Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Bad ratings or poor broadcasts?

I can't remember a time when I was so disinterested in basketball. Usually I at least follow the playoffs with at least a curiosity, however I have not watched probably more than 20 minutes total of the playoffs since the Blazers were bounced. So I decided to go to the ratings to see if others were sharing this sentiment.

It turns out that ever since NBC was pushed aside for ABC, ratings have generally been lower than they've ever before. Save for the 2004 Pistons beating the Lakers, the finals have not rated above a 10, while between 1982 and 2002 on CBS and NBC, ratings never once fell below 10.

So what caused this? Is it the fact that the NBA has turned into a bunch of overpaid prima donnas? Is it the fact that referees seem to be over controlling (or even outright rigging) the games? Is it the fact that more and more of the playoffs are on cable networks so that the games are not as easily accessible to the casual fan? Is it all based on the fact that ABC's broadcasts are so overproduced that it makes you want to throw up all over their commentary and graphics.

One thing is for sure, for all the hype that ESPN and ESPECIALLY David Stern spews, the NBA is not doing very well. This is at a time when people are looking to spend less on entertainment and should be staying home more and tuning in to things like the NBA, but like me, a die hard Blazers fan and former fan of the NBA as a whole, I'm just not interested. For all these reasons and more.

In your mind what is the biggest thing that's bringing the NBA down?

 

Boring playoffs....

 

Bad matchups! No big game 7's like usual.

 

The playoffs have been very dull this year, and I guess you could argue over the better part of the decade, but you can't tell me that every year of playoffs between 1982 and 2002 was more compelling than every year of playoffs from 2003-2010. I wanted to wait to put in my part, but I here from a lot of people that they, "Used to be into the NBA," and they "Used to be into the Blazers." When I ask them why they're not anymore I get one of two answers: Officiating or Jailblazers. If I get Jailblazers I'm quick to remind them what a good character team we have now, and what a good guy Brandon Roy is. If I get officiating, there's not much I can say, because I can't agree more.

It's become a game of take it to basket and draw a foul if you're a super star. And the Blazers are not exempt. Brandon Roy does it a lot too.

 

For hardcore fans, it's the poor officiating. For casual fans, it's the poor quality of network TV coverage.

 

The horrific officiating makes the game almost unwatchable.

 

I was going to suggest something like this. The NBA has become so predictable that I can totally understand why people have tuned it out.

Also, 2003 is the year they changed the first round to a best-of-seven series from the previous five game format. That alone seemed to take out a lot of the parity, but maybe it's just my imagination.

 

I think it's the bad theme music. Ever since they went away from the theme written by John Tesh the ratings have plummeted.

 

IMO the league has lost a lot of intensity since they implemented the restrictions on defense, and the no celebration rules. By removing those, they removed much of what created intensity in basketball games to begin with.

 

Overproduction is what makes me turn the channel.

 

NBA on NBC were the days, that theme song is how I remember falling in love with NBA.

It was professional. The announcers were professional.

They had people like Marv Albert, Bob Costas. Now we gotta deal with blow hards like Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. No disrespect to guys like Mike Breen and Ernie Johnson, I think those guys are great but it's just sad when you think of NBA commentators now, you have to think of knuckleheads.

 

The comercials were also killing me.

"Are We There Yet" can suck a bag full of dicks.

 

Actually the part that is most disturbing to me, is all the announcers know that favoritism is going on, but they act like that is the normal cool shiznit, business as usual. Player A got this call, and player B didn't get it because he isn't player A. Then they laugh about it. Isn't it great. So awesome and hilarious that the refs show favoritism. Oh wait it's not? What do you mean?

 

For me it is the idea (fact?) that the refs just have too much impact on the game. Every single possession contains many incidents that could draw a whistle, according to how the rules are written. It is then up to the refs to decide how the game will be played, and who will get the benefit of the calls.

I love the Blazers and I love basketball, but, on the other hand, I love how for the most part, I don't even realize the refs are at the game during a college football game.

 

The lack of Jordan.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/04/20/nba-postseason-broadcast-ratings-1987-2007/3413

 

Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith aren't announcers and Marv Albert still is.

 

Agree with all of the other reasons and will add two more that make the finals for me unwatchable (most of the time).

1. Overexposure. Basketball has been on every night on TNT, ESPN, or league pass for months. It really has to be an intriguing matchup or one of my teams playing in order for me to watch. The players are also in the news and on TV all the time as well.

2. Growing old. I wonder if I would have had the same enthusiasm for watching Bird, Magic, and Jordan if I had been older and they would have been under the scrutiny of today's media. I respected them no matter because they were older than me, but it could have been different if older and seen stories of Bird smoking pot, Magic screwing everything and subsequently getting AIDS, or Jordan's gambling exploits magninified.

For the Celtics and Lakers, I see KG acting like an idiot on all fours guarding Calderon and Bayless. I see Rondo punching Brad Miller in the face and proclaiming to be an elite point guard even though he plays next to three HOFers. I see Paul Pierce also pointing out how great he is. I see Kobe as still unmature, Odom the pot smoking idiot that could be a great player, and Artest as the player that set the Pacers back years.

Will probably watch more college softball world series than I do basketball for the next couple of weeks.