The big drop in NBA ratings is one of the more surprising news stories surrounding the league this season. There have been several theories as to why, with one being streaming becoming more prevalent. Especially with NBA League Pass becoming more affordable and TNT games being simulcast on Max.
On the other hand, stars missing a significant number of games every season has likely led to casual fans opting against watching or attending games. Not knowing whether your favorite player or a team's best player is going to suit up takes away from the excitement, and the NBA has been toying with several ideas to increase interest and ratings.
Even so, if the NBA had a true face of the league, then that might not be an issue. Players such as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, then Michael Jordan, were the NBA's faces, while LeBron James has been for more than two decades. Even so, he never seemed to have their type of draw or even the draw of WNBA star Caitlin Clark. The Ringer's Bill Simmons' has also pointed this out on a recent podcast.
Is Caitlin Clark a bigger under-30 star than any under-30 star currently in the NBA?@BillSimmons @CKlosterman pic.twitter.com/jBGuX4IHSH
— The Ringer (@ringer) November 27, 2024
Does the NBA have a superstar problem?
Simmons does have a point about Clark being a bigger star, or at least more marketable than most NBA players. It can be harder to relate to or emulate a 6'9 athletic freak such as LeBron James or a 7'4 giant such as Victor Wembanyama, but millions may see Clark's skill as more replicable.
Of course, it isn't with her on pace to be the best shooter and passer in WNBA history, but there seems to be far more interest surrounding her than any one NBA player.
That is partly by design, with the NBA having many stars as opposed to one mega superstar to market. If the Minnesota Timberwolves are playing the Denver Nuggets or the San Antonio Spurs are playing the Cleveland Cavaliers, then the league is sure to market Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokic, Wembanyama, and Donovan Mitchell.
All of those players are exciting to watch, but does someone who doesn't follow the NBA know who Donovan Mitchell or Anthony Edwards is? Probably not, and they may not tune in to watch them. Jokic is a bit different since he is widely considered to be the best player in the NBA and is putting up stellar numbers.
On the other hand, many on the East Coast may not be willing to watch a game that starts at 10:30 PM EST. Wembanyama is a novelty given his skill and size, and his team plays at a reasonable hour, making it easier to watch his games on the East Coast.
The NBA has more stars than ever, but will any be as marketable as Caitlin Clark?
If all goes well, then he and Edwards will be the next faces of the game, but will they be marketable enough to carry the NBA? As the league has become increasingly dominated by foreign players, there have been fewer American-born stars to enter the NBA.
That may soon change, and they will need it too. The NBA is more marketable abroad than the NFL given the sheer number of stars from other countries, but they also need an American star to draw interest, and they don't currently have one as big as Clark.
The league has done fine without a Jordan-type. But, with ratings declining, they are smart to try and shake things up to ensure that interest doesn't continue to drop.