Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game was the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the game

[Quattro]

If you don't like the way the NBA is played nowadays, don't watch it

We dont... hence the lowest rated and least watched all star game ever

So why are you on a basketball forum that discusses the NBA?

Did you not read the thread title? Why can’t nba fans bitch about a sub standard product like the all star game again?

[JayMKE]

silver should stop trying to think up gimmicks and actually make fixes & reversals of previous anticompetitive rule changes

[NBA4Lyfe]

Here’s the real secret and what espn and fs1 know but won’t tell you, lebron by himself is NOT a ratings draw and NEVER has been. His ratings potential has always hinged who on he is playing againist, whether it be in the playoffs or regular season games. I would say off of name only the biggest draws across the nba are Stephen curry, and due to polarization james harden. Harden is probably just under curry when it comes to bringing eyeballs to the screen, look at hardens playoff and Christmas Day tv ratings history involving the rockets/nets and now sixers. Hardens elimination games are generally one the most viewed sporting events on cable during the playoffs

[Vol]

Can't lie, I'm thrilled with this news. Hopefully it leads to fixing it somehow and not outright cancelling it.

This was the first ASG I had tuned in for for several years. I made it through the second quarter, and that's only because I fell victim to the sunk cost fallacy. After enduring the first quarter: "Damn this is so bad, I don't want to watch this. But I moved my schedule around to watch, might as well see it through." One more quarter was all I could stomach. Won't be making that mistake again.

[JujitsuFlip]

It's impossible to legally watch the NBA without cable. I can watch the NFL with a $20 digital antenna from Wal-Mart for free, outside of TNF and MNF.

[Onus]

How did this lack of competitive spirit infiltrate the nba?

[LAvision]

It's impossible to legally watch the NBA without cable. I can watch the NFL with a $20 digital antenna from Wal-Mart for free, outside of TNF and MNF.

Ya, this is another huge problem for the league and why the nfl is running laps on them.

[SK21209]

A lot of discussion around the lackluster All Star game this week has started with "well I don't blame the players because the incentives...". I absolutely blame the players. Of all the solutions that have been thrown out to improve the watchability of the All Star game and even the regular season, the simplest is for the players to care more. They could decide tomorrow that they care more about winning any given game because every game is a competition against the other guy. They talk about how much they idolize Kobe only to stay up on a Twitch stream until 2am and then sit out for the week with a sore ankle.

There are plenty of problems with the modern game; ridiculous pro-offense and anti-physicality officiating, load management, over-importance of the three-point shot, too many uniforms, etc. The core problem with the league is the players don't care about the games very much. I don't care if it "makes sense" to minimize risk of injury, it makes the product I consume worse so I blame them for it.

[Ballerhogger]

There’s no need for all star game anymore . The nfl has flag football game now . Really it’s pointless at this point

[Pennebaker]

This is an interesting bit:

The record-low audience places the NBA All-Star Game well behind this year’s “reimagined” Pro Bowl, which drew 6.28 million across ESPN, ABC and DisneyXD. It also ranks further behind the leader in All-Star viewership, the MLB All-Star Game (7.51M). Even at a record-low, the NBA All-Star Game still ranks as the highest rated in adults 18-49 (1.8) and 18-34 (1.5).

As should surprise no one, the All-Star Game was no match for the Daytona 500 earlier in the day (4.4, 8.17M) — though even at a record-low, it comfortably outdrew Daytona in adults 18-49 (1.8 to 1.4) and 18-34 (1.5 to 0.8). Overall, the All-Star Game was Sunday’s top television program in 18-49 and 18-34 and tied Daytona for the top spot in 25-54 (1.93).

So it still did well with the 18-49 and 18-35 demographic, but people under 18 and over 49 didn't watch. I'm okay with that.

[jokeboy86]

It's impossible to legally watch the NBA without cable. I can watch the NFL with a $20 digital antenna from Wal-Mart for free, outside of TNF and MNF.

Ya, this is another huge problem for the league and why the nfl is running laps on them.

I will never understand why the NBA and its teams insisted on putting more of their product on cable instead of basic tv. I mean I do get it because ESPN/TNT were willing to give the league gobs of money for the rights all these years but even the NFL who makes far more money than the NBA wouldnt put so much of their main product on cable especially not their semifinals.

[RalphWiggum]

It’s almost like fans don’t give a **** when the players clearly don’t.

Pat yourselves on the back current generation of stars. As if you don’t get enough load management days already.

With the exception of the odd hyped match up in which a couple guys would play hard defense against one another for a few possessions the players haven't cared for a very long time. This is nothing new.

The regular season's shortcomings are starting to affect overall fan interest.

The season is way too long.
Players sit out way too much.
Players force trades way too much.
Ticket prices in many markets are way too expensive.
There's way too many 3 pointers.
The refs screw up way too much.
They're matched up against the NFL for way too long.

The league needs to take a hard look at some drastic changes if they want the NBA to return to its former glory.

[Pablo Escobar]

It has potential to be the greatest pickup game fans can see. These guys go harder in those rico hines runs in the summer yet I never hear about risk of injury lol. These players are pathetic and I'm glad the ratings reflected how shyt the game actually was.

[JShuttlesworth]

The entire weekend was bad to be honest, just a poorly done event all around. Some of it's on the NBA, some of it is on the players. But that was bad

I don't like what they've done to the rising stars game, I don't like what they've done to the dunk contest, and I definitely don't like what the All-Star game has deteriorated to. That whole thing was just so pathetic, the players in the All-Star game should be embarrassed about that

[gusman]

I used to watch the nba and was a die hard fan. I have not watched a full game in 4 years. I don’t even have a desire to take my son to a game. The product is absolutely awful. No one plays defense. I just find it boring and the fact that the players make millions of dollars and could care less about winning pushes me all the further. The league died when players like Tim Duncan, Kobe and Dirk retired.

[Sprewell4Three]

I'm saying how did we get here where players launching 3's from half court is "cool" now? Terrible shot selection is now being applauded. This current NBA looks like a glorified pick up game to me. Bunch of dudes launching 3's and layups. Any bump from a player is a foul. Trash basketball man.

[LAvision]

It's impossible to legally watch the NBA without cable. I can watch the NFL with a $20 digital antenna from Wal-Mart for free, outside of TNF and MNF.

Ya, this is another huge problem for the league and why the nfl is running laps on them.

I will never understand why the NBA and its teams insisted on putting more of their product on cable instead of basic tv. I mean I do get it because ESPN/TNT were willing to give the league gobs of money for the rights all these years but even the NFL who makes far more money than the NBA wouldnt put so much of their main product on cable especially not their semifinals.

I'm guessing they were short signed and took the money and thought the everyone has cable for life days were forever, cord cutting is a real issue for the league.

Bomani Jones had an interesting piece on his HBO show this week about overtime elite. He basically highlighted that it seems that maybe basketball is headed to more importance on content creation of players than the games. It makes sense, so many now just watch highlight videos, IG reels, and are player fans than actual teams fans. So maybe the NBA doesn't care about the actual games as it should. Scary what could lie in the future.

[Lunartic]

The answer is and always has been ditch the ASG for a 1v1 and 2v2 tournaments.

For 2v2- All stars starters can select all star reserves as their partners. Create a mini-tournament with 1st/2nd/3rd place prizes ranging from 10m-2m payouts.

1v1 tournament is available to any all-stars and similar prizes.

First to 21, 2's and 3's.

Everyone would tune in to watch

KD/Curry vs Kyrie/Lebron
Giannis/Jokic vs Tatum/Embiid
Luka vs Lebron
Harden vs Butler

tons of interesting combinations and players are more likely to take it a bit more seriously with so much money on the line as well as them getting embarrassed by getting lit up 1v1.

Admit it, it's the best possible idea and you would watch it

[JDR720]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2142486-nba-reportedly-considering-extending-length-of-all-star-break

when the players asked for a longer break after All-Star Weekend you know the era of rest has gone off the deep end.

Silver is pro-player to a fault. He's practically letting the players run the league, which isn't a good thing. They provide a product to the fans, they shouldn't be allowed to half-ass the All-Star game (which is for the fans, not the players) and sit out whenever they feel like during the regular season.

[garrick]

How about doing it like the NFL Pro bowl and have it after the end of the finals?