Competing against the MLB playoffs and the NFL has hurt the NBA, which normally holds its finals in JuneNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Competing against the MLB playoffs and the NFL has "hurt the NBA, which normally holds its finals in June," as viewership on ABC has "set an historic low as the four least-watched finals games in recorded history," according to Marc Berman of the N.Y. POST. However, Game 4 saw the audience "rise to 7.54 million viewers," which was "ahead of Game 3's 5.94 million viewers." The Game 3 number "set a new low since finals ratings were recorded in 1984." The "sterility of the Disney World bubble environment with no homecourt advantage could also be a factor" (N.Y. POST, 10/9).
REASONS FOR THE DROP: USA TODAY's Dan Wolken writes the "idea that sports coming back would automatically bring fans to their televisions in huge numbers" has "turned out to be inaccurate." It would be "completely fair to say that the viewership for sports has been a bit disappointing." Wolken: "Turns out, there might be too much sports to watch." And when you "combine that with the lifestyle changes so many people have made" during the pandemic, there is "both an explanation for the drop in numbers and somewhat of a long-term warning for sports." Sports Business Journal Managing Editor/Digital Austin Karp said, "People are inundated with, 'OK, I have football, do I really need to watch the NBA Finals? My mind is trained to watch that in June.'" Wolken notes "four factors contributing" to the drop in viewership across sports. First, there is a "certain level of cannibalization on the calendar." It also is "not part of our natural cycle to be watching sports on weekday afternoons or NBA Finals games in October." Lack of fans in the stands is a "psychological cue that these games don’t mean as much." And finally, there is an election season in a "highly charged political climate" (USA TODAY, 10/9).
