NBA to world: You like me, you really like me. Will you still like me without Bron/Kobe?

May 28, 2009

NBA fans love watching basketball on TV. That’s always been true, but never in the numbers that exist now. It’s almost…Amazing (cue Kanye West…)

TNT broke another record Tuesday night, as its coverage of Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals drew 10.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched pro hoops playoff game in cable television history.

On Monday night, ESPN drew 9.88 million viewers with Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, and while the record was short-lived, the game still stands as the most-watched basketball game (college or pro) to have aired on the sports network. (Of course, that could all change later this afternoon, when the deliveries for ESPN’s coverage of Game 5 of the Lakers-Nuggets tilt come through.)

Through the first four games of the Eastern Conference Finals, TNT is averaging 8.36 million viewers, up 34 percent over the network’s coverage of last season’s Spurs-Lakers shootout (6.21 million). The Turner net is also enjoying a surge of interest among the core demos, averaging 4.74 million viewers 18-49 (up 36 percent versus last year), 4.48 million adults 25-54, 3.21 million men 18-49 and 3 million men 25-54. All three of the latter demos are up 35 percent.

For its part, ESPN has averaged 4.43 million viewers over the course of 17 NBA Playoff games, an improvement of 16 percent versus its 2008 post-season run. ESPN’s coverage of three of the four Lakers-Nuggets games––sibling ABC carried Game 3––has drawn 8.62 million viewers.

Sheesh. What is so different from year to year? I mean, sure, you have different teams playing (does America hate the San Antonio Spurs that much?) and marketing departments all around the world have started the LeBron-Kobe rivalry (which already existed last year), but they aren’t even playing each other yet, and may not play each other at all. Maybe its the close games? Or maybe its the fact that the underdogs have not only been in contention, but are on the verge of winning the series (*cough* Orlando Magic *cough*). Regardless of the reason, it looks like David Stern has a runaway hit on his hands, and I’m sure he’s taking the necessary steps to get the most revenue possible out of it.

Speaking of maximizing revenue, the biggest issue on the minds of most people involved with the business of the NBA is the possibility that the dream matchup of Kobe/LeBron may not happen. How will a different match up effect NBA finals viewing? Obviously, we’d have no way of knowing for sure, but I’d argue that we could still see the normal increase in ratings from the conference finals to the finals due to the fact that the NBA still has compelling figures (‘Melo, Bron, Kobe, Howard), compelling story lines, and many people capable of creating great moments/highlights.

On the other hand, you have to wonder, at times like this, if David Stern wishes the NBA was a little more like baseball, which focuses more on “superstar teams” as opposed to superstar players (a trend baseball is trying to change). On the other hand, everyone seems to continually forgets that Dwight Howard is a Vitamin Water endorser. As for Nike and the puppet ads? If the true point of those ads is to debate whether Kobe or Lebron is better, and it is, the argument will still exist even if one of the two don’t make the finals. In fact, it would exist after this season even if both made the finals. Also, while its easy to make the Dan vs. Dave — Kobe vs. Lebron comparison, the fact of the matter is this, “Nike didn’t go out of business after Dave didn’t qualify”. Nike will not be fouling for bankruptcy if LeBron or Kobe or both do not make the finals. Quite honestly, I’m not completely convinced that sales will even be effected if one or both of those players aren’t in the finals. Commercials are used for visibility…to promote a product that potential consumers may not know about, or may need to be reminded of. Is it even possible to forget Nike? Aren’t they sort of beyond that point? And are there any basketball consumers that don’t know about Kobe or LeBron’s shoes and merchandise? I think LeBron’s stuff sold relatively well this year, without him making the finals last year. And I’ve seen nothing to convince me that this year would be any different.