The NBA TV ratings have been a much-talked-about subject in recent times. With the ratings dipping on most occasions, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looks to devise a plan to set things straight. With the older generation, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, not making the finals, they need new superstar power to draw in a broader audience.
Right now, there’s a transition period of the older players moving out while the younger crop takes over the field. With Games 1 and 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals displaying low TV ratings, Silver came out with his theory for the dip in the ratings.
Adam Silver Points Out Glaring Factors for Low TV Ratings
Joining ESPN’s NBA Countdown panel before Game 3, Silver explained the issue in a candid chat.
“People compare us to 20 years ago. Games 1 and 2 so far are the highest-rated programs in May and June so far, on television. And if something beats us, it will be another sports program. Back 20 years ago, we often didn’t win the night when the Finals were on. But the absolute rating is lower now,” stated Silver.
The NBA Commissioner also pointed out the major elephant in the room: “The world’s changed. There are so many options now.”
Cable television subscriptions have rapidly declined in recent years, and various streaming services have taken over the market. With the influx of content, it’s challenging to satisfy your audience unless out-of-the-box ideas come into play.
But Silver remained positive and looks forward to improving the issue by saying, “In some ways, I couldn’t be happier. We are dominating in this series. We are dominating relative to other programming, but ultimately, the goal is to get more people to watch, and that’s what makes it a bigger event. So we have to be innovative and find new ways.”
TV Viewership Collapses to Record Lows
If you look at the TV ratings for Games 1 and 2, they don’t paint a pretty picture. Although Tyrese Haliburton hit a game-winning shot, the total viewership dropped to 8.9 million for Game 1 between the Pacers and Thunder, according to Programming Insider.
The game only topped two NBA Finals: tops only the two COVID-era series of 2020 (Heat-Lakers: 7.69M) and 2021 (Bucks-Suns: 8.70M)
Likewise, Game 2 saw another dip with 8.7 million viewers, dropping further down the ladder. The viewership remains concerning, but the game could benefit from a marketing boost. Formula 1, as a sport, has improved its viewership after introducing the innovative ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ show on Netflix, which has effectively grabbed the audience’s attention.
Thus, the NBA could find creative ways to attract more viewers to the game as Silver seeks to gain a fresh perspective on increasing viewership. Hopefully, if the two teams reach Game 7 in the NBA finals, it could do wonders for the TV ratings.
