I don't understand the ASG Dooming

[ryguy613]

Don't get me wrong, I find NBA All Star Weekend as unwatchable as the next guy, but I think some people are going a little overboard in response. I don't really see how the decline of the ASG is indicative of a league in decline. Where is this smoke for the NFL? The Pro Bowl has been a complete joke for longer period of time, and I dont think Ive ever heard anyone claim that the sky is falling because of it. I've heard minor grumblings about how pointless the Pro Bowl is, and how they should just get rid of it, yet I dont hear people talking about how the league is ruined, or the players are spoiled. What's the difference exactly? Why is it no big deal for the NFL, but its outrageous for the NBA?

[Black Mage]

Don't get me wrong, I find NBA All Star Weekend as unwatchable as the next guy, but I think some people are going a little overboard in response. I don't really see how the decline of the ASG is indicative of a league in decline. Where is this smoke for the NFL? The Pro Bowl has been a complete joke for longer period of time, and I dont think Ive ever heard anyone claim that the sky is falling because of it. I've heard minor grumblings about how pointless the Pro Bowl is, and how they should just get rid of it, yet I dont hear people talking about how the league is ruined, or the players are spoiled. What's the difference exactly? Why is it no big deal for the NFL, but its outrageous for the NBA?

Apples to oranges. NFL is a contact sport. The entire point of the game is players hitting each other. Serious injuries are a real risk.

The NBA players just aren't giving effort, period. It's extremely unlikely that playing competitively will result in a serious injury.

[bisme37]

I watch the ASG with low expectations. It's usually fun for me.

Last night I thought the basketball parts were good. A bit more competitive than recent years. There were still guys playing no defense and chucking stupid shots, but at least some of the players tried to change it up and play a real game. I'm really not asking for much over here haha.

Problem was there was very little basketball (even less than usual with the new format), and the rest of the broadcast was a nightmare. Like, I usually don't even complain about this stuff and I was legit angry lol.

I don't blame the NBA for that. It was TNT. An extremely arrogant group of people who thought we were watching for them instead of the players and game. It was like an intentional middle finger to the NBA (and fans) for not renewing their contract, and it put a bow on their era of terrible NBA coverage. They just wanted sell as many commercials as possible and then congratulate themselves and insult the product nonstop while we were trying to enjoy it. Yikes.

Edit: I guess I was supposed to mention the NFL but I don't know or care about that haha. I'm a basketball fan.

[nbanflguy]

The NFL is setting new ratings records every year. The pro bowl has never mattered to anyone under 12 years old. The NFL doesn’t act like it matters. No one is passionate about the pro bowl.

The All Star game and the weekend in general used to matter. We had stars like MJ in the dunk contest. Players were competitive and prideful and didn’t want to lose the all star game. There was some effort. The NBA markets the all star game like it’s a big deal. It’s supposed to matter

[thamadkant]

Only playoffs really matter... that is when stars try their best... but officiating is still bad so results and outcomes are still ridiculous or questionable.

All Star weekend is a joke... a big joke that needs yo be removed or reformed for the better. Players should pay to turn up... and the winning team splits the winning. 1M entry for each all star and winner walks away with 2M each. This alone will remove laziness and friendly defense.

[ryguy613]

The NFL is setting new ratings records every year. The pro bowl has never mattered to anyone under 12 years old. The NFL doesn’t act like it matters. No one is passionate about the pro bowl.

The All Star game and the weekend in general used to matter. We had stars like MJ in the dunk contest. Players were competitive and prideful and didn’t want to lose the all star game. There was some effort. The NBA markets the all star game like it’s a big deal. It’s supposed to matter

...youre kinda making my point for me. The Pro Bowl doesnt matter and the ratings are skyrocketting. And you're saying thats ok because it never mattered and that everyone knows it doesnt matter and doesnt care. So I guess by that logic... if people realize that the All Star Game doesnt matter and stop caring, its the same thing.

[ryguy613]

Don't get me wrong, I find NBA All Star Weekend as unwatchable as the next guy, but I think some people are going a little overboard in response. I don't really see how the decline of the ASG is indicative of a league in decline. Where is this smoke for the NFL? The Pro Bowl has been a complete joke for longer period of time, and I dont think Ive ever heard anyone claim that the sky is falling because of it. I've heard minor grumblings about how pointless the Pro Bowl is, and how they should just get rid of it, yet I dont hear people talking about how the league is ruined, or the players are spoiled. What's the difference exactly? Why is it no big deal for the NFL, but its outrageous for the NBA?

Apples to oranges. NFL is a contact sport. The entire point of the game is players hitting each other. Serious injuries are a real risk.

The NBA players just aren't giving effort, period. It's extremely unlikely that playing competitively will result in a serious injury.

Its also extremely unlikely that a single Pro Bowl game will result in any one player getting hurt. Injuries happen all the time in both sports, but the odds of them happening in any given game are of course slim. Yes, the chances are greater for the Pro Bowl, but contact DOES happen in a competitive NBA game so they have as much a chance of getting hurt then as they would during any other game... so if there is no incentive to put your body on the line why would you?

[nbanflguy]

The NFL is setting new ratings records every year. The pro bowl has never mattered to anyone under 12 years old. The NFL doesn’t act like it matters. No one is passionate about the pro bowl.

The All Star game and the weekend in general used to matter. We had stars like MJ in the dunk contest. Players were competitive and prideful and didn’t want to lose the all star game. There was some effort. The NBA markets the all star game like it’s a big deal. It’s supposed to matter

...youre kinda making my point for me. The Pro Bowl doesnt matter and the ratings are skyrocketting. And you're saying thats ok because it never mattered and that everyone knows it doesnt matter and doesnt care. So I guess by that logic... if people realize that the All Star Game doesnt matter and stop caring, its the same thing.

Yeah except the nba has lost like half its television audience since the 90’s. There is a very loud audience of people not liking what the game has become and are tuning out. Adam Silver has acknowledged that. The players have acknowledged it. The national Media is finally starting to acknowledge it. The All Star game is just the annual reminder that it is not what it was once. You’re saying the solution is to just forget about the past and stop caring? Idk if that will work out for the NBA like you hope it will

[ItsDanger]

I watch the all star game like I do when I see an accident on the highway.

[ryguy613]

The NFL is setting new ratings records every year. The pro bowl has never mattered to anyone under 12 years old. The NFL doesn’t act like it matters. No one is passionate about the pro bowl.

The All Star game and the weekend in general used to matter. We had stars like MJ in the dunk contest. Players were competitive and prideful and didn’t want to lose the all star game. There was some effort. The NBA markets the all star game like it’s a big deal. It’s supposed to matter

...youre kinda making my point for me. The Pro Bowl doesnt matter and the ratings are skyrocketting. And you're saying thats ok because it never mattered and that everyone knows it doesnt matter and doesnt care. So I guess by that logic... if people realize that the All Star Game doesnt matter and stop caring, its the same thing.

Yeah except the nba has lost like half its television audience since the 90’s. There is a very loud audience of people not liking what the game has become and are tuning out. Adam Silver has acknowledged that. The players have acknowledged it. The national Media is finally starting to acknowledge it. The All Star game is just the annual reminder that it is not what it was once. You’re saying the solution is to just forget about the past and stop caring? Idk if that will work out for the NBA like you hope it will

Im saying the All Star Game has nothing to do with decline in ratings. the best All Star Game in the history of the league isnt turning the ship around. Do you really think its a coincidence that the NBA's popularity peak coincided with the ascension of the games biggest mega giant superstar? the guy that put Nike on the map? The guy that the NBA literally marketed to the entire planet? The NBA didnt just "go woke" after the 90's, or whatever it is you're arguing happened. We had a whole Lakers/Spurs era that was all about hard nosed basketball, and the ratings were not what they were in the 90's.

Besides, I really dont think its as dire as you are claiming it is. The NBA audience is still gigantic. Its just being dwarfed by the NFL... like literally everything else on network TV. The teams are worth more than theyve ever been worth. The TV deals are bigger than theyve ever been before. You have multi billion dollar national TV rights bids between the major networks, and you have a younger audience who consume media in a different way. The NBA is not thriving, but its far from the doom and gloom youre painting.

[whatisacenter]

I don't get it either.

A poster earlier said it's not like football because it isn't a contact sport but if the players really were playing like it was a real game then an injury is much more likely than it is with their half assed effort.

I feel the same way about the dumb NBA cup game....the game means nothing and the first time a player suffers a serious injury it will hopefully be the death of it.

[Braggins]

Its mostly just the people who think the 3pt line has ruined the game looking for any excuse to bash the NBA and pretend like it is collapsing or whatever.

[zero rings]

NBA fans are a bunch curmudgeons who like to pretend that everything was better “back in my day”

The ASG was unwatchable 20 years ago. If it’s slightly more unwatchable today, who cares?

[Bornstellar]

I think it just serves as a reminder to most of us that the NBA has no clue what the fans actually want if they think tons of ads, gimmicks, Kevin Hart, and constant interruptions/play stoppages were good ideas heading into All Star weekend and that doesn't bode well for the future

[Baz]

Hard to blame the players for treating the whole thing like a joke when a comedian is yelling into the arena PA while they're playing.

[ryguy613]

Its mostly just the people who think the 3pt line has ruined the game looking for any excuse to bash the NBA and pretend like it is collapsing or whatever.

could be wrong but i get more of a "sports have gone woke" "player empowerment ruined the NBA" "LeBron and Klutch sports secretly run the entire NBA" vibe than a "the 3 point line ruined the game" vibe... though Im sure there is overlap.

[ryguy613]

I think it just serves as a reminder to most of us that the NBA has no clue what the fans actually want if they think tons of ads, gimmicks, Kevin Hart, and constant interruptions/play stoppages were good ideas heading into All Star weekend and that doesn't bode well for the future

I mean they thought they could win people over with Mr. Beast so... that kinda tells you where they are.

[California Gold]

Its mostly just the people who think the 3pt line has ruined the game looking for any excuse to bash the NBA and pretend like it is collapsing or whatever.

The ratings speak for themselves to show where the NBA is at today. Sponsorship money and tv deals are bailing em out but if the trend continues it'll be Silver's ass on the line soon enough.

One thing's for sure, Silver can't make any adjustments without making things worse.

[mastermixer]

I agree with OP. The ASG has been garbage for as long as I can remember. Once a decade we get lucky and the score is close and the players get competitive towards the end and that’s about it.

I have no idea why everyone every year wants to fix the All-Star game. It’s a meaningless game.

[ballzboyee]

Social media has pretty much destroyed the mystique of the NBA athlete so there is really no need for the players to impress fans and maintain that untouchable aura. Media doesn't cover the games or the players like it once did. Sports coverage of the NBA has become more about personality narratives and is no longer highlight driven. Net result is the ASG has become a corporate media event rather than an exhibition of the best of the best. It sucks, but I blame the change primarily on technology giving near unlimited access to players and the shift in the media to focus on debate topics.