NBA Coverage Has A Problem, And It’s Not The Basketball

When it comes to the NBA, it’s all about who is going where next, who may be traded to what team and which coach is about to be fired.

Yes, Hoops Wire undoubtedly takes part in that narrative, because quite frankly, it drives the numbers. And we need to keep the lights on just like everyone else. We are hardly alone — and it’s fair to wonder if the constant cycle of rumors and news has overtaken what’s taking place on the court.

This is something that was extensively about by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

“Basketball has felt more attenuated from the league in recent years,” Vorkunov wrote. “This is brought up by fans, media and individuals working in and around the NBA. It is reflected in the media coverage … where the transaction cycle is the be-all and end-all.

“Pregame shows are often about the hot trade talk of the day or the latest coaching search. The broadcasts have become dominated by heavy-handed sports gambling ads — an industry that leagues and teams alike have embraced — and the halftime show is pushing prop bets to the masses. The games themselves feel diluted as a result.”

Ah, yes. Betting. I doubt there’s anything fishy going on, but it sometimes can feel that way. I don’t know that’s always a good thing that pro sports have gotten incredibly cozy with gamblers.

No matter, let’s focus on the games. The NBA Finals are “winning the night” in ratings, per commissioner Adam Silver. So things aren’t as bad as many predicted for the matchup between the smaller-market Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. And ratings are beside the point. This is about how people consume the NBA. And anymore, it seems to always be about what’s taking place off the court.

Now, the league is shifting its media rights to not just consist of ESPN, but NBC and Amazon Prime next season as well. NBC, in particular, could do its part to help reshape how the game is covered.

“NBC, the league’s new TV partner, is bringing back player introductions before games in an attempt to make them feel like an event, perhaps an admission that the broadcasts have strayed too far from the original experience,” Vorkunov wrote.

With social media the new king of news and highlights, the NBA will never get away from transactional reports and (sometimes unfounded) rumors ruling the day. But maybe it can come up with a way to make the actual games a bigger part of the conversation.