Colibrehs you've been made NBA commissioner with the task of fixing the NBA. You are guaranteed a 4 year contract to do so. What would you change?

[Soldier]

Imo the nba decline is because they market it to kids and children. The moment Adam silver made it a “stars league” it changed because once you get over a certain age, you don’t give a shyt at all about these guys and the nba voluntarily made this switch.

The nfl target demographic are older folks and especially families, which appeals to so many more people. That’s why the announcers are more technical and strategy focused and why the broadcasts are way more polished. It’s all to cater to a wider range of audiences rather than the nba, which sometimes feels way more immature, which is planned and not by accident

They over corrected and overreacted because of the massive outrage from the public following malice at the palace. They went too far, they sanitized and infantilized the nba.

Only a theory:

Adam Silver's NBA is very "kid friendly" and PG-13. Arenas packed full of kids.
Nearly every single League Pass game I've seen, it shows kids on the Jumbotron doing whatever they're doing.
It's a very family-oriented atmosphere focused on younger people (talking like elementary kids and high school).
Even the star players are like somewhat high school kids still (most people point this out).

I'm guessing the league is completely fine with that because they still shook from the Detroit/Indiana skirmish about 20 years back and this is the result of that as they want the players to be "safe" and kid-friendly role models. I think a lot of NBA players are buddy buddy right now partly for this reason. They want to control the animosity and rivalry players have with each other as much as possible so it doesn't get too reckless.

That's why this Draymond shyt is major news and a big offense in the league.

Meanwhile:
Football players on the other hand, people expect them to be less "civilized" and "PG13" by nature of what they signed up to do.
The fans know what time it is at an NFL game and with NFL players. There's no reason to pretend. They expect these cats to be Willie Beaman in-person.
I've been to a ton of Rams games at SoFi. They don't show kids like that on the Jumbotrons.
They show NFL Cheerleaders, crazy fans and fine women on the Jumbotron.

NFL Stadium are packed with adults showing skin and pounding beers, getting into fights (or throwing snowballs at each other) - because honestly, that's what grown ups do. That's the game's culture.

Spoiler: That's why we see crazy ass brawls/rumbles basically every week in the crowd.

NFL games ain't something you bring your kids to as much as it's a place you go to with your friends and cause a scene. The ones who take their family there most likely don't mind their kids staring at some cheerleaders and women in the crowd flaunting what they got.

The entire aura around both sports is entirely different. NFL feels more "real" and grown up than the NBA does. I think it's left the aura around the current NBA product to be somewhat kind of plastic, over-processed and maybe even uninteresting to most Americans?

One of my theories honestly is that the NBA is seen more like a kid-friendly league.
Stern and especially Silver since the Malice In The Palace tried to clean up the NBA's image.
The NBA wants it so that these are events you take kids to.
You watch the NBA League Pass games and all the crowd cameras are kids doing kid stuff.
Even the players are more like kids and really young.

Meanwhile NFL doesn't really hide what they are. The sport is violent as these players go to battle, you expect the players to be a little edgy, etc.
I go to games at SoFi and the crowd cams are cheerleaders.
People want to see some skin and/or want to show some at these games.
shyt, some stadiums have built-in swimming pools and have pool parties.
There are simply more adult themes at these events. You can expect fights and watch adults act like kids.
The NFL likes kids too, but they want a more mature crowd of 18+, ideally 21 and over because of the addition of alcohol.
The more wild it gets, the better. Actually bring kids only if you're ok with them seeing what you expect them to see at an NFL game.

There's just such a bold and brash environment to these games that I think match what these immigrants think of Americans and when they finally get here they want in.

I always get the vibe that an NFL game is more like a concert/festival.
There's just that electricity in the air like you're about to watch a spectacle and people are gearing up for it.
When immigrants come over, that's where they know they can get that atmosphere.

Nah, meaning go to league pass and look at the jumbotrons. A bunch of kids dancing and doing family-friendly stuff, which is great!

Now go to SoFi and for a Rams/Chargers game and they're showing cheerleaders all on the screen. Probably the same thing at NHL games.

NBA has really tried to clean that part of their image up ever since the Malice In The Palace so I can't blame them.
Most other leagues are basically like "Yeah, these guys aren't supposed to be role models to be honest. Watch them do what they do better than anybody in the world."

NFL and NHL don't mind their fans getting absolute hammered and yelling shyt. Them cats are just drunk like they're supposed to be at a game.

NBA fans get kicked out the arena now when they tell Luka to get on a treadmill.

That's what I mean though, that's literally a separate broadcast for the kids. NBA kind of mixes the kiddie table and adults together.

Of course the NFL and NHL want younger fans. I'm not saying the game isn't intended for them.

But the NFL especially understands their core demographics are more geared at college kids and adults who want to go to games and drink.

It just feels like the NBA targets younger kids and high school kids more. I don't even think you see alcohol advertisements during NBA games, few if any, while there's one every other NFL commercial break. I think the NBA used to do Hennessey commercials but that stopped if I'm not mistaken.

I personally don't buy the age argument 100%. I think a lot of blame goes to the NBA product imo.

NFL is big time popular with both younger and older people because the game is marketed more mature and it is a more grown up game.

When you hit 21 and you have an NFL Stadium in your area, it's time. Beer and fine people. NFL games are an event. NBA doesn't have the same thing. That used to be baseball, but NFL just takes it to another level.

NBA games show little kids dancing on the jumbotron. NFL games show cheerleaders.
NBA games are bring the family events.
NFL games are more like bring your family at your own risk because a lot of drunk people are going to be talking shyt and tailgaters are going through tables.

Additionally, Basketball has always been the 2nd sport to Football starting from HS. Then later on, there are many more people who become football fans coming from basketball than basketball fans coming from football because of the above as well. Older people have not fallen off watching the NFL and it's younger fanbases grow by the year. Not to mention foreigners and immigrants come into America and they get into NFL culture pretty quick if they move to a city with an NFL team.

It won't let me link the reply, but if you see the reply to this tweet there's a video walking through the pre-game crowd.
NFL games are like an event.


How many little kids do you see in that crowd? You barely see any because folks know they're there to drink, watch their team and check people out. Now compare that to an NBA game where little kids are running around everywhere.

 

[Bolzmark]

Expand the dunk contest to include players who are not in the NBA. The best players are in the NBA, not necessarily the best dunkers. Have tournaments around the country during the summer/fall and by time All-Star weekend comes you have maybe the top 8 dunkers from around the country. Pair them with an NBA player and the team with the best combined score wins.

All participants get paid. Maybe $100K for making it to All-Star weekend, the 2nd place dude gets $500K, the winner gets a milly. You will guarantee the dunk contest is much more exciting and you can change somebody’s life with that paper.

 

[Womb Raider]

You can no longer cry your way to a MVP

 

[SchoolboyC]

Imo the nba decline is because they market it to kids and children. The moment Adam silver made it a “stars league” it changed because once you get over a certain age, you don’t give a shyt at all about these guys and the nba voluntarily made this switch.

The nfl target demographic are older folks and especially families, which appeals to so many more people. That’s why the announcers are more technical and strategy focused and why the broadcasts are way more polished. It’s all to cater to a wider range of audiences rather than the nba, which sometimes feels way more immature, which is planned and not by accident

They over corrected and overreacted because of the massive outrage from the public following malice at the palace. They went too far, they sanitized and infantilized the nba.

Also a factor in why techs are handed out so softly

Like the fact that a stare down after a dunk is almost an automatic tech is ridiculous

It’s like the league office has PTSD and are so terrified of things escalating they’ve overcorrected like y’all said

Even in the NFL they learned this when they stopped flagging for touchdown celebrations

But I will say I don’t necessarily want the NBA in game experience to become like the NFL’s either with a bunch of drunk ass meatheads itching to start a fight

 

[Soldier]

Also a factor in why techs are handed out so softly

Like the fact that a stare down after a dunk is almost an automatic tech is ridiculous

It’s like the league office has PTSD and are so terrified of things escalating they’ve overcorrected like y’all said

Even in the NFL they learned this when they stopped flagging for touchdown celebrations

But I will say I don’t necessarily want the NBA in game experience to become like the NFL’s either with a bunch of drunk ass meatheads itching to start a fight

Crowds at Football and hockey games: adults, meatheads, thugs, blue collar drunks

atmosphere is passionate and emotional

Crowds at Baseball and basketball games : families, kids, teenagers

atmosphere is more calm, relaxed, subdued and civilized,

Different crowds

 

[SchoolboyC]

Crowds at Football and hockey games: adults, meatheads, thugs, blue collar drunks

atmosphere is passionate and emotional

Crowds at Baseball and basketball games : families, kids, teenagers

atmosphere is more calm, relaxed, subdued and civilized,

Different crowds

Also can't discount with football that they're outside the arena partying for hours before the game even starts

 

[Soldier]

Significantly Limit the influx of foreign players into the league if you want to see the nba regain popularity domestically.

A big reason why the NFL is the unchallenged king of professional sports in America is the homegrown factor. NCAA College football is overwhelmingly dominated by Americans. Local football talent is the vast majority of NFL draft picks. College students (both current and former) are familiar with football players playing for their college/former alma mater. College football players play 4 years at their school, 4 years is more than enough to create visibility and familiarity with the American public, and to make a name for themselves by showing off their talent/skills. The NFL is dominated by Americans and always has been dominated by Americans. Over 95% of NFL players are Americans of old stock (Black and white U.S born ) the only foreign players are Canadian so it doesn’t count really. The faces of the leagues will always be American( Brady, Montana, Peyton/Eli Manning, Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Pat Mahomes, Brees, OBJ, Aaron Donald, Russell Wilson, etc)

A majority of American sports fans are narcissistic, chauvinistic, tribal, close-minded, uncurious, lazy, parochial and prefer to root for their own people above anyone else. They are obsessed with themselves and don’t care about the rest of the world. Americans will never be citizens of the world, their worldview is firmly local and doesn’t go beyond their bubble. They don’t care about foreign talent like that, no matter how exceptional it is, they are more comfortable with mediocre local relatability/familiarity rather than foreign athletic excellence. Sports fans in America are Cheerleaders more than expert connoisseurs with passion and deep knowledge for sports. They don’t like and appreciate them for the sake of them they need social, emotional, familial and personal reasons to follow and support a team. Sports fandom in this country is basically a social and tribal habit inherited and passed down from generations to generations in many families. Like @tremonthustler1 said before, being a football fan is like being a member of a criminal street gang without the violent initiations. NFL fandom provides a visceral sense of belonging for many people.

Baseball declined in popularity from coast to coast after the 1994 strike mainly because of the steady increase of dominant foreign players. The American pastime over the years became a tropical one after the Latin/Caribbean invasion. Hockey, a sport invented in Canada, was never popular in America, it was and still remains a niche sport because of many factors. Basketball remains popularity as long as the faces of the league are from the USA (Russell, magic, Kareem, bird, mj, Kobe, curry, Bron, Shaq, Iverson, etc) but with the recent rise and influx of international players there is a huge risk that the NBA might not interest many American sports fans in the foreseeable future.

The league needs a high quality, organic storyline.

The last high quality, high drama storyline was if Curry and the Warriors can win a legit one without KD.

They answered that and general interest afterwards has been mid despite the league being stacked.

The players are good, but the style of play makes them cookie-cutter Steph clones. That said, I think OKC and Houston are good stories right now.

Also, I do think a lot of these biracial kids add to the disconnect and image of the league looking soft and cookie-cutter. Sometimes it feels more like college basketball than the NBA with so many well-mannered coach’s kids. Not saying folks need ignorance, but this is probably the most squeaky clean and square the league has been. Again, straight Steph clones everywhere.

The usual suspects will still tell you that the NBA is a league of selfish inner city street thugs with cornrows and tattoos.

Today, The NBA is whiter(slow but steady influx of white players in the league-both foreign and local), softer, lighter(more biracials), less aggressive, less gritty, more sanitized, and much more kid-friendly than 20 years ago. The NBA is more much culturally appropriate, socially acceptable and politically correct than in the Malice at the palace era. The Early to mid 2000s era (2000-2005) had its fair share of « scandals » and « controversial players ». But what’s the excuses now?

racists just hate the sight of young, tall, virile, powerful, skilled , talented, handsome () black men making hundreds of millions and enjoying national/international fame. They’re making life changing money and are worshipped by many. The hate, envy, jealousy and resentment burning slow inside them (Nas- Ether)

Dark skin alone turns someone into a «violent thug » according to these racist bozos/losers.

Why do y'all keep putting all this weight into TV ratings? Cable is dying. Never mind the fact that TV ratings aren't indicative of a product being good or not.

Only the NFL is immune to that and the reason for that has nothing to do with the actual sport/product, itself. If it ever became less American then folks would find something else to do on Sundays.

NBA fans amongst the US public has risen since 2019; people who've played basketball has risen in this country, exponentially, over the same period too. More people across the globe follow the NBA than ever before.

the day the NFL begins to die is when a QB has a game winning drive and then when NBC goes to interview him, he needs an interpreter.

 

[Soldier]

Also can't discount with football that they're outside the arena partying for hours before the game even starts

I forgot rugby and soccer they have the same fans as hockey and football

Rowdy blue collar drunks

Tailgate party culture is present in hockey ,rugby, gridiron football and soccer fandom

Baseball and basketball not really

 

[SchoolboyC]

Significantly Limit the influx of foreign players into the league if you want to see the nba regain popularity domestically.

Only way I see a reduction of foreign players is if overseas teams ever get to the point where they can offer NBA money or even close it and I just don't see that happening anytime soon

I think the highest paid Euroleague players make like taxpayer MLE type money

 

[KidJSoul]

The current CBA is a product of Silver listening to colibrehs in the first place.

You complained about “boring superteams” so he gave you the parity era. And here we are.

No it’s “get rid of 3s”. Meanwhile Caitlyn Clark wins athlete of the year while shooting 9 threes per game.

The problem is that Adam Silver actually does listen to retards on social media and gives you everything you want, like a weak ass parent giving his kid candy for breakfast. Give me a real commissioner who tells fans to STFU and puts the ‘90s plumber era in their place (like Goodell).

you get it

 

[KidJSoul]

It's funny because you can argue listening to the fans is why the NBA is where it's at now.

You get it too

 

[GnauzBookOfRhymes]

The only thing you can do to make game more exciting is to make them more meaningful, which means shortening the season and not letting half the league make the playoffs.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Take away the defensive 3 seconds and have teams run real traditional zone plays (2-3, 2-1-2, 3-2, 1-3-1-1, etc)

stop the disrespect of our current legends/top players via branding/media, support

Bring back NBA Inside Stuff on Saturdays

implement a bonus system for dunks

push markets to collaborate more with their local celebs to create more audience engagement

 

[Soldier]

The current CBA is a product of Silver listening to colibrehs in the first place.

You complained about “boring superteams” so he gave you the parity era. And here we are.

No it’s “get rid of 3s”. Meanwhile Caitlyn Clark wins athlete of the year while shooting 9 threes per game.

The problem is that Adam Silver actually does listen to retards on social media and gives you everything you want, like a weak ass parent giving his kid candy for breakfast. Give me a real commissioner who tells fans to STFU and puts the ‘90s plumber era in their place (like Goodell).

People complained during the cavs/warriors/heatles super teams era in the 2010s. Now with the new CBA, theres general parity in the league and people still complain.

In the early to mid 2000s people complained. I believe in every era of nba history many people always complained regardless. Even in the golden age of the league (1980-1999)