r/nba • u/Kimber80 • 1d ago

[Rankin] ... Kevin Durant continuing to address #NBA viewership being down. "I take this serious. I'm locked in as to why people don't want to watch us play."

https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1872176949801504956?t=sOlhzun3lYo5ImePn8Xpwg&s=19
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u/Neemzeh Timberwolves 1d ago

The NBA has put itself into a box though, with player salaries, salary cap, expenses, etc. They basically have to use their existing models or the networks wont pay them as much. If they don't pay as much, they'll probably lose revenue. IDK tho, I'm sure someone with an economic background can explain more accessibility vs. networks paying and whether one will make more than the other. I'd imagine the NBA has crunched these numbers and still think its better for them financially to do it this way, viewership be damned.

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u/Skunk_Gunk [CLE] LeBron James 1d ago

The biggest thing that leagues don’t account for when going this route is that they are losing the next generation of fans by doing this. People rarely start to follow teams/leagues unless they grow up with it. The league needs to think about the next 20 years just not the next quarter, could say this about 90% of companies though to be fair.

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u/Lost-Maximum7643 1d ago

This and espn not really showing highlights everyday. My kids can’t just turn on sports center and see the highlights and build their love of the game like I did growing up

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u/15b17 Thunder 1d ago

It’s just useless arguing, gambling, and nonsense with occasional highlights. I remember staying home sick from school and watching lebron, TD, Dirk highlights with a sense of excitement. Can’t imagine that’s how many kids spend their days now

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u/OpportunitySmalls 1d ago

The gap is the can do that on youtube all day every day, even highlights aren't special to the current generation so the talking head stuff that appeals to mainly old heads is what's put on TV.

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u/15b17 Thunder 1d ago

That’s true but like if I were a kid now no chance I’m pulling up YT highlights for that shit; they’ve done absolutely 0 to get kids to care about that over whatever new Mr Beast video is out and they’re gonna get what’s coming to them in 15 years

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u/Lost-Maximum7643 1d ago

Yep exactly