NBA TV Viewership Down: Warriors Dominance to Blame

Post #1 » by **floppymoose** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:43 pm

https://awfulannouncing.com/nba/nba-ratings-are-down-13-locally-and-the-warriors-have-taken-a-shocking-66-local-hit.html

Local ratings for 27 of the NBA’s 30 teams (with the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Toronto Raptors not included) are in at the league’s All-Star Break, and the news is not very good for the Association.

According to the ratings data compiled by the Sports Business Journal, those 27 teams are down 13% on their local RSNs, with 14 of the 27 experiencing declines in viewership. This news follows a similar trend to the national landscape, where ratings have dropped by 12%, from 10% on ESPN to to 13% on TNT and 16% on ABC.

Post #2 » by **Cactus Jack** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:45 pm

Can't blame fans. It's a terrible product for the most part.

Harry Garris · Post #3 » by **Harry Garris** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:45 pm

The ratings drop this year really should not be a surprise. Early in the season there was a ton of the Bad Warriors and Zion-less Pelicans on national TV. Obviously those aren't going to draw large numbers.

kobe_vs_jordan · Post #4 » by **kobe_vs_jordan** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:50 pm

They should put NBA tv on online streaming services like Hulu or stop trying to charge 60 dollars a year for a standalone channel.

HoopsterJones · Post #5 » by **HoopsterJones** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:52 pm

Part of the issue is that two of the biggest markets have downright awful teams (Chicago, New York). It shows in the drop in attendance as well.

Jabroni Lames · Post #6 » by **Jabroni Lames** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:53 pm

IMO, 3 major reasons for lack of current viewer interest:

1) Increased superstar player movement: which is decreasing fan loyalty & emotional connection to the NBA product
2) Championship or Bust mentality: which is decreasing the meaning of the regular season games
3) Lack of Modern Day rivalries: which is related to player movement (1), and also to the playoff system. NBA should consider a divisional format to force you to play your division rivals to get out of the first round each year, which would build a real hate between cities/teams.

dirkforpres · Post #7 » by **dirkforpres** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:01 pm

3s and free throws can only entertain someone for so long

VanWest82 · Post #8 » by **VanWest82** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:04 pm

Harry Garris wrote:The ratings drop this year really should not be a surprise. Early in the season there was a ton of the Bad Warriors and Zion-less Pelicans on national TV. Obviously those aren't going to draw large numbers.

The article is referencing local ratings which are all down too except for a small handful of teams, and some of the local ratings declines are massive. This isn't just about Warriors and Zion. The league is obviously freaked out or they wouldn't be proposing dramatic changes to the AS game, schedule, introduction of in season tournaments, everything.

Post #9 » by **zimpy27** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:06 pm

Yes, strategically player empowerment and media focus on players is good for the international expansion of the NBA product but detrimental to the local product.

It's likely the NBA know that.

Post #10 » by **KingDavid** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:06 pm

ESPN and tnt being down is expected since the warriors and Zion were injured yet still being thrown on tv.

According to the ratings data compiled by the Sports Business Journal, those 27 teams are down 13% on their local RSNs, with 14 of the 27 experiencing declines in viewership.

Thaaaaaaaat is not good. Less people are tuning in to watch their local teams on local broadcasts. Time to franchise tag stars or something. If everyone is a threat to join forces in a large market, this will continue to drop.

This explains the need for changes to the asg and tournaments as another poster has said. Now I'm on board with an mid-season tourney. Just wish they'd change the rules for the tournament to go back to old school rules or something and have more incentive that doesn't keep lining the players pockets with money. Take something from the asg and involve charities again. Include the other stuff but maybe give every team a charity to represent and as you win rounds, the donation increases and you win money for that charity as you progress.

Lala870 · Post #11 » by **Lala870** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:08 pm

The NBA for the most part is the most rigged / fixed competition you will find.

Start at least to make it look not so obvious and ratings will go up.

Lenneth · Post #12 » by **Lenneth** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:10 pm

kobe_vs_jordan wrote:They should put NBA tv on online streaming services like Hulu or stop trying to charge 60 dollars a year for a standalone channel.

NBA TV is a part of package in Youtube TV.

Jazzy13 · Post #13 » by **Jazzy13** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:17 pm

I havent had cable for almost a decade. Im sure theyre not including me and I watch almost every Jazz game.
Its just how it is. Cable is pretty much finished.

slamilcarBarca · Post #14 » by **slamilcarBarca** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:19 pm

Lenneth wrote:
kobe_vs_jordan wrote:They should put NBA tv on online streaming services like Hulu or stop trying to charge 60 dollars a year for a standalone channel.

NBA TV is a part of package in Youtube TV.

and youtube tv is far superior to hulu. and cheaper.

Capn'O · Post #15 » by **Capn'O** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:21 pm

JazzyPhinz wrote:I havent had cable for almost a decade. Im sure theyre not including me and I watch almost every Jazz game.
Its just how it is. Cable is pretty much finished.

Yup. But league revenue is heavily tied to cable packages.

Not sure where to go.

slamilcarBarca · Post #16 » by **slamilcarBarca** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:22 pm

JazzyPhinz wrote:I havent had cable for almost a decade. Im sure theyre not including me and I watch almost every Jazz game.
Its just how it is. Cable is pretty much finished.

how do you watch?

why do you think they aren't including you?

jg77 · Post #17 » by **jg77** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:24 pm

It's not the Warriors dominance...it's no Steph Curry. Curry is arguably the most popular player in the NBA so of course ratings are down when possibly their biggest star is out.

ThunderBolt · Post #18 » by **ThunderBolt** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:24 pm

Lenneth wrote:
kobe_vs_jordan wrote:They should put NBA tv on online streaming services like Hulu or stop trying to charge 60 dollars a year for a standalone channel.

NBA TV is a part of package in Youtube TV.

I signed up for nba tv Fromm nba.com and the app for Apple TV was horrible. My bedroom can stream Hulu, nextflix and everything else just fine. Nba team would freeze and require a reboot of the app every few minutes.

Scott Hall · Post #19 » by **Scott Hall** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:29 pm

We talk about ratings on here all the time...

Isn't it down on all big 4 sports? WWEs ratings are down every year lots of reality shows ratings are down
from what I've read. I don't know any sport or entertainment show that is thriving and getting only
stronger year to year.

There's a million entertainment options now from 20 years ago and it makes no sense to pay for cable anymore.

Harry Garris · Post #20 » by **Harry Garris** » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:30 pm

JazzyPhinz wrote:I havent had cable for almost a decade. Im sure theyre not including me and I watch almost every Jazz game.
Its just how it is. Cable is pretty much finished.

The NBA NEEDS to develop a better way to stream their product. League Pass is awful. Blackouts, freezes, and outdated technology in their streaming app. Plus its expensive. The music industry was seemingly done in the early 2000s and they rebooted themselves through affordable and effective streaming tech through things like Spotify. If you make it easy and convenient to stream any game you want whenever you want, a lot more people will tune in. The NBA is handcuffed with the cable deals right now but they need to start looking for a better option soon or they're going to lose out on a ton of revenue as cable dies if they don't replace it with something else.