NBA FINALS GAME 2 RATINGS HISTORICALLY COLLAPSE; ANOTHER ALL-TIME LOW

Outkick ^ | 10/4/20 bout 2 hours ago | by BOBBY BURACK a

[conservative98]

The NBA took another L Friday.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Heat utterly collapsed with just 4.5 million viewers. The embarrassing average is down — wait for it — 68% from last year’s Game 2, which featured a team in Canada.

How bad is the number? It’s the least-watched NBA Finals game on record. Dropping even below Game 1’s 7.41, the lowest-viewed Finals opener in history.

There is no way for the media to spin this positively. Declines of this magnitude are unheard of. Then, factor in the tank-job occurring with the league’s biggest individual and team draw in the Finals — the NBA is officially a disaster.

A ship doesn’t sink for one reason, but undoubtedly, politics sit atop the historical tank.

After nearly two decades of reinventing the NBA discussion, LeBron is now a detriment to the league’s brand.

With misleading social statements, lying about putting human rights before his brand, bowing to China, refusing to comment on the shooting of two police officers, paying for fines so felons can vote (for Joe Biden), and craving celebrity worship — LeBron now alienates more viewers than he attracts.

The NBA’s new self-inflicted identity is written in ink. Millions of turned-off Americans associate the NBA with radical politics catered to only a minimal number of sports fans.

How much lower can the ratings drop? Find out tomorrow.

[SmokingJoe]

The number one reason he doesn't care is because he's made his money already. The younger players are going to suffer for Lebron’s sins.

[oldvirginian]

“When will the players start feeling the consequences of this in their pocketbooks?”

Not until new tv deals are signed by the leagues.
The current NBA deal runs through the 2024/2025 season. Fortunately for the NBA they signed an extension in 2014, long before the WhuFlu and BLM came along.

The NFL deal is up after the 2022 season.

I’m sure there are protections in the contracts for the networks concerning ratings. But it will take a while for the burn to reach the athletes.
The big names have guaranteed contracts and will get paid regardless. Unless their teams cut them and eat a partial loss of their pay.

These woke athletes are going to be living in interesting times.

[Alberta's Child]

There was a recent article demonstrating the real problem the NBA is facing. Arena revenues are way down, but teams can’t cut payrolls very much because there is a minimum total player payroll of about $110 million. Some teams are desperate to get down to that number because of the collapse in revenues, but it’s impossible to put a full roster of 15 players together and get down to a $110 million payroll if you have 4-5 guys on the team who are getting paid $15M-$20M per year.

This is a big reason why the quality of play in the NBA has deteriorated so much over the years, by the way. The only way to win is to put 2-3 stars on the team and fill out the rest of the roster with a bunch of guys playing for the minimum salary.

[Cowboy Bob]

America has overcome its addiction to Pro Sports.

[LukeL]

I hope that when that does happen the players unions call for a strike. It will only hasten their demise.

[The Fop]

But what are their TV ratings in China?

[Bullish]

Nobody can stand La Braun James. I know I can’t. He’s truly a China bought and paid for POS.

[clintonh8r]

My daily Schadenfreude.....

[conservative98]

SO? Who cares?

---

Care that the an-anti American communist Democrat pushing trash company that was pushing politics is tanking and losing power and other companies are seeing what happened to the NBA when they supported the BLM and Antifa mobsters and smeared millions of fans, yes! This is great news.

[NormsRevenge]

LeBrain&cohorts over-achieved.. again.

[SmokingJoe]

Thanks for the explanation.
The NBA teams are not in a very enviable position right now.
Teams like the Clippers will probably be fine because Ballmer has a limitless amount of money and doesn't know what to do with it . Other teams may not fare so well.

[VeniVidiVici]

Bassetball?

[SunkenCiv]

The embarrassing average is down — wait for it — 68% from last year’s Game 2, which featured a team in Canada.

[Tommy Revolts]

Ship of fools, and LeBron is the Shang Xiao (Captain).

[Stosh]

Well maybe if the ratings drop low enough they can change the uniforms so the team names and the player names are in Hanzi - they can then at least recoup some of their losses in the overseas market they so badly covet.

[for those unfamiliar with Hanzi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_characters]

[windsorknot]

I love watching the NBA self-immolate.

[Tommy Revolts]

The younger players are going to suffer for Lebron’s sins.

Bummer. They dribble a basketball, for Pete's sake.

[Tommy Revolts]

It really is the feel good news of my day! Fist Pump Yeah!

[dfwgator]

They should have gotten a real job.

[SuperLuminal]

Guess we can assume that all the viewing in the Nation’s prisons is included...