Fans in Splits as Roger Goodell Says NFL Competes With $3 Trillion Apple, Not the NBA: “Man Just Roasted Silver Alive”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been trying to increase viewership of the league in the face of the NFL's growing popularity.

Fans in Splits as Roger Goodell Says NFL Competes With $3 Trillion Apple, Not the NBA: “Man Just Roasted Silver Alive”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA Commissioner (Image via FirstSportz)

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Since Adam Silver took over as the Commissioner of the NBA, he has overseen the transition from television-dominated viewership to an era where social media has become a major force.

However, that transition has also coincided with a major drop in television viewership. Silver maintains that growth on social media has helped the league expand beyond what television and cable could bring them.

Based on those growth statistics, the NBA managed to secure a massive media-rights deal that will see them earn $77 billion over 11 years. But Silver is not content with that and is looking to grow it more, with potential expansion across the globe.

Despite all of those efforts, the league cannot seem to close down its popularity and viewership deficit to the NFL. Roger Goodell has made the league into one of the greatest sporting spectacles in America and is now looking for ways to improve its global acceptance.

Every year, fans go back and forth on the popularity and success of these two leagues. But as per Goodell, he does not even view the NBA as a competitor.

We’re not competing with the NBA or MLB. Our competitors are Apple and Google.

Roger Goodell as quoted by Ken Belson

Roger Goodell said this in private after the Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. This statement, as ridiculous as it may sound to basketball fans, is a reflection of how the NFL views itself. It believes its true competitors are two $3 trillion companies.

Fans left in splits as Roger Goodell looks down upon Adam Silver’s NBA

NBA fans might not appreciate what Roger Goodell said about their league. To make it seem as if a league that commands a global footprint was nowhere near the level of the NFL in terms of viewership and popularity seemed like a low blow.

However, sports fans believe it was the perfect troll towards a league that has been struggling to showcase itself as the most popular sports league in the world. The basketball league has not been the same, and its constant dependence on its aging stars is a sign that all is not well.

Then, for them to be blown out in terms of viewership ratings has proven that the NFL is in a league of its own. Fans believe this was a roast that makes it clear where the NBA stands, and Adam Silver should be ashamed of what the game has become. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Adam Silver is being paid millions to ensure the league continues to become the most popular sport after soccer. But as the days go by, the NFL is ramping up its efforts to change that notion.

NFL is vying for the NBA’s global audience

A decade ago, the NBA was still the 2nd most popular league in the world. Everyone wanted to watch LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, and others perform at their best.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry at Paris Olympics
LeBron James and Stephen Curry at Paris Olympics (Image via USA Basketball/X)

Now, the league is grappling with dropping viewership ratings. Adam Silver might believe that the league’s social media growth might say otherwise, but when the NFL season starts, everything goes quiet. That is enough to know which league garners more viewers.

Every season, the NFL looks to increase its global reach, and its games abroad have become a staple every season. Their support of flag football has helped the world over come to terms with the game.

When flag football appears in the 2028 Olympics for the 1st time, there are rumors that the game will change the landscape of the NFL. They will no longer be confined to just an American audience.

On the other hand, if Team USA does not perform well against International teams, it could be the final nail in the coffin. The league has everything to lose, whereas American football is about to become global.

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