The NBA has recently seen a significant decline in ratings throughout the 2024-25 season with a 28 percent drop in viewership year-over-year. However, looking at the data long-term, this trend has been persistent for over a decade, with a 48 percent decline since 2012. Many have speculated on the driving force behind the declining interest in the league, with ideas ranging from woke politics to the dynamic landscape of streaming and cable.
For example, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver suggested that the slow start was because of the World Series and the recent election. However, this ignores a broader trend of declining viewership, which has fallen 45% since 2012. However, others are buying this explanation, where some have concluded the ideological leanings of the league have driven viewers away.
Conservative sports outlet Outkick commented on the matter, posting on X, “The NBA ratings continue to tank hard, now down 28% on ESPN. The league blames “the election.” Not true. NFL, CFB, and MLB all went up against the election and are up in the ratings.” Outkick founder Clay Travis also weighed in, comparing the NBA to Bud Light.
“The most consequential consumer boycott of the 21st century didn’t come from drinker’s rejection of a beer, it came from sports, in particular the NBA, which has destroyed its brand with a large percentage of the American sporting public by embracing woke, political, far-left-wing messaging in its games,” Travis said.
The popular news account, Say Cheese, posted about the NBA’s struggles with ratings, pointing out that other professional sports leagues appear to be thriving and setting records with their ratings. “NBA ratings are down 48% since 2012. Down 28% this year alone on ESPN. Every other sports league is setting ratings records,” the account said.
Others offered a different perspective, suggesting it has become too impractical to watch the NBA across the various streaming services and platforms. “Cuz it’s damn near impossible to watch a game without dropping crazy $$ or illegally streaming. League pass has blackouts on regional games so there’s pretty much no reason to buy it unless you want to watch every other team in the league besides your team. Make it accessible,” one person wrote.
“It’s impossible to watch your favorite team unless you have like 5 different streaming services and the nba media only focuses on about 6 teams. They could simplify that by making the games more accessible and covering the nba’s smaller markets,” another person said, echoing this sentiment that it has become a convoluted process to watch the league.
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Posing another idea, one person opined that the same level of fierce competition that was once in the league is no longer present. They wrote, “Everyone became best friends instead of opponents. Players have no loyalty to their teams or their cities and go where the money is. All these things money the water around what actually makes a fan base zealots. LeBron and the Miami big 3 ruined basketball?”
“It’s not just the quality of play or the rules. If you don’t like the players, there’s no real reason to tune in. Once in a while I might remember it’s basketball season and watch a game, but less and less often. I’ll watch the NCAA tourney. Great stories make for the drama. Where’s the great story in the NBA?” another person asked.
Watch Sen. Steve Daines discuss uncancelling the Redskin’s logo below: