The NBA soared in popularity during the 80s and the late 90s and became one of the world’s greatest sports leagues. But viewership figures have fluctuated and even dropped at times in recent years.
A graph on social media showed the viewership figures over the last 30 years, and NBA fans had a lot to say about what has caused the drops and the improvements in those numbers.
What is your takeaway from this graphic?
(Via @LevAkabas ) pic.twitter.com/FrI4gGD2v9
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 26, 2023
Adam Silver recently spoke in an interview about the physical era of basketball changing because fans want to see more beautiful basketball. But as one NBA fan pointed out, the numbers would suggest that fans preferred the more physical style of play in the 90s.
That Adam Silver is wrong & the fans/viewers preferred the more physical era of basketball
— Kory Waldron (@FullAccessHoops) May 26, 2023
Michael Jordan was the main man in the 90s and he has been credited with taking the NBA to a whole new level. These figures do show that the NBA was at its peak after he returned from his first retirement in 1995, and that’s what one fan focused on.
That 25 years later, the league still has yet to recapture the same level of interest that Prime MJ brought to the table.
— The NBA Realist (@nbarealist23) May 26, 2023
The last few seasons have seen a dip in the ratings. There is parity in the league and a lot of superstars, but it seems fewer people are tuning in. LeBron James being on the Los Angeles Lakers also doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference. And as per one take, the league is not as entertaining as it used to be.
https://twitter.com/mattwolfgang/status/1662129198830321668
Ultimately, this graph is about TV ratings, and the way people consume content has changed drastically in the 2010s and moving forward. So as many fans said and this take encapsulates, this graph represents the change in a medium more than anything else.
That I don’t know a single person that has cable and watches basketball on tv. Most people are using streaming services or illegal ways to watch games https://t.co/R1KhiMfyiB
— Thunder In 🖐️✌️ (@J_Griff43) May 27, 2023
What Can Improve Ratings For The NBA Moving Forward?
Considering the advent of streaming technology and other platforms for watching basketball, the TV numbers are unlikely to reach the same heights they did in the 90s or early 2000s. There is also a lot more variety in content for people to consume, so it’s natural that the NBA’s viewership share has suffered in relative comparison.
The league marketing its franchises more evenly might make a difference, as could a new rivalry emerging. The NBA is at its best when there are compelling storylines making people tune in, so the arrival of some new rivalries could make a difference. Overall, there is more money in basketball than ever, but perhaps some more things need to change to recapture the magic of the 90s.
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