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Sports commentator Colin Cowherd criticized the National Basketball Association (NBA) for its significant decline in TV ratings, blaming the league’s failure to deliver what fans want.
During a recent broadcast of The Herd, Cowherd highlighted how the NBA’s struggles parallel those of the Democrat Party, pointing to a disconnect with regular Americans as a root cause.
Cowherd commended NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for addressing challenges like CTE concerns and navigating cultural changes, but he argued that Silver’s approach has increasingly alienated fans.
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“He tinkers, he evolves,” Cowherd said, referencing the commissioner’s frequent adjustments to the game.
Despite these efforts, NBA ratings have plummeted 48% over the past 12 years, with this year’s numbers showing even steeper declines.
“Adam Silver’s solution is, ‘Let’s make the courts brighter,’” Cowherd quipped, before labeling the league’s performance as “embarrassing.”
Cowherd specifically criticized the NBA All-Star Game and the growing issue of load management, where star players skip games during the regular season to rest.
“The All-Star Game is now embarrassing, and I think load management is a shame on the league.”
He added that it’s unfair to families who spend money on tickets only to find key players like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid sitting out.
Cowherd then drew a comparison between the NBA’s struggles and the Democrat Party’s challenges in connecting with average Americans. “Go ask the Democrats. Be warned. Once you detach from regular people in America, you will pay a price,” he warned.
In contrast to the NBA, Cowherd praised Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred for successfully addressing fan criticisms.
He noted that Manfred made changes to speed up the game and increase star players’ visibility.
“Rob Manfred has television networks going to him saying, ‘We’re not gonna renew, including this one. Make the game faster.’ He did,” Cowherd said, pointing to the success of changes like eliminating the defensive shift and shortening game times.
The result, he noted, was a boost in ratings for networks like Fox.
Cowherd acknowledged the challenges of leadership, whether in sports or politics. “Nobody likes any president. They don’t like Trudeau in Canada. They don’t like whoever’s in the office here. Nobody likes anybody. And commissioners get nothing but crap,” he stated.
“The NBA…ratings are down 48% in the last 12 years and they have fallen off a cliff this year and Adam Silver’s solution is let’s make the courts brighter…Go ask the Democrats. Be warned, once you detach from regular people in America, you will pay a price.” – Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/V3wifBWu5a
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 13, 2024
Cowherd’s remarks align with recent data showing the NBA’s ratings decline. According to Fadeaway World, the league’s ratings have dropped 48% since 2012, with further decreases this season.
TNT’s games average 1.8 million viewers, while ESPN’s ratings are down 28% from last year, averaging 1.77 million viewers per game.
Even new initiatives like the NBA Cup have failed to resonate with audiences, with viewership for the tournament dropping 10% compared to its debut season.
Additionally, four of the five lowest-rated NBA Finals in the past 30 years occurred in the last four seasons.
The 2024 Finals averaged just 11.64 million viewers, a stark contrast to the league’s peak popularity years ago.
Cowherd concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with fans to ensure the league’s future.
He pointed to the NFL as an example of a league that maintains its appeal to regular Americans, particularly in smaller markets like Baltimore, Buffalo, Green Bay, and Kansas City.
“[The NFL] has a connectability to the American Midwest and regular people,” Cowherd said.
He argued that leagues like the NBA risk losing everything if they fail to reestablish that connection.
