It didn’t feel like too long ago that the NBA was considered the top US sports team, but it’s witnessed a worrying, spectacular decline over the last decade, falling miles behind the NFL. Although basketball has never dominated as a sport in the US like the NFL has, the disparity between the popularity of the two sports has never been wider.
These sustained, diminishing viewing figures are alarming for NBA chiefs, as it can be the first sign of a rot. As soon as people start switching off en masse, the amount of money for broadcasting will be impacted, which will trickle down further and impact player wages and franchises, who will have to increase ticket prices to accommodate the loss of centralized funding.
Instead of deliberating on the problems at hand, the NBA’s chiefs and executives and some of the leading franchises have been exploring ways to turn around the league’s wider misfortunes—but what are some of the methods they could implement to truly turn the tide and close ground on the NFL?
The Emergence Of A Household Name
You only need to look at some of the NBA’s legends over the last 30 years—Michael Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe—to realize just how important it is for American sports to have a dominant name that acts as the face of the organization. Nearly thirty years on from the magical Chicago Bulls team, Netflix’s The Last Dance has shown just how magical that 1990s period was in the NBA.
To say Michael Jordan was a household name back then would be the understatement of the century. Alongside potentially Mike Tyson, he was the most recognizable name in American sports. Jordan starred in Space Jam and was followed everywhere by the paparazzi, including in and out of his favorite restaurants and casinos.
While it’s no secret that MJ was a fan of a few blackjack games and would constantly bet against his teammates over small battles and disagreements, his approach to these games instilled such a winner’s mentality. It made him much more human and relatable to the working American.
Jordan would reportedly travel miles away from the team hotel to play blackjack. While playing real blackjack online would be a lot more convenient for him today, his unique character, his commitment to not being PR-managed, and his thirst for playing blackjack, gambling, and winning were part of the more extensive Jordan package.
If he hadn’t constantly performed out on the court, maybe the NBA might have paid closer attention to his blackjack exploits, but it was part of the complex ingredients that made him such a formidable opponent for many.
Streaming Services – Adapting To A Modern Day Audience
Having such an enigmatic, highly-skilled American with crossover appeal at the top of any US sport inevitably brings in big numbers – and while the NBA has been lacking this for a while, with many of the top names coming in from overseas, the organization hasn’t helped itself either with a fairly messy approach to which streaming services their games should be broadcast on.
The NBA is finalizing a deal with Disney+, reportedly worth billions. If Disney+ can become the NBA’s home for at least a few years, this consistency might help the domestic market grow. We’re not going to pretend navigating the current oversaturated mess of streaming services is easy for the NBA, but it feels like it could be better managed in the same way soccer in Europe is or combat sports like the UFC.
A lot of sustained, growing interest in the NBA has come from overseas, where international fans can buy a season pass and watch any game live. It is a much better model. While we appreciate that implementing this approach can be challenging, especially in the US, the current scattergun approach of several different TV channels and streaming services is certainly not helping the NBA reach a consistent target audience.
Final Thoughts
We don’t want to sound too dismissive or reductive. Still, if the NBA can develop a platform that consistently delivers the big games and US fans know where to go to watch their team, this will help considerably—it could plug many of the gaps and stem the flow of US fans moving away from the NBA in droves.
Affordability is also a key factor, but from an external perspective, a huge crossover name like Michael Jordan or Kobe would potentially bring back many of these viewing figures. Jordan’s impact is still felt across the sporting world, perfectly illustrated by The Last Dance’s popularity just a few years ago.
If the NBA can develop some huge American talent and offer a cheap, consistent, reliable way to watch the big games, then hopefully, they’ll be able to claw back some of the lost ratings. People have switched away from the NBA in their droves—viewership has more or less halved since the 2010 season, and to ensure this rot doesn’t continue, there’ll need to be a clear plan of action moving forward.
I was listening to a Podcast about NBA media rights and they raised a great point: Buffalo Bills fans can watch all of their home games for free if they live in Buffalo due to games being on NBC, CBS or Fox. That allows true fandom to grow. When I think of my local home team – Toronto Raptors – the team is owned by media companies that put their games on SportsNet or TSN. That means you need to have cable or buy two digital media packages which means you’re looking at at least $50 each month during the season. Ditto for Astros or Rockets fans here in Houston who need FUBO and at least $79 month to watch either of those teams.
I believe the NFL removing blackouts was huge; the NBA needs local TV for new fans to grow the league/ratings.
I think even Amazon – because most people already have monthly passes or a new membership is under $15/month during NBA season – will see new fans added or older NBA fans rejoin because they can pay minimal fee to watch again.