The 2024 NBA Finals that ended in a four-games-to-one victory for the Boston Celtics over the Dallas Mavericks suffered the fifth-lowest viewership in the league’s history. Both teams’ markets rank within the top 10 in size and there was an enticing storyline: Dallas’ Kyrie Irving had a chance at revenge against his former team, while the Boston Celtics aimed for their eighteenth title. However, they drew abysmal ratings. Let’s dive into why this happened…
BLOWOUTS
No one wants to watch a blowout. Speaking for all fans, we want to see a nail-biter that keeps us on the edge of our seats. Not only does a competitive game incentivize viewers to continue watching, but it also catches the attention of non-watchers to catch the tail end of a close matchup. This underwhelming series did not deliver those results, as the average point differential per game sat just under eighteen points. Many of the games in this series were decided by the end of the first half of play. Another interesting thing to consider, and we do see this across other sports, is that Dallas fought tooth and nail to get to the finals while Boston could coast to the championship series. When the two met, Boston easily subdued their opponent. The Mavericks were a phenomenal story but lacked the experience and big-moment star power to compare to the juggernaut that is Boston.
League Parity
NBA fans have long dreamed of parity in the league, tired of watching the same handful of teams hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy every June. Well, they got their wish, but things haven’t improved. Except for 2020 and 2021, the Finals have not seen such low viewership since the San Antonio Spurs swept the Miami Heat in 2007. The last six champions have all been different teams, a trend that began after the Golden State Warriors won their third title in four years. Maybe league-dominating giants aren’t such a bad idea…
No James, No Curry, No Viewers
From 2015-2018, the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors faced off against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. During that era, asking someone their thoughts on the series would likely elicit strong support for one franchise and bitter resentment for the other. It was dramatic; the two NBA powerhouses duke it out repeatedly. Despite saying they were sick of watching it, fans couldn’t get enough. The average viewership of these four showdowns was 19.5 million, including the 2018 series where Golden State dismantled Cleveland in four games. The average point differential in 2018 sat just under sixteen points. A series that was over before it even began garnered an average of almost 18 million viewers. If the stars aligned and there was some divine intervention that gave us a Curry vs James NBA Finals, I guarantee you would see viewership skyrocket.
Fans today lack the same emotional attachment to players as they did with James and Curry. While Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Dallas’ Luka Doncic have gained attention, it doesn’t compare to the hype surrounding the LeBron James and Stephen Curry era.
Wrap Up
The reason NBA Finals viewership is in the gutter is quite simple: the games are not competitive and no well-established household names are competing to pit the NBA fanbases against each other. A rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics could help boost ratings, but until there is another matchup that gets the attention of people’s grandparents, you can count on poor viewership.