NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana

[navery12]

#1 does matter to more casual viewers, and you just cannot compare anything NFL to the NBA. The Super Bowl is an American event that happens once a year. People who have not watched a second of football for the season will watch.

Regardless of how great SGA and OKC are, and how fun Indy is to watch, lots will not watch because those are not "sexy" teams. Also, I feel like fans of many of the other pro sports teams will shut down once their team is eliminated. I'm a Yankee fan, but once they're eliminated in the ALCS because they strike out 17 times a game, I tend to lose interest in what follows.

I think even if you are a Giant/Browns/Texans fan and you knew your season was over at the opening kickoff, you're still going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of who's in it, or if you love/hate the halftime show.

I keep seeing people say this and I just really don't understand why fans care about market size. TV networks need it for deals and to boost their ratings, but I really don't think the average fan people talk about cares.

SGA is the MVP and OKC was the best team in the NBA all season, they are by definition the sexy team. This isn't the 1980s where you can only watch your local teams and read about the rest in a newspaper the next day. The internet exists and casual fans are seeing SGA highlights daily because he's one of the best players in the league

 

[Deepster]

I keep seeing people say this and I just really don't understand why fans care about market size. TV networks need it for deals and to boost their ratings, but I really don't think the average fan people talk about cares.

SGA is the MVP and OKC was the best team in the NBA all season, they are by definition the sexy team. This isn't the 1980s where you can only watch your local teams and read about the rest in a newspaper the next day. The internet exists and casual fans are seeing SGA highlights daily because he's one of the best players in the league

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

 

[navery12]

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

I'm not a good example, and I don't think anyone on this board is either, because we're all diehards and not casuals. But yes. What I'm saying is if Kansas City and Arizona are the 2 best teams I would rather watch that than big markets

 

[Deepster]

I'm not a good example, and I don't think anyone on this board is either, because we're all diehards and not casuals. But yes. What I'm saying is if Kansas City and Arizona are the 2 best teams I would rather watch that than big markets

No offense, but I think you're in the overwhelming minority there.

You sell the "sizzle". In an LA/NY series, you're seeing highlights of the matchups in the 70's, 80's, etc. Highlights of the big moments. The first pitch is by famous former players that stir emotion. The famous people or alumni in the stands. The pomp and circumstance is not even close.....and the product on the field, October level baseball, is still going to be there. OKC/Indiana aren't creating some amazing never before seen product because they were the best teams this season.....

 

[HuskyHawk]

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

I would, because KC is my #2 team to the Sox. I get your point, but nobody minded watching the old George Brett Royals back in the day. Likewise the Randy Johnson/Curt Schilling Diamondbacks were a draw. It's more than markets.

What I think is missing here is less about markets than personalities. There's nothing really interesting about these teams. I still remember the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and "We are family". The 1985 Bears. The Magic era Lakers weren't just big because of LA and the stars, it was "Showtime". It would have been big in Minneapolis too. These two teams lack any discernable identity, although I think they can build one. Halliburton's late game heroics are the stuff that can create that identity. The NBA has spent so much time marketing stars that it forgot how to market teams. We're moving past the "star" era now and they better figure it out. There's nobody who is going to be what LeBron, Michael or Magic was going forward.

 

[navery12]

No offense, but I think you're in the overwhelming minority there.

You sell the "sizzle". In an LA/NY series, you're seeing highlights of the matchups in the 70's, 80's, etc. Highlights of the big moments. The first pitch is by famous former players that stir emotion. The famous people or alumni in the stands. The pomp and circumstance is not even close.....and the product on the field, October level baseball, is still going to be there. OKC/Indiana aren't creating some amazing never before seen product because they were the best teams this season.....

Maybe I am, but I don't think a single thing in your second paragraph resonates with anyone outside of the 2 fanbases. Watching the best players match up is far more interesting than highlights of big market players from 50 years ago

 

[boog204]

I keep seeing people say this and I just really don't understand why fans care about market size. TV networks need it for deals and to boost their ratings, but I really don't think the average fan people talk about cares.

SGA is the MVP and OKC was the best team in the NBA all season, they are by definition the sexy team. This isn't the 1980s where you can only watch your local teams and read about the rest in a newspaper the next day. The internet exists and casual fans are seeing SGA highlights daily because he's one of the best players in the league

I think it's because you're putting yourself and the majority of the rest of us idiots here in the same category as other "fans." I think there are tons of people who "love" the NBA, but only watch an established name guy (LBJ, KD, Steph, etc.) or a huge market team. SGA is an incredible player. But I don't think he's someone who many feel they "need" to see.

Deepster posted the ratings above. They're awful so far. And it sucks because the games are incredibly entertaining. But I don't see it changing unless you've got a huge name or a "sexy" team. And "sexy" applies more to the market/team history than it does to the relative success of the team in any given year.

 

[navery12]

I think it's because you're putting yourself and the majority of the rest of us idiots here in the same category as other "fans." I think there are tons of people who "love" the NBA, but only watch an established name guy (LBJ, KD, Steph, etc.) or a huge market team. SGA is an incredible player. But I don't think he's someone who many feel they "need" to see.

Deepster posted the ratings above. They're awful so far. And it sucks because the games are incredibly entertaining. But I don't see it changing unless you've got a huge name or a "sexy" team. And "sexy" applies more to the market/team history than it does to the relative success of the team in any given year.

That's where I disagree, SGA is the MVP and a huge name. He's a name guy who people tune in to see. And again, I don't know why I care about ratings. Ratings are down everywhere because people stream now

 

[Deepster]

Maybe I am, but I don't think a single thing in your second paragraph resonates with anyone outside of the 2 fanbases. Watching the best players match up is far more interesting than highlights of big market players from 50 years ago

I think it resonates more than the average fan making a point of watching players they haven't seen all year. Just my opinion. I realize that. But the quality of playoff game play is always elevated.....and better when there's some story/sizzle that people resonate with.

 

[boog204]

That's where I disagree, SGA is the MVP and a huge name. He's a name guy who people tune in to see. And again, I don't know why I care about ratings. Ratings are down everywhere because people stream now

But... They're not. Listen, I'm with you. SGA is the MVP. He's one of the best players in the world. But I think the average fan would rather watch like 20 other guys before him. Guys who are not as good.

I think some of this connects back to the marketing angle. The NBA does a hideous job with this, and I think the scheduling is also a problem. I've always felt like there was a lack of continuity. There's buzz after a game, and then there are three days off before game two. Now there's another five days off before game 3? It's just dumb.

 

[Deepster]

That's where I disagree, SGA is the MVP and a huge name. He's a name guy who people tune in to see. And again, I don't know why I care about ratings. Ratings are down everywhere because people stream now

His jersey is #9 in terms of sales this season. Not sure what to make of that. Seems good for the market, low for the best player in the league.

 

[navery12]

But... They're not. Listen, I'm with you. SGA is the MVP. He's one of the best players in the world. But I think the average fan would rather watch like 20 other guys before him. Guys who are not as good.

I think some of this connects back to the marketing angle. The NBA does a hideous job with this, and I think the scheduling is also a problem. I've always felt like there was a lack of continuity. There's buzz after a game, and then there are three days off before game two. Now there's another five days off before game 3? It's just dumb.

There's 2 days off, game 3 is tomorrow

 

[HCCForever]

I'm not a good example, and I don't think anyone on this board is either, because we're all diehards and not casuals. But yes. What I'm saying is if Kansas City and Arizona are the 2 best teams I would rather watch that than big markets

I’d watch but I’m a baseball fan. I wouldn’t prefer small market over big market however. I watch them all.

 

[boog204]

There's 2 days off, game 3 is tomorrow

Ohhhh... Mathing is hard. I still feel like one day off in between would be better. It feels like a lot longer than two days between games. Just lacks flow. Baseball does very little right, but I do like the way their schedule works. Two home games, travel day, two home games, then figure out how to divide the "if necessary" games.

 

[HuskyHawk]

His jersey is #9 in terms of sales this season. Not sure what to make of that. Seems good for the market, low for the best player in the league.

His name is too complicated. He needs a custom "SGA" logo or something. Morant plays in an even smaller market.

What the hell is Ball doing on this list anyway?

 

[boog204]

His jersey is #9 in terms of sales this season. Not sure what to make of that. Seems good for the market, low for the best player in the league.

I'm honestly surprised he's ahead of Jokic, Giannis, and KD tbh...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The disastrous NBA Finals ratings are in, and they're worse than anyone imagined

That is a phenomenally stupid take by the AI that wrote this article. This is why I am not that worried about AI taking everyone's job.

 

[husky429]

I think a big issue is obviously the access to the games. Kids CAN'T watch games so all they do is watch highlights. So now I have a bunch of SGA fans, or Ant fans or Bron fans... but they're really not fans of the teams. I see it all the time in schools.

 

[aceboon]

His name is too complicated. He needs a custom "SGA" logo or something. Morant plays in an even smaller market.

What the hell is Ball doing on this list anyway?

Ball Bros have always been popular with kids, when Lamelo Ball's first signature shoe with Puma came out it sold pretty well. I think he also lead in fan voting amongst guards for this past year's All Star game.

 

[Scoe]

They are really dragging out the finals it will bring the viewership down. The conference finals different story as the series were more fluid.

 

[bendm]

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

So causal fans would rather watch crap teams from big markets instead of the best teams from small markets? If so then the average casual fan is a simpleton.

 

[bendm]

I really can’t stand the big v small market thing idk where it came from. It obviously doesn’t exist in football. People would love a Buffalo v Green Bay Super Bowl. Does it get talked about in baseball and hockey? Hockey especially has a bunch of small market Canadian teams.

And it’s not just about big markets it’s about the BIGGEST markets. People were talking about Denver v Miami being a small market Finals a couple years ago when they are both among the top 20 biggest tv markets. Do they both have to be in the top 10 to attract the casual fan??? Wild.

 

[REB1094]

Extremely fun first half. Thought a shootout would easily favor Indiana’s playstyle but OKC put up 60 themselves. Very high level offense being played

Can’t wait to hear about why it’s bad from people who didn’t watch the game

 

[Dove]

6+ minutes to go. Pacers up 101-98.

Benedict Mathurin (Pacers #6 overall pick in 2022) is unconscious tonight with 25 points.

Haliburton just hit a trey. He might be stepping up here after some bad passes earlier.

Fun game!

 

[Deepster]

So causal fans would rather watch crap teams from big markets instead of the best teams from small markets? If so then the average casual fan is a simpleton.

Any team in a finals isn’t a crap team.

Big market finals teams are more fun than small market finals teams.

 

[aceboon]

High level basketball that was played tonight, Pacers need to take both games 3&4 to win this series imo

 

[TroyHall98]

Great game!

Turner defense and physicality took Holmgren out of the game in the 2nd half. It seems OKC ball movement is less crisp when Holmgren is not effective and the ball dies in either SGA or Williams’ hands. It allows Indiana to rotate guys on SGA. Albeit for a longer stretch in game 1, this is the second time Indiana physicality has taken out Holmgren and won the game. Think they’ve found something.

 

[UConn990411]

Last night’s game was really fun, but I’m going to have to wait to see the ratings before deciding whether or not I enjoyed it.

 

[HooperScooper]

Really weird to me that people care about this, especially since the NBA's now locked into a 10-year media rights contract. The ratings couldn't possibly matter less.

I guess we shouldn't care because we have no stake in it but Adam Silver sure seems to care. Why is that since there's a new 10 year media rights deal?

Silver also put a happy face on the NBA Finals ratings. Games 1 and 2 together averaged 8.84 million viewers. This total is down at least 24% from the past three years and is the lowest since 2007, except for during the Lakers’ bubble championship in 2020.

Silver acknowledged that the goal was to draw in more casual viewers in a fragmented content marketplace. “We have to be innovative and find new ways—podcasts, social media, direct-to-consumer marketing, new digital platforms that we’re moving to next year; ESPN and ABC are doing the same—it’s a changed society,” Silver said.

Adam Silver Opens Up on NBA Finals Ratings, Court Decals

NBA commissioner Adam Silver explained that decals of The Finals logo were removed from the court a decade ago because they “were slippery.”

frontofficesports.com

 

[husky429]

I guess we shouldn't care because we have no stake in it but Adam Silver sure seems to care. Why is that since there's a new 10 year media rights deal?

Silver also put a happy face on the NBA Finals ratings. Games 1 and 2 together averaged 8.84 million viewers. This total is down at least 24% from the past three years and is the lowest since 2007, except for during the Lakers’ bubble championship in 2020.

Silver acknowledged that the goal was to draw in more casual viewers in a fragmented content marketplace. “We have to be innovative and find new ways—podcasts, social media, direct-to-consumer marketing, new digital platforms that we’re moving to next year; ESPN and ABC are doing the same—it’s a changed society,” Silver said.

Adam Silver Opens Up on NBA Finals Ratings, Court Decals

NBA commissioner Adam Silver explained that decals of The Finals logo were removed from the court a decade ago because they “were slippery.”

frontofficesports.com

This is 1000% the NBAs own fault. Hard to feel bad for them. No one can afford to actually watch games and get to know teams. Who is paying half their salary for 46 different streaming platforms?