Unhappy NBA fans? Adam Silver’s answer is right under his nose
Adam Silver is focusing on improving international audiences whereas disgruntled American NBA fans are losing interest.
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Adam Silver has to fix problems faced by American NBA fans as ratings continue to drop
On one hand, the NBA is losing viewers who tend to watch games on their television sets at home. On the other hand, they are gaining social media followers globally. Adam Silver wants to focus on expanding the league’s reach, which he believes will then help increase viewership at a greater pace.
His logic is based on the fact that basketball as a sport is growing in acceptance. No other sport is finding new viewers the way the NBA is doing. Therefore, he believes even if there is a drop in viewership in the United States, global fans will help offset that, and help it grow even more.
That also explains why the game has been softened to allow international players to thrive. It is not that international players weren’t there in the league before. But when European players become some of the best in the league, they bring along with many new fans from that part of the world.
Adam Silver has just landed deals with streaming giant Amazon Prime to help the game reach all corners of the world. That is again a tactic to draw international audiences as the league looks to keep growing exponentially.
However, while doing that, Silver is also causing fans in America some headaches. Due to which, many complaints have come forth about how games are being handled. Therefore, the 62-year-old commissioner could solve both problems in one go and help push his league into the stratosphere.
Fans in America want games to start on time
Basketball fans do not have a problem if a game goes into double or triple overtime. That usually means, the game is exciting, and they want to witness that firsthand, even forgoing anything else that they were supposed to do after the game.
That excitement makes up for any retrospective problems at home or work. However, when games start late, it becomes an inconvenience. Fans may have something planned for after the game and sitting idle waiting for the superstars to tip off is as frustrating as it can get.
The problem for any NBA fan is that most games are not exciting, as has been pointed out by many. Therefore, to arrive at a game with a schedule in mind and then to wait for it to start has become an ordeal.
Then afterwards if the game ends up being boring, fans will start to lose interest in the NBA as a product. Therefore, the first order of business Adam Silver needs to get right is to ensure games start on time. It is tough to watch empty seats during a game.
If fans drop their interest, teams will not be able to make money. Then it will start pinching where it hurts and all of it leads back to how the league operates. The organization is paying Adam Silver millions to ensure their stake holders are happy.
Negotiate with broadcasters to provide free or cheaper access to NBA games
The NBA just signed a $76 billion media rights deal with NBC, ESPN and Amazon. With that, the league is about to move into the world of streaming where fans across the globe can watch games live. However, it comes with a caveat.
Amazon’s Prime Video, ESPN + and NBC’s Peacock require fans to pay for subscription packages. Even if they are available in various price ranges, a fan would not have to acquire packages from all three broadcasters.
That pushes up the prices of a fan if they want to catch all the games. Along with cable, the monthly costs end up becoming a tad too much. Charles Barkley was vocal about it suggesting the league and team owners have become greedy.
Therefore, it could make sense if the league can work with broadcasters to come up with a collective package that would be more affordable. Bringing the price down to help fans engage with the game is better than driving them out with the prices sky high.
Adam Silver has to make the game exciting for Americans
With every passing day, the allegations that the state of the game in the NBA is deteriorating is on the rise. Fans want excitement which is no longer a part of the NBA as stale offenses, and a lack of defense has made it predictable. Teams that chuck up more threes are the ones who win, making it a bore fest.
As this has happened, basketball fans have started to switch to watch either the WNBA, or college basketball. Some sports fans have also taken to the NFL and other leagues as the games there are far more exciting.
With millions of viewers tuning into those games, the NBA might as well not forget about Americans who take time out to watch games. If they get some sense of excitement from NBA, they could be tempted to start watching games again.
That way, Adam Silver will have the viewership numbers at home to go along with that from abroad. Collectively, they can help the league grow faster than before. The NBA can take a look at their sister brand, the WNBA, for inspiration.
As of now, it is American viewers who flock to watch the likes of Caitlin Clark play. She and her peers are yet to become as globally popular as there are European and Asian leagues which have their own set of fans. Those American viewers have made the WNBA the fastest growing brand in the country.
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Joseph Varghese
(2392 Articles Published)