NBA owner Mark Cuban wants to know “who’s watching” the NBA playoffs:
Who’s watching the @nba with me tonight ! Great games so far !!!
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) August 29, 2020
The answer? Not as many people as last year:
Rough start for the NBA playoffs.
-Viewership on ABC is down 23% from last year
-Viewership down a huge 28% in 18-49 year olds
-The Lakers game was the lowest watched opener in 5 years
-Overall ratings are down 20% compared to last postseasonhttps://t.co/kil8YgtGWx— Damon A. Salvadore (@DamonSalvadore1) August 30, 2020
And we’ll point out that there’s NOTHING ELSE GOING ON:
The most incredible thing about NBA ratings tanking is the fact that a record number of people are working from home. You could simply watch games at home while your working, but people don't even want to do that.
— Damon A. Salvadore (@DamonSalvadore1) August 30, 2020
First they blew it on China, and now they’re going all-in on the protests and riots:
The NBA ratings drop has absolutely accelerated in the bubble, after also dropping after the China issue.
(Just as CBS and Fox Sports Executives have noted the Kaepernick effect on their NFL ratings.)https://t.co/pfDfz3wuu6
— Brian Riedl ? (@Brian_Riedl) August 30, 2020
Fact check: The “shade” was justified:
President Donald Trump Throws Shade At NBA Over Their Ratings #TheSource #DonaldTrump #NBA https://t.co/qglCtdFN2S
— The Source Magazine (@TheSource) August 29, 2020
They were warned:
Trump on NBA protest: "I don't know about the NBA protest. I know their ratings have been very bad because I think people are tired of the NBA frankly." https://t.co/ayDYGVW1Jn pic.twitter.com/YjeZq3xKBZ
— AS English (@English_AS) August 28, 2020
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Related:
Donald Trump scores a major win on in-person voting after the NBA and NBPA agree to resume playoffs https://t.co/2Jio4e4u4y
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 28, 2020
NHL postpones playoff games in solidarity with the NBA, which has just decided to resume playoff games https://t.co/hubXaeemie
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 27, 2020
REPORT: NBA players to end strike and resume playoffs, prove Jared Kushner's point https://t.co/BhNewcEHFn
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 27, 2020