The real reason NBA viewership is down is because of local teams' games being blacked out...thoughts?

[Peruvian Connect]

If you can't watch regularly on local broadcast you stop checking for your team in general

So subscribe....

 

[Dorian Breh]

So subscribe....

I stream whatever I want.

But the average viewer, who is most of the people that make up viewership numbers and ratings, isn't going the extra mile if they already paying a cable subscription.

"Oh I can't get the Knicks/Bulls/whatever? fukk em then"

 

[David_TheMan]

But to be fair needing a PREMIUM cable subscription to watch your home team is flat out ridiculous
But it’s not the largest reason.. it does matter though

Why? Blackout rules have always existed in the NBA, MlB , and NFL.

Also it this is a NBA issue, the NBA owners were told they would alienate future audiences leaving broadcast and going cable and they didn't care. NFL was the only league to mandate a state on broadcast tv, and they exploded while everyone else shrink.

The same thing is being told to the NFL owners in their money grab for streaming from YouTube, Amazon, and etc. don't alienate your future fanbase by hiding your product behind a pay wall.

 

[Peruvian Connect]

I stream whatever I want.

But the average viewer, who is most of the people that make up viewership numbers and ratings, isn't going the extra mile if they already paying a cable subscription.

"Oh I can't get the Knicks/Bulls/whatever? fukk em then"

What extra mile? Is the local affilate not included in the cable package? I know ESPN and shiit is an extra tier didn't know the local affiliate was as well.

 

[Dorian Breh]

What extra mile? Is the local affilate not included in the cable package? I know ESPN and shiit is an extra tier didn't know the local affiliate was as well.

Exactly.

So recently (three days ago) the Knicks and I guess a few years back the Bulls spun out their own channel then cut ties with the cable package to the point you gotta pay James Dolan $30/month to watch Knicks games.

 

[Peruvian Connect]

Exactly.

So recently (three days ago) the Knicks and I guess a few years back the Bulls spun out their own channel then cut ties with the cable package to the point you gotta pay James Dolan $30/month to watch Knicks games.

oh yeah thats bullshiit

 

[OSUBaneBrowns]

I got expensive ass Xfinity, I live in Illinois, but I don't even get Bulls games

I live in Long Beach and I can't get Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers and Angels games unless I get Spectrum cable .

 

[DropTopDoc]

I can’t tell you a nikka getting drafted, and more often than not we don’t know if the rookie good cuz they buried on the bench or struggling to acquiesce to the association. Make these kids stay for 2-3 years cuz wtf. Every draft recap it’s some tall ass light skin nikka with a fro and a white momma and black daddy who i couldn’t tell you if he was good

 

[Lefty Gunz]

What’s the excuse for national tv games though

 

[In The Zone '98]

What’s the excuse for national tv games though

We'll see soon. Laker games gonna do good numbers if they keep winning

NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Jan. 25	3 p.m.	Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Jan. 25	5:30 p.m.	Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Jan. 25	8:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Feb. 1	8:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks
Feb. 8	8:30 p.m.	Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks
Feb. 22	8:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
Mar. 1	8:30 p.m.	Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Mar. 8	8:30 p.m.	Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics
Mar. 15	8:30 p.m.	New York Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors

NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Feb. 9	2 p.m.	Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Feb. 23	1 p.m.	New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics
Feb. 23	3:30 p.m.	Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors
Mar. 2	1 p.m.	Denver Nuggets vs. Boston Celtics
Mar. 9	1 p.m.	Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Mar. 9	3:30 p.m.	Phoenix Suns vs. Dallas Mavericks
Mar. 16	1 p.m.	Philadelphia 76ers vs. Dallas Mavericks
Mar. 16	3:30 p.m.	Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

 

[pete clemenza]

The NBA isn't struggling in LA, NYC, and Philly

 

[R.E.N. Spells Ren]

This may not be THE reason, but why are y’all acting like this isn’t a problem?

Current blackout rules are archaic, and yes they’ve been outdated for years. Too many people have ditched cable for there to be no adjustment. I only get to watch the Celtics cuz I use my father’s Direct TV Stream subscription and he doesn’t live in the Boston area. Before that there was no legal way for me to “subscribe” that didn’t involve me signing up for a cable/cable-like service paying for a bunch of channels I don’t care to watch. I like the NBA, but not that much. I was willing to pay for league pass + a home team adder if needed

 

[concise]

This may not be THE reason, but why are y’all acting like this isn’t a problem?

Current blackout rules are archaic, and yes they’ve been outdated for years. Too many people have ditched cable for there to be no adjustment. I only get to watch the Celtics cuz I use my father’s Direct TV Stream subscription and he doesn’t live in the Boston area. Before that there was no legal way for me to “subscribe” that didn’t involve me signing up for a cable/cable-like service paying for a bunch of channels I don’t care to watch. I like the NBA, but not that much. I was willing to pay for league pass + a home team adder if needed

Regional sports networks are an important part of the other leagues not named NFL.

How much do you think they'd have to increase the price of League Pass to get that money back?

 

[Damnshow]

Has anyone thought that maybe so many players being injured lately is something not really attractive for the viewership?

If the audience could get a product where both teams are facing each other mostly healthy, they wouldn't even mind that much about 3pt spamming or whatever.

 

[nieman]

NBA League Pass Blackout Map

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/ericallanwest/viz/NBALeaguePassBlackoutMap/NBALeaguePassBlackoutMap

How old is this person? This has been in existence for decades now. I don't have Comcast, so I'd never see 76ers on TV unless it was ESPN. The Turners & NBA always blacked them out. It also exists for the Phillies. But we used to watch Bulls games on the WGN.

Cable or not, it depended on the actual service provider. And that's not changing because of streaming...in fact it would only get worse, now change cable to streaming service