The 2024 NBA season is about 15 games in, and let’s just say things aren’t going well in the ratings department. After seeing their viewership decrease by 12 percent during last season’s playoffs, the start of the season has seen as big as a 28 percent decrease on ESPN, which is the league’s lead broadcast partner.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has used various excuses as to why the league to keep fans interested. His latest is the low ratings are a byproduct of presidential election and World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, which went a very quick five games. That excuse isn’t flying with most, and now one of the more outspoken and controversial players in the league, Draymond Green, is speaking on it.
Green Says Suspending Him Would Create Buzz And Boost Ratings
Usually when you hear the name Draymond Green the word drama or controversy isn’t far behind. Speaking on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show,” the four-time NBA champion and former DPOY said his name is only being mentioned for a suspension stemming from a dustup with Memphis Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey last Friday as a way to increase ratings.
“I’m playing too well, BD. And guess what, the ratings are low,” Green told his co-panelist Baron Davis. “We know Draymond’s name sparks buzz. We know that name carries weight.”
“If many people around the league think Draymond should be suspended, guess what, Draymond will be suspended,” Green added.
That comes on the heels of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith saying on the Nov. 19 edition of “First Take,” “You have a lot of people in the league that believe Draymond should be suspended.”
While Smith wasn’t in the majority, he did agree with the league for upgrading the foul to a flagrant 1.
Arenas Chimes In On Ratings Collapse
NBA ratings, or lack thereof, even got former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas talking on his “Gil’s Arena” podcast, and he thinks the league has an expense issue.
“It’s expensive to watch games now,” Arenas said. “They used to be free. So you buy cable for your own teams, then you have to buy League Pass to get the League Pass stuff.”
“And they’re harder to find,” he added. “That’s the problem. We have to find it. It used to be available. The NBA, money-wise, perfect for you, but for the viewers, you’ve f—ed us.”
Strong words from Arenas, but in many ways he’s correct. With so many streaming services and applications getting involved with showing games, just having basic cable isn’t good enough anymore. It’s the same thing the NFL has done with all of its changes to its games, mainly the entire Thursday night rights going to Amazon Prime, and without it you can’t watch the game.
