Comments on: Taking the Measure of NBA Finals Television Ratings http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/ Punditry and other sins of commission Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:31:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: the stat sprocket http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-39 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 19:56:36 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-39 West coast is also a problem for the NBA in a different way. The NBA has fewer teams on the west coast than in other areas, and predominantly plays night games. For the week starting 12/1, there are 31 games that start at 4:30 or 5:30 on the west coast. So, regular commuters are fairly unlikely to be able to see much if any of those games. There are 19 games that start between 6:00 and 7:30. Only 7 of those start at 7:30 PST. If you’re in the Eastern or Central time zone you have access to a lot more broadcast basketball than folks in the rest of the country. This week an east coast viewer will have ready access to more than four times as many games – all without having to come home from work early or having to stay up late. So, if you buy that watching games on TV is a good source for fan development, then not all parts of the country have anywhere near equal access. West coast is also a problem for the NBA in a different way. The NBA has fewer teams on the west coast than in other areas, and predominantly plays night games. For the week starting 12/1, there are 31 games that start at 4:30 or 5:30 on the west coast. So, regular commuters are fairly unlikely to be able to see much if any of those games. There are 19 games that start between 6:00 and 7:30. Only 7 of those start at 7:30 PST. If you’re in the Eastern or Central time zone you have access to a lot more broadcast basketball than folks in the rest of the country. This week an east coast viewer will have ready access to more than four times as many games – all without having to come home from work early or having to stay up late.

So, if you buy that watching games on TV is a good source for fan development, then not all parts of the country have anywhere near equal access.

]]> by: TomahawkDrop http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-38 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:08:05 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-38 Mark Cuban also espouses better domestic marketing before looking to tap into foreign markets. Apparently the foreign earnings of the NBA, less promotional costs are barely worthwhile. There seems to be a steady upward trend starting in 1983. That is why I say that perhaps Jordan was merely the ring around the top of the tub and not the bubbles in the bath. Portland, San Antonio and Seattle seem to be the big losers. Small markets on the west coast. Mark Cuban also espouses better domestic marketing before looking to tap into foreign markets. Apparently the foreign earnings of the NBA, less promotional costs are barely worthwhile.

There seems to be a steady upward trend starting in 1983. That is why I say that perhaps Jordan was merely the ring around the top of the tub and not the bubbles in the bath.

Portland, San Antonio and Seattle seem to be the big losers. Small markets on the west coast.

]]> by: the stat sprocket http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-37 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:08:38 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-37 The years from '82 to '98 were what I think of as the heyday of superstar driven NBA audiences - Magic and Bird started it out and Jordan took it to another level. Jordan’s flirting with baseball probably brought new viewers in when he did return to basketball. For whatever reason, the league hasn't been able to produce as marketable a product as they did when those three were around. The drop from the last Jordan finals to anything that has followed seems pretty clear. The wealth of entertainment choices available today certainly helps to lower finals ratings. Note though that overall network ratings have fallen more than those for the NBA finals. While cable has substantially expanded the NBA audience, the lack of games on the network that carries the finals does hurt. The minimal number of ABC games during the regular season is not enough to develop a network watching audience and that hurts when the network is the only game in town. The league has allowed the networks to cherry pick what they want to show and that’s not the best way to build an overall audience. About 70% of US HHs have cable access. While that’s a bunch, it means that 30% basically have no access to NBA games during the course of the regular season other than local broadcasts. Demographic shifts in the US population have made dramatic impacts including to the NBA. Viewing among Hispanics for the NBA has lagged and viewing among Asians is quite low. Together these groups account for the majority of population growth in the post Jordan era. The league must do more to develop audiences in these population segments. However, they seem more insistent on building bridges to Europe rather than to the South and to the West. The years from ‘82 to ‘98 were what I think of as the heyday of superstar driven NBA audiences - Magic and Bird started it out and Jordan took it to another level. Jordan’s flirting with baseball probably brought new viewers in when he did return to basketball. For whatever reason, the league hasn’t been able to produce as marketable a product as they did when those three were around. The drop from the last Jordan finals to anything that has followed seems pretty clear.

The wealth of entertainment choices available today certainly helps to lower finals ratings. Note though that overall network ratings have fallen more than those for the NBA finals.

While cable has substantially expanded the NBA audience, the lack of games on the network that carries the finals does hurt. The minimal number of ABC games during the regular season is not enough to develop a network watching audience and that hurts when the network is the only game in town. The league has allowed the networks to cherry pick what they want to show and that’s not the best way to build an overall audience. About 70% of US HHs have cable access. While that’s a bunch, it means that 30% basically have no access to NBA games during the course of the regular season other than local broadcasts.

Demographic shifts in the US population have made dramatic impacts including to the NBA. Viewing among Hispanics for the NBA has lagged and viewing among Asians is quite low. Together these groups account for the majority of population growth in the post Jordan era. The league must do more to develop audiences in these population segments. However, they seem more insistent on building bridges to Europe rather than to the South and to the West.

]]> by: TomahawkDrop http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-36 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:56:33 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-36 It looks a lot more like the NBA enjoyed a brief period of heavy viewership, likely due to many non-Jordan factors. We're in a low period right now that could be caused by the diversity of entertainment offerings available today. I'm sure ethnic population shifts also play their part. I would be curious to know if there are any viewership #s for other countries, and if that has gone up as domestic viewership has gone down. It looks a lot more like the NBA enjoyed a brief period of heavy viewership, likely due to many non-Jordan factors.

We’re in a low period right now that could be caused by the diversity of entertainment offerings available today. I’m sure ethnic population shifts also play their part.

I would be curious to know if there are any viewership #s for other countries, and if that has gone up as domestic viewership has gone down.

]]> by: Jammer http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-35 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:41:21 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-35 Very nice work! Very informative. Very nice work! Very informative.

]]> by: Taking the Measure of NBA Finals Television Ratings :: Newstack http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-34 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:33:11 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-34 [...] Read more: here [...] […] Read more: here […]

]]> by: PistonsForum.com http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-33 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:41:54 +0000 http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/#comment-33 <strong>[HVC] Taking the Measure of NBA Finals Television Ratings...</strong> [HVC] Taking the Measure of NBA Finals Television Ratings…

]]>