Adam Silver and the NBA want to get into Europe. Before executing their expansion plans, the league needs to clean up its product. Last season’s NBA Finals averaged 9% less viewership than the 2024 Finals. But is it the basketball that’s the problem? Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen doesn’t think so.

He’s from a different era, one attributed with physicality and toughness. But evolution is a natural process. Pippen does feel the fans of the 90s wouldn’t find the modern game appealing. However, the Hall of Famer thinks the biggest reason there’s a decline in viewership is because of distractions.

“It’s not like it was in the nineties when, you know, the cell phone was not as popular. It didn’t have as many apps. Well, now people are now engaged in their phone and it takes away from what I consider the greatest game, meaning basketball, is that people don’t really have to watch games anymore,” Scottie Pippen told Bloomberg.

Technology is a double-edged sword. For a global basketball league, having an online presence is essential. But having access to never-ending content means fans aren’t necessarily as passionate. When there weren’t any phones, you had to buy a ticket or sit in front of the television at the time of the game. Now, a fan can just watch highlights if the timing of the game doesn’t suit their schedule.

“I don’t know how we fix the problem that’s going on right now. But, you know, come playoff times, I think that people tend to tune in a little more, but it’s just a lot more distraction going on that is hard for people to engage in the game as they did in the nineties and early 2000s,” Pippen added.

However, technology might be acting as the savior for the NBA’s viewership problem as we speak.

Adam Silver believes the new media rights deal will show the true picture

The NBA reached a historic media rights agreement before this season. The $76 billion deal included three streaming partners. That aim was to create streaming options since the NBA has a younger fan demographic. And the results appear to be flattering as Adam Silver spoke positively about the same during the All-Star weekend.

“We have a very young audience, and people were predicting that ratings would go down because our audience wouldn’t find the games since they were no longer on cable. It’s been the exact opposite. So many of our young fans were disenfranchised by traditional cable because the data is clear — they’re just not subscribing to cable packages. They’re spending their time on streaming services,” Silver said.

Top Stories

Dwight Howard’s Wife Breaks Down in Tears, Makes Serious Allegations After Daughter Is Taken Away

Fans Predict Rise in “Jealousy” Against Caitlin Clark After Iconic March Madness Collab

Banned NBA Star Returns to Basketball on Saturday Amid Prison Threat

LeBron James Leaves Lakers to Join Jazz In NBA Legend’s Audacious Proposal

TNT’s Team USA Decision Helps Settle One Major Dilemma Seen by Caitlin Clark

According to Awful Announcing, there’s been a clear viewership surge this year. Notably, nationally televised games are averaging 1.8 million viewers. That’s a 16% hike from last season. NBC’s return as streaming partners after decades away has served as a sentimental path back for fans.

There are still problems with actually finding these games. It’s also more expensive since fans have to subscribe to several different streaming services to watch all games. But the game itself may be getting better. To start off, the All-Star Game’s atmosphere proved to be a massive success this season.

With some organically built teams also showcasing their strength, the league has become more competitive. It’s drawing in viewers and creating great intrigue. Do you think these things can serve as sustainable viewership vehicles? Let us know your views in the comments below.