The National Basketball Association recently released its 2023 regular season schedule, which includes the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament just two years ahead of the expiration of its national television media rights deal. Although the Chicago Bulls qualified for the NBA Playoffs last year, most basketball pundits do not believe them to be in a bonafide position to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy in the upcoming season. Even so, the Bulls have established veteran talent including DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, in addition to young players looking to maximize their potential in Patrick Williams and Coby White.
Dan Bernstein, radio host at 670 The Score in Chicago, Ill., will be watching plenty of Bulls games this year since he discusses the team on the radio and hosts an Audacy podcast about the team. During Friday’s edition of Bernstein & Holmes, he conveyed that he will be locked in to the team once the season begins before asking a question to Laurence Holmes, his co-host, to elicit further discussion.
“How many national games do you think the Bulls have of their 82 regular-season games, including their In-Season Tournament games?,” Bernstein queried.
“I mean, look, it’s the Chicago market, right?,” Holmes responded. “Heritage NBA franchise; the home of Michael Jordan. Zero.”
Holmes’ answer is based on the premise that the team has failed to play winning basketball over most of the last decade, nor has it finished first in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference since the 2010-11 season. Bernstein revealed that the Bulls, in fact, have two nationally-televised games – one on TNT against the Toronto Raptors; the other on ESPN against the New York Knicks.
Additionally, there are two NBC Sports Chicago local broadcasts that will also be presented on ESPN, in addition to three that will be carried on NBA TV. The Bulls rank near the bottom of the list in the national television category despite being in the No. 3 domestic market area (DMA) in the United States.
“They’ve got to earn it,” Holmes said. “There are more interesting teams in the NBA and other teams that play a more interesting style of basketball.”
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors lead the NBA with 41 nationally-televised contests this year, making up half of their regular-season schedule. Placing in second is LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers (40), while Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the new-look Phoenix Suns are third (37). Holmes is surprised that the Bulls are on national television at all heading into next year, explaining that there is no real reason to watch the team on these broadcasts.
“If you’re looking at this from a cold-hearted executive [standpoint], what’s the draw to putting the Bulls on nationally right now?,” Holmes asked. “Maybe that you see Zach LaVine do something cool?”
Holmes used the National Football League’s Chicago Bears as an example, who are featured on prime-time television games four out of the maximum six times under the league’s existing media rights deal. The team is led by dynamic young quarterback Justin Fields and aims to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season, giving people a reason to watch. Conversely, Holmes affirms that the Bulls do not play an exciting style of basketball, nor do they show signs of making people care as currently constituted.
“With the Bulls, what’s the draw? What’s the thing?,” Holmes said. “The Bulls-Milwaukee games for whatever reason, I think, are always interesting, and that series, even though it was dominated by the Bucks, I thought it was interesting. Bulls-Toronto, no thank you. No thank you. I don’t know why they picked that game. That’s the wrong game to pick.”
