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Denver, Buffalo because they understand it's great for business overall. Fans in the smaller markets, when you add em up, are a big percentage of the overall audience and they need to believe their teams can compete. Yeah you still got the same hot take merchants but it's more balanced
IE once again, most people claiming the NBA is in some downturn are speaking out of their asses.
Silver was targeting $10 billion in revenue for 2022 despite challenges in normal TV viewership.
I still have not had one person in this thread explain to me the direct correlation between TV ratings and the league's overall performance. If was true, the NBA would've been at its peak financial performance in the Jordan years and declining in revenue, ad share, and general popularity ever since. That's not the case.
Warriors are the most underwhelming dynasty in NBA history, every finals except 2016 was boring as shyt and their best player was an afterthought in them all except this year 
Facts, and I think it’s because there’s too much dependence on the “next Jordan” marketing plan. If there’s no “next Jordan”’s in the finals who cares?
Couldn’t agree more. I really wish the NBA would pivot away from this bullshyt. Besides, there is no LeBron/Kobe/Jordan in sight so it might make a lot of sense to lay the dead horse that is “the next Jordan” to rest.
Well don’t be surprised if Apple has a slice or big part of new NBA TV deal if they really want it brehs:
PortCityProphet
Follow me to the truth
Do you know why TV money continues to grow for all sports no matter the performance?
Long Live The Kane
Tyrant Titan
ESPN boss Jimmy Pitaro talks plans for NBA
On whether Pitaro sees any scenario where ESPN would not have a portion of the NBA’s next media rights contract given ESPN’s long history in the sport
Pitaro: I sure hope not. It’s an incredibly important property for us. We also see that property as ascending — younger demographics. Right now I think they have more parity than we’ve seen in a long time. We see young stars who are starting to catch on in the zeitgeist. We are incredibly excited about the NBA. We also like what we’ve done. We’re very happy with our team both in front of and behind the camera. I’m talking games. I’m talking about our studio programming.
That being said, do we need to continue to innovate? (NBA commissioner) Adam (Silver) and I have talked about this. Yes. Are these alternative broadcasts that we’ve done solid? They absolutely are. Do we need to be doing more of them? Do we need to be thinking about more innovation around the primary broadcasts? We do. We can’t just sit idle here and be complacent. I know that there’s some discussion around the (ratings) comps to 2019, but we’re very pleased with our numbers for the NBA Finals, especially when you compare them to the past few years. Our sales team has been very happy with our ratings performance. We have a great relationship with the league, and I really want it to continue. Now, we have some time here. We still have three seasons left. So there’s no urgency. But we absolutely would like to extend our partnership with the NBA.
1a. With permission from Sports Business Daily managing editor/digital Austin Karp, the below chart is the NBA Finals viewership trend since 2013. Said Karp: “While Warriors-Celtics was well below the average for many of those matchups before the pandemic, the NBA Finals averaged its highest share of the U.S. TV audience in five years. What does that mean? The overall TV-watching audience continues to decline — whether its news, sports or entertainment programming. But among the remaining U.S. audience, sports is getting a bigger piece of the pie.”
These posts pretty much makes all the concern trolling in this thread moot and pretty silly …Disney is throwing the bag at the league when it comes times to re up the media deal and sparing no expense…not only is live sports one of the few remaining draws on TV, but think about how much of ESPN’s daily talking head programming revolves around the NBA….and multiple tech companies will be making paradigm chasing offers to gain traction in the streaming space….the youth of the fanbase and league’s web presence makes it a no brainer…Universal gave WWE a billion to stream on peacock, Apple gave MLS 2.5 billion…a NBA streaming deal will dwarf both…and can’t come soon IMO…league pass is trash, two many black outs and inconvenient tied to cable packages…I’ve been using illegal streams for years now….kinda rooting for Apple, should be a lot easier if it was folded up into Apple TV across all my devices
It’s never been a question of whether or not ESPN/TNT would throw the bag at the NBA. Of course they will as its content is essentially all they talk about on the network. You better believe though that “rest management“ is going to come up in the discussion especially with the asking price being high as it is.
Of course ESPN isn’t worried about the ratings, but it doesn’t mean that the NBA and Silver aren’t or rose that mid season tournament wouldn’t keep coming up in discussions. The higher the ratings, the more NBA can ask for.