Overview

• Game 1 averaged just 8.91 million viewers, the weakest opening Finals telecast since 1988 outside the pandemic seasons.
• Game 2 sustained the downturn with 8.76 million viewers, marking another near four-decade low.
• A small-market pairing of Oklahoma City and Indiana has historically correlated with reduced national viewership.
• Former players argue that the absence of transcendent icons like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant has dampened casual-fan engagement.
• The NBA’s 2017 supermax rule has helped smaller franchises retain talent but challenged the league’s traditional big-market appeal and promotional model.