Anthony Edwards and 1x Finalist's lack of accolades contributing to declining NBA viewership: Report
The NBA'd viewership continued its downward trend for the second straight week at the start of the new season. While the league secured a lucrative new broadcast deal last summer, the decline in ratings is not a good sign. One report suggested that the drop may be due to the lack of fresh star power from the next generation of players.
According to Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, the only game with significant viewership from the opening week was the LA Lakers' game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which featured the historic debut of Bronny James playing alongside his father LeBron James.
Salao pointed out that the decline might be due to other teams not having enough star power to attract viewers. LeBron, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are in a league of their own in terms of popularity, a level that has yet to be replicated by the current crop of stars.
He said that while Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker have star power, they don't have the accolades to boost viewership. Edwards' deepest NBA playoff run was to the Western Conference Finals last season, while Booker fell short in the 2021 NBA Finals.
"Young stars like Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker have yet to attract the same audience as the aforementioned trio, in part because of their lack of titles," Salao said.
"They’ve fallen behind international players like Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who, despite their success, haven’t been able to compel U.S. viewers quite like James, Curry and Durant.”
Another potential reason why the NBA ratings are declining is due to the high costs charged by networks broadcasting the games, with even the league's subscription-based platform not being cheap.
Some fans have argued that the modern style of play is turning off viewers, who are less interested in a game dominated by offense and lacks physicality.
One of the things the NBA has introduced to increase interest is the In-Season Tournament, now renamed the Emirates NBA Cup, though many fans remain unsold on the idea.
Donald Trump wants to decrease ticket prices in NBA games, other sports
Donald Trump might not be popular among the NBA's biggest stars, but the President-elect is looking to solve a problem fans are complaining about in sports: the high cost of tickets. Trump has expressed his desire to lower ticket prices once he assumes office on Jan. 20, 2025.
"Your middle class, which is your biggest sports fans, are being priced out," Trump said, according to Fox News. "It's not fair. The leagues are not taking care of their fans. They really aren't. They're making it impossible."
The 47th POTUS added:
"That's something I would work on. You'd be surprised at what I'd have to say about it. You know, fans are being shut out and it's terrible. I know a lot of people that work for me, and they had season tickets, and now they don't wanna spend that much money."
According to Basket Mag, the average ticket price in the NBA is around $94, though this can rise significantly in markets like New York or Los Angeles.