NBA commissioner Adam Silver put his foot in his mouth throughout Wednesday’s press convention earlier than the league’s preseason board of governors conferences.
Silver fielded questions referring to Kawhi Leonard’s controversial endorsement offers with the Los Angeles Clippers in addition to the NBA’s new broadcast schedule, which is able to characteristic video games throughout digital streaming properties similar to ESPN, NBC’s Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video.
Ever for the reason that decline of cable tv, we’ve entered right into a “reduce the twine” streaming world that requires a number of subscriptions to look at exhibits, films and stay sports activities. This isn’t simply a problem surrounding the NBA because the NFL and MLB are going through related challenges about capitalizing incomes potential by way of streaming rights whereas preserving an inexpensive product for followers.
Silver was requested in regards to the rising price to look at NBA video games at house and his reply was attention-grabbing to say the least.
“There’s an enormous quantity of our content material that individuals can basically watch totally free,” Silver mentioned. “That is very a lot a highlight-based sport.”
The commissioner referenced Instagram, TikTok and Twitter as locations the place followers can view basketball.
That’s all fantastic and nice till you understand which you could’t watch full video games on social media, and whereas basketball actually has became a most popular sport for the youthful technology of sports activities followers, the NBA is alienating a giant sector of their viewers. Older followers should not going to devour NBA content material on social media. They’ll simply miss the sport if they will’t work out the right way to stream it.
Whereas everyone was working with the clip of the commissioner of the NBA virtually telling the world to simply comply with him on Instagram, Silver did be aware that with the league’s new media deal, they’re going from 15 video games on broadcast tv to 75. It will enable followers to look at extra marquee video games with solely a TV antenna, making basketball far more accessible to anyone with a tv.
In keeping with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the NBA’s nationwide tv networks (Amazon, NBC and ESPN) met this week to debate how they will work collectively on shifting ahead with an accessible product for followers.
Watching the NBA on tv will definitely look completely different shifting ahead. Contained in the NBA is shifting from Turner Sports activities and TNT to ESPN, which was confirmed by Shaquille O’Neal this week.
The NBA aired on TNT for 36 seasons. 2025 will definitely be the beginning of a brand new period of watching basketball. Simply be sure you’re following them on social media, too.
