NBA, MLB ratings crash/flatten, some blame political displays of kneeling

[Suburbia]

The NBA, the most flamboyant, cultured and progressive sports league in America, and maybe the world, has poor ratings right now.

Some are blaming it on the national anthem kneeling, some are saying that people are too stressed out financially and family wise to pay attention, some blame Lakers-Bucks inevitability fatigue.

The slow, aging MLB has flat ratings.

https://theathletic.com/1997343/2020/08/17/strauss-why-the-nba-has-a-serious-viewership-problem-it-needs-to-fix/

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/trump-nba-ratings-kneeling-covid-1234735157/

https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-nba-ratings-crash-why-are-nba-and-mlb-ratings-at-an-all-time-low-after-black-lives-matter-protests/

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

People realized we can live without sports. People want to be outside. It's summer. People don't want to watch without fans cheering in the game.

Baseball should have fans like MLS. I would go.

[Suburbia]

People realized we can live without sports. People want to be outside. It's summer. People don't want to watch without fans cheering in the game.

Baseball should have fans like MLS. I would go.

I think fanless sports is good, it is less of a distraction.

[dead0man]

I've watched a few sporting events without fans (baseball and hockey) and while it was a distraction at first (more so with baseball than hockey), it was quickly forgotten about when there was action in the game.

[Illiniwek]

The NBA hasn't been worth watching because the games thus far have effectively been preseason games. Now that the playoffs have started, look for the ratings to go back up.

[Santander]

My sports schedule is typically international cricket in the morning, European soccer in the afternoon (right now the Scottish and Swedish leagues and the UEFA competitions), and Mexican soccer in the evening. (obviously, I don't watch all of them everyday, it depends on when I have time) Might start watching CPL cricket, and will definitely be glued to the IPL when it starts. I watched the Yankees/Nats season opener, but haven't watched a MLB game since. I watched a couple of KBO games when they were the only thing on, but I just don't have time to watch American baseball right now. And who gives a damn about the NBA. It's literally a Chinese league.

There's too much good product out there for people like me to waste time with the trash that's being served up in America.

[Kingpoleon]

People realized we can live without sports. People want to be outside. It's summer. People don't want to watch without fans cheering in the game.

Baseball should have fans like MLS. I would go.

What does this mean?

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

People realized we can live without sports. People want to be outside. It's summer. People don't want to watch without fans cheering in the game.

Baseball should have fans like MLS. I would go.

What does this mean?

MLS is permitting 5,000 fans to enter the stadium for their regular season games in jurisdictions that permit gatherings of such size. I would be interested in going to a socially distanced Phillies game with no concessions or restrooms if that's what it takes. It is outdoors and that is reasonable distance to create.

[Kingpoleon]

MLS is permitting 5,000 fans to enter the stadium for their regular season games in jurisdictions that permit gatherings of such size. I would be interested in going to a socially distanced Phillies game with no concessions or restrooms if that's what it takes. It is outdoors and that is reasonable distance to create.

Oh, I read that as saying you prefer MLS fans to baseball fans, and I thought it was an odd reason to not go to baseball games.

[Suburbia]

The NBA hasn't been worth watching because the games thus far have effectively been preseason games. Now that the playoffs have started, look for the ratings to go back up.

Some people blame kneeling.

https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/abolish-gutless-white-journalists-saying-america-when-t-1844777678

[GeneralMacArthur]

As an avid NBA fan, I can confirm, haven't been paying much attention because the games don't really matter.  I watched the last two Blazers games as they qualified and was entertained, because there were actual stakes.

Once the DNC is over I'll probably pick up and start watching, and I'll definitely be watching every game from the conference finals and championship.

MLB ratings are down because the season is a mess and all the teams are shattered shells of their real selves.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

MLB ratings are down because the season is a mess and all the teams are shattered shells of their real selves.

How? Like three notable players opted out. The intensity and meaningfulness of each MLB game means I am following more closely than ever before, not just my team but each team around the league. There are dumb rule changes but simultaneously epic MVP races, especially in the National League.

One team lost their beloved 38 year old catcher who is probably not much better than replacement level at this point and their league average shortstop for a week's worth of games. I haven't seen a Marlins game in over a decade, and they don't have a relevant player whose stats matter. No one around the country cares whether they would play or not.

[BaldEagle1991]

Maybe nobody wants to see an asterisk Covid championship and season?