The NBA's Viewership Woes: A Troubling Start to the Season
The NBA is facing a concerning start to the 2022-23 season, with ratings and viewership numbers plummeting across the board. The opening night double-header on ESPN averaged just 1.6 million viewers, a 42% decrease from the previous year's debut. TNT's Thursday game between the Spurs and Mavericks saw a 29% drop, while the Friday game averaged only 830,000 viewers, fewer than a college football game on ESPN 2.
These numbers are particularly striking when compared to the WNBA's recent success. Caitlin Clark, a rising star in the WNBA, averaged 1.78 million viewers for the entire season, with her debut game drawing over 2 million viewers. This is a stark contrast to the NBA's historical dominance over the WNBA in terms of viewership.
"We're looking at the same thing everybody's running the same play at the damn top of the key dribble hand off," said Shaquille O'Neal, who believes the league's reliance on three-point shooting has made the game less exciting for viewers. "I think everybody's looking at the same thing and Steph Curry those guys mess it up like I don't mind Golden State back in the day sh but every team down a three-point shooter so why everybody has the same strategy I think viewership will continue to go down unless we switch things back up."
However, Charles Barkley offered a different perspective, arguing that the issue lies with players' unwillingness to play back-to-back games and the rising salaries that make it difficult for fans to afford attending games. "We have guys making 80 90100 million not playing back toback games that's to me I mean listen uh the three-point thing bothers me because of course if they going in you're G to win but you got to have a plan B," Barkley said.
The disconnect between players and fans is a significant concern, as fans are increasingly frustrated by the lack of commitment from highly-paid athletes. "When you hear professional athletes who are making millions of dollars complain about going to work it's a turnoff it's a turnoff to a lot of fans," the host noted.
Additionally, the fragmentation of the NBA's media rights, with games spread across various networks and streaming services, has made it more challenging for casual fans to keep up with the league. The upcoming media rights deal will only exacerbate this issue, further complicating the viewing experience for fans.
Despite these challenges, the NBA may not be too concerned about the viewership decline, as the league continues to expand globally and secure lucrative media deals. "The NBA will continue to make money and here's why," the host explained. "They have also started to expand more globally we hear Adam Sil talk about the NBA in Mexico and them playing games in Mexico the NBA in France the NBA in London the NBA in Abu Dhabi where they're playing more and more games in all of these remote locations."
Ultimately, the NBA faces a complex set of issues that threaten to undermine the league's popularity and engagement with fans. Whether it's the on-court product, the players' commitment, or the fragmented media landscape, the league must address these challenges to regain the excitement and loyalty that has historically defined the NBA experience.
Part 1/7:
The NBA's Viewership Woes: A Troubling Start to the Season
The NBA is facing a concerning start to the 2022-23 season, with ratings and viewership numbers plummeting across the board. The opening night double-header on ESPN averaged just 1.6 million viewers, a 42% decrease from the previous year's debut. TNT's Thursday game between the Spurs and Mavericks saw a 29% drop, while the Friday game averaged only 830,000 viewers, fewer than a college football game on ESPN 2.
Part 2/7:
These numbers are particularly striking when compared to the WNBA's recent success. Caitlin Clark, a rising star in the WNBA, averaged 1.78 million viewers for the entire season, with her debut game drawing over 2 million viewers. This is a stark contrast to the NBA's historical dominance over the WNBA in terms of viewership.
Part 3/7:
"We're looking at the same thing everybody's running the same play at the damn top of the key dribble hand off," said Shaquille O'Neal, who believes the league's reliance on three-point shooting has made the game less exciting for viewers. "I think everybody's looking at the same thing and Steph Curry those guys mess it up like I don't mind Golden State back in the day sh but every team down a three-point shooter so why everybody has the same strategy I think viewership will continue to go down unless we switch things back up."
Part 4/7:
However, Charles Barkley offered a different perspective, arguing that the issue lies with players' unwillingness to play back-to-back games and the rising salaries that make it difficult for fans to afford attending games. "We have guys making 80 90100 million not playing back toback games that's to me I mean listen uh the three-point thing bothers me because of course if they going in you're G to win but you got to have a plan B," Barkley said.
The disconnect between players and fans is a significant concern, as fans are increasingly frustrated by the lack of commitment from highly-paid athletes. "When you hear professional athletes who are making millions of dollars complain about going to work it's a turnoff it's a turnoff to a lot of fans," the host noted.
Part 5/7:
Additionally, the fragmentation of the NBA's media rights, with games spread across various networks and streaming services, has made it more challenging for casual fans to keep up with the league. The upcoming media rights deal will only exacerbate this issue, further complicating the viewing experience for fans.
Part 6/7:
Despite these challenges, the NBA may not be too concerned about the viewership decline, as the league continues to expand globally and secure lucrative media deals. "The NBA will continue to make money and here's why," the host explained. "They have also started to expand more globally we hear Adam Sil talk about the NBA in Mexico and them playing games in Mexico the NBA in France the NBA in London the NBA in Abu Dhabi where they're playing more and more games in all of these remote locations."
Part 7/7:
Ultimately, the NBA faces a complex set of issues that threaten to undermine the league's popularity and engagement with fans. Whether it's the on-court product, the players' commitment, or the fragmented media landscape, the league must address these challenges to regain the excitement and loyalty that has historically defined the NBA experience.