Paul George spoke on his ‘Podcast P’ show recently, becoming the latest star to weigh in on the ratings discourse. He blamed the major emphasis on analytics and trying to play analytics-positive basketball behind the drastic drop in ratings. He added that fans of the previous era are not happy with the style of basketball and that they want to see more physical basketball.
“Analytics kind of took over the game being played. Coaches want three-pointers, or a layup, or get to the free-throw line… A lot of them are old-school fans. They’re used to how the NBA was. There’s been a lot of stars that have been injured. A kid that loves a certain star, and they’re not going to go play.”
“There’s no point in me going to the game. Back then it was a lot more rivalry stuff. I don’t think there are that big of rivalries anymore that is must see… You can argue that eras played harder, and more physical. In this era, we are definitely probably the most skilled. Now we just gotta add the extra elements into that.”
PG keeps it real on why NBA ratings are dropping:
"Analytics kind of took over … coaches want 3-pointers, layups or get to the free throw line." pic.twitter.com/1rGvTN3irv
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) December 30, 2024
Paul George does have a certain point about the ratings declining due to the analytic-heavy style of play. Almost all teams in the NBA play in the same, sanitized way, emphasizing three-pointers, layups, and free-throwers. The lack of originality and uniqueness in the style of play has caused a very homogenous environment in the NBA.
While the players today might be more skilled, there is rarely any avenue for them to show that off aside from their shooting. With more and more players becoming good, if not great shooters, the skill itself has become less impressive, as almost everyone is at least a very competent shooter.
Of course, not everyone is Stephen Curry, but they’re not at all special because they shoot well. If anything, the NBA needs some personality and charisma. Gone are the days of magnetic personalities that could talk fans into the buildings. Players like Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are certainly charming, but their swagger hasn’t been platformed and advertised enough to get fans to keep watching.
The NBA needs player personalities to start shining through going forward. Michael Jordan was a bombastic ratings draw not just because of his immense talent, but also because he was a magnetic personality who would let it shine through during his games. Whether it be his trash-talking, his exuberant confidence, or just the overall aggression he brought to the game, fans just couldn’t look away.
Speaking personally for a moment, I remember some of my favorite players when I first started watching the NBA being amazing players who also had incredible charisma. Players like Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James all had a swagger about them that not many players in the league today have. And that has to change if the league is going to turn this ratings conundrum around.
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