NBA Ratings: JJ Redick believes league can do a better job of ‘celebrating the game’

Right before the Lakers played against the Kings in Sacramento this Thursday evening, JJ Redick, who used to be a podcaster before accepting his first role as a head coach, was asked by the press to share his views on the reasons why the NBA ratings have been falling down in recent years. 

While the former player cited a number of factors to explain the league’s decline in television ratings, he explained that the most important has little to do with the sport, as the shift from conventional cable to streaming services has been the biggest challenge. However, JJ is convinced that the negative discourse among the media is largely to blame.

“I don’t think we … have done a good job of storytelling, of celebrating the game,” Redick assured. “If I’m a casual fan and you tell me every time I turn on the television that the product sucks, well, I’m not going to watch the product. And that’s really what has happened over the last 10 to 15 years. I don’t know why. It’s not funny to me.”

JJ Redick on the 3s and NBA ratings discourse, parity, talent in the game today vs yesterday, and people paying too much attention to what is said on Twitter

It's funny that he starts his answer with "I'll try to be brief here" and then speaks for 4 minutes pic.twitter.com/XEJFEob4Tb

— David Astramskas (@redapples) December 20, 2024

Even though Redick wasn’t name calling which voices he was referring to, we can only imagine who he’s talking about. As we all know pretty well, TNT’s Inside the NBA crew, consisting of Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, have commonly been the league’s biggest critics.

Last night, LeBron James was also asked on the state of the NBA, and he told reporters that “there are a lot of f—ing 3s being shot,” while giving his take on how the basketball game has been changing fort worse. The NBA is taking many steps towards innovation, even changing the All-Star Game format for next year’s edition.

“This game should be celebrated,” Redick kept at it. “The league is more talented and skilled than it was 18 years ago when I was drafted. That’s a fact. There are more players that are excellent. There are more teams that are excellent.

One of the latest to address the declining situation was none other than legendary coach Rick Pitino, who believes that more physicality and stricter officiating are the ways to improve. “It has been reported that the NBA ratings are down 28% this year alone,” he posted on X. “Suggestion, bring back hand checking and more physicality. The players are too strong, too quick, and have become amazing shooters.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver assured that the NBA is doing everything possible to attack the ratings decline, but isn’t too worried about this situation

Before the NBA Cup final on Tuesday night, Adam Silver discussed the ratings which have taken a recent dip, but they aren’t a worry for the commissioner who has big plans for the near future.

“If you look at other data points, in terms of our business, for example, we’ve just come off the last two years of the highest attendance in the history of this league,” he explained. “We’re at a point where our social media audience is at the highest of any league and continuing to grow exponentially. So, it’s not a lack of interest in this game.”

Another reason behind the decrease in ratings might be the fact that fans aren’t connecting with modern basketball, as many of them suggest that the NBA is less exciting -or even dynamic- with so many three-point shots being made this season.

This is why commissioner Silver said that the organization is looking into this trend and how to control it. “I would not reduce it to a so-called 3-point shooting issue. I think we look more holistically at the skill level on the floor, the diversity of offense, the fan reception to the game, all of the above,” he expressed.