WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark shared her sentiments on why the NBA is suffering a significant ratings decline and how it can recover.
Yahoo Sports reported NBA ratings are down 28% on ESPN, while The Washington Post stated 18% fewer folks are watching overall compared to this same time last season. The sudden plunge has gotten the attention of the NBA commissioner’s office in New York.
The Indiana Fever basketball juggernaut shared her theories on the subject during her visit to Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights.”
“I’ve been asking a lot of people about this and why they think they’re down. But also I think it’s interesting because I think NBA opening day was the NBA’s best opening day in a while,” Clark began.
“I feel like the average basketball fan just doesn’t understand how good NBA players are and they think it looks like they’re not trying,” Clark added. “I promise you they’re trying, they’re just so good.”
When asked to identify some catalysts for the conspicuous decrease in viewership, Clark illuminates the lack of physicality today.
“The physicality of the league has changed a lot,” Clark said. “I wasn’t around when it was much more physical and maybe people want more beef and physicality, and people think it’s gone soft. But I think that’s also because the skill has just changed.”
Clark, 22, continued: “That’s what’s great about basketball, it’s always evolving. It’s gonna be different than when [Michael Jordan] played, it’s gonna be different in 10 years than it is now.”
The 2022 Rookie of the Year hastened to reiterate that the NBA is competing with football early into its season — by far America’s favorite sport in terms of the Nielsen Ratings, memorabilia sales and venue attendance.
“It’s hard for me to put my finger on why it has gone down and it’s competing against a lot of football right now, you have to take that into consideration,” Clark said. “Football is just America’s favorite thing.”
When Travis Kelce jokingly asked if a four-point line would resuscitate interest in the league, the renowned sharpshooter’s face lit up like Christmas lights.
“I love that, let’s do it,” Clark beamed. “Adam Silver, four-point line.”
