The NBA is a multi-billion dollar business, but its ratings are declining. Some people are blaming the increase in three-point shooting for this drop. However, that might not be the real issue. The true reason for the declining ratings is that the quality of the product has decreased, and NBA fans are becoming increasingly frustrated with it. Let’s examine the NBA Eastern Conference. Currently, seven out of the 15 teams are playing below .500, with two teams sitting at exactly .500. This means that if the two .500 teams lose their next games, a total of nine out of 15 teams will be under .500 in the Eastern Conference.
The Washington Wizards have won only 6 out of 45 games, which suggests they would be fortunate to finish the season with just 12 wins at this rate. There are too many NBA teams unwilling to invest in quality players, and their player development departments are lacking. As a result, the NBA should consider placing chronically underperforming teams on probation. For instance, the Charlotte Hornets haven’t reached the NBA Playoffs since 2016, and the Washington Wizards haven’t had a winning season since the 2017-18 season. Both of these teams should be placed on probation, and if they fail to make the playoffs in the next three years, the NBA should require them to sell the team. Why? Because their poor performance is detrimental to business.
NBA fans deserve better. I understand that it’s a business, but if the quality of the product continues to decline, more fans will lose interest. If NBA owners think they can simply field a roster of G League players and that fans will keep supporting subpar performances, they are mistaken. They need to reconsider their approach.
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