The NBA ratings problem

So as most people are aware, the NBA has a huge ratings problem that it basically refuses to admit. Ethan Strauss did a great (free) podcast on it today (shows called the house of Strauss) and it got me thinking about ways to improve the viewership among casual fans.

One of the big things they harp on during the show are the aesthetic changes to the game and how scoring is out of control. They make the point that more scoring does not equal a better viewing experience, and that there is probably a platonic ideal, probably falling around 100 points a game. I super agree with this. Obviously no one wants 2001 where 87-75 was a pretty standard score, but it also isn’t particularly fun watching teams jack 50 threes and fall down every time someone challenges the shot hoping for a foul call, and the best defense in the league giving up 118 every night. I think the easiest way to fix this is to change the way jump shooters are officiated. In the rules, there is no difference in the protections a three point shooter has vs a big shooting a 12 foot fadeaway, but the difference in the amount of contact that is allowed on these shots is insane. Allowing incidental body contact after a shot is released is a must for the game. Encourage hard closeouts, encourage challenging shots. Sure, if you smack a shooters arm, or land directly under his feet, call it. But guys getting calls for being brushed on the hip as a defender runs by with a hand up or having two fingers poke their wrist when the ball is 2 feet out of their hands is dumb. It’s just dumb. And it doesn’t affect us diehards, but this is a huuuge turnoff for casual fans.

Second, I think they have to adjust start times for games. Full disclosure, I’m currently on the east coast, but so is most of the country. And western conference basketball is just better. So you’re losing a large chunk of casual viewers tipping games at 10. For one, they never actually start at 10, it’s closer to 1015. Casual fans aren’t staying up past midnight 3 nights a week to watch games, which is a big fucking problem when that’s where all the stars are. Lebron, Curry, Kawhi, Luka, Jokic, dame, Zion, Ja, the Jazz, are all being missed by a little over half of the nbas potential viewing population on a regular basis. Even just moving start times to 630 and 9 would give huge opportunities for casual fans here. Anecdotal evidence: my mom is a huge curry fan. His dad is from our area, went to hs with my dad in the middle of nowhere va. She heard how well he was playing this year and wants to watch a game. She’s a teacher so staying up til 10 is big for her. Game doesn’t start til 1020, by 11:30 curry hasnt gotten but a shot or two up. She goes to bed. Next warriors national TV game comes around and I text to ask if she’s gonna watch. She answers “no, I can’t stay up that late and risk not even getting to see anything.” Sure, this is one person in one instance, but it isn’t absurd. Your casual sports fan who thinks “man is really love to watch Luka bs jokic tonight” but then cuts ESPN off and goes to bed because knicks - heat still has 4 minutes left at 10:05 and they have to be up to walk the dog and get the kids ready for school at 645 in the morning is bad for the game.

I definitely have more thoughts but have written enough, but I would love to hear some of y’all’s.