NBA Cup or NBA Flop?
We’re set to get Bucks vs. Hawks and Thunder vs. Rockets… The problem is that nobody seems to care!
Things aren’t looking great for the NBA these days. Ratings aren’t great and one thing they instituted last year to drum up interest was the NBA Cup. The tournament that takes place between normal NBA games was a hit last year but it also helped that the Lakers were the team that won the cup.
Los Angeles is the biggest brand for NBA news so it was easy to talk about the NBA Cup while they were involved. However, the Lakers didn’t fare so well this time around and won’t be in Las Vegas for the final games.
Four teams remain. Who will capture the Cup in Las Vegas? 🏆
Don’t miss the #EmiratesNBACup Semifinals tomorrow on TNT and ABC. pic.twitter.com/X3QzIN4IEb
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2024
Are They Worth It?
We’re set to get Bucks vs. Hawks and Thunder vs. Rockets. The winners will play each other in the NBA Cup Final. The problem is that nobody seems to care. NBA Cup ticket prices are exceedingly low. The average ticket price for the Bucks-Hawks game is $29, the Thunder-Rockets matchup is $39 and the NBA Cup Final is only $79.
Tickets for the NBA Cup in Las Vegas have plummeted since the teams were set. They were hoping for Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Clippers, Celtics or Knicks but no dice. The current get in prices:
Dec. 14: Bucks-Hawks – $29
Dec. 14: Thunder-Rockets – $39
Dec. 17: NBA Cup Final – $79— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) December 12, 2024
Now, I expect those prices to go up as the games get closer. Last year, the prices skyrocketed in price the closer game time got here. That said, LeBron James was a major selling point.
Why Doesn’t Anybody Care About the NBA Cup?
The NBA was fortunate and unfortunate that the Lakers won the NBA Cup last year. While it garnered a lot of interest and excitement, every non-Lakers fan hates the Lakers so they were quick to discredit the achievement.
NBA viewership continues to decline…
◾️ NBA Cup Viewership: Down 10%
◾️ ESPN Viewership: Down 28%
◾️ 2024 Playoff Viewership: Down 12%
One Major Problem…
Half the league’s fans can’t watch their teams play without buying packages outside of basic cable pic.twitter.com/xImgVDoxEU
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) December 11, 2024
Fans can’t all of a sudden act like it matters now that the Lakers are gone. The Bucks and Thunder are two of the NBA’s best teams and even they can’t draw much of a crowd. This isn’t a great look for the NBA as interest has waned for years. The league doesn’t seem keen on doing anything too innovative for controversy to fix the sport so this is going to keep happening and NBA rumors won’t be kind.
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