NBA ratings down, Adam Silver: "World series and election played a role"

[pilkoids]

Hadn't seen this posted. I think the main issue is the easy access to illegal streams and difficulty finding games on tv...

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[OakleyDokely]

I don't know, maybe it's because people need 2-4 different subscriptions or pay a big cable bill to watch the games.

Sports leagues make it very difficult for fans to follow, so a lot of younger people now just follow the drama on social media for free or just find streams.

But as long as these leagues keep getting record breaking tv contracts, nothing will change and ratings will continue to decline.

[xAIRNESSx]

I'm sure they'll be fine

[Raps in 4]

Fewer and fewer people are willing to pay $200/month for cable, especially in the current economic climate. Make watching sports more accessible and ratings will soar.

[positivetension]

I haven't paid for cable in a decade but if league pass didn't blackout local games, I'd happily pay for it.

[TorontoBarneys]

Fewer and fewer people are willing to pay $200/month for cable, especially in the current economic climate. Make watching sports more accessible and ratings will soar.

The only reason I even have cable is because of the Raps and Rogers packaging it in with the internet (what I really needed). Cable is trash.

[mieshpal]

Cable

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[raptor jesus]

I used to have league pass, and watched at least a couple games a night. Now I pretty much just watch Raptors games during the regular season. The level of skill in the game has never been higher, but the product is pretty bad right now imo. Most teams play the same style, the league shifted too far to favouring the offense, the game flow is terrible i.e. foul calls, reviews, and players sit out so many games.

[Potential]

Everyone uses illegal streams

Highlights too easy to access through IG Twitter and YouTube. Lots of casuals that just wanna see the quick 10 minute highlights on YouTube and all the top highlight clips that you see on IG and Twitter. So they don't feel the need to watch a game

Everyone is always injured ruining big matchups like yesterday OKC vs Spurs on TNT was only scheduled because of Wemby vs Chet and both of them were out

3 point shooting and high scoring games too overwhelming. 3 pointers used to feel like it was a big shot making it feel more hyped. Now it's on every other possession. Same with players having high scoring games. It doesn't feel as special anymore because so many players average 25+ and a lot of players even role players are scoring 30 40 or 50+ every night

[Kingsway_fan]

Hadn't seen this posted. I think the main issue is the easy access to illegal streams and difficulty finding games on tv...

Read on Twitter

Here come the excuses... how about the product? Three point bs non stop... chuckfest

Lame , lame, lame ....

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

They get paid out from the Chinese government for a bunch of the "illegal streams", from my understanding. As crazy as that sounds. They cut some deal at a governmental level.

Other than that, it's the reduced product(threes) and all the gambling. You can't watch the game with your kid, unless you want them growing up with a gambling problem.

[Scase]

Definitely not the product, couldn't possibly be that. It's been declining YoY, but it's totally because of the elections and world series.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Not to mention the game fixing problem, see last year (Porter).

[ItsDanger]

Some games have same intensity as all star games from 30 years ago (someone on YT made a video comparison about it and it's quite surprising when compared directly). The product has suffered for multiple reasons.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Some games have same intensity as all star games from 30 years ago (someone on YT made a video comparison about it and it's quite surprising when compared directly). The product has suffered for multiple reasons.

It's a totally different game at this point. The physicality was totally removed.

[raps14]

Lot's of reasons viewership is down. Cancelling of cable and illegal streams. The game is mostly 3 point shooting, not many big dunks, teams resting players and injuries and in general the modern NBA player is not as intense as the previous generations, everything is too nice and produced.

[elmer_yuck]

Games are boring. Too many 3’s.
League is too stubborn to admit their product sucks.

[douggood]

82 semi meaningless games are too much for me now. majority of it is me growing up and having other things to do, but its also the other media consumption options i have, lack of cable plus me not subscribibing to multiple sports streaming service to watch a handful of games i would watch barely. me getting turned off by the sheer amount of ads(i sit there and wonder how much money do they make from "3rd quarter stats brought to you by <insert name here>", it must be pennies compared to the tix revenue, food revenue, the 77 billion tv package etc.

also i dont bet so that doesn't draw me to the games.

even when i am offered tix to the game, i turn it down unless i know of someone i want to take with me who wants to go. its a chore to go there(and i live walking distance), and the experience there is the same, same songs, same video package every game.
even the stadium experience doesn't put effort in, i went to the season opener cause i just assume they would do something special during the intro and it was the nothing and the player intro was some of the most half hearted thing ever.


also election ratings were down as well. and the world series was 5 games in 1 week.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

The tournament too, it sucks. Who cares.

[ontnut]

Make it easier/cheaper for people to watch the games on TV.
For us Toronto fans - make Rogers or whatever cable provider provide proper 1080p streaming at a minimum.