Why is there no talk about Magic/Cavs series on TV

[NyKnicks1714]

On Monday, Knicks/Sixers had almost 10x as many viewers as Cavs/Magic did. Not that crazy when you consider everything, but the Tru TV simulcast of Knicks/Sixers alone had more viewers than Cavs/Magic did.

Where do you find these numbers?

He makes stuff up. He was in the Magic Cavs thread trashing both teams before the series.

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Here you go champ

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/monday-4-22-sports-viewership-nba-playoffs-lakers-nuggets-knicks-sixers-stanley-cup/

[basketballRob]

Where do you find these numbers?

He makes stuff up. He was in the Magic Cavs thread trashing both teams before the series.

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Here you go champ

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/monday-4-22-sports-viewership-nba-playoffs-lakers-nuggets-knicks-sixers-stanley-cup/

Well, yeah, the NBA TV won't draw as much. TNT games will always draw more. If it was the other way around, it would be the same. I know I'll tune into the game when the Knicks get knocked because I like to watch the Knicks fans' reactions. They'll probably call for a Senate investigation when they get knocked out.





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[Raps in 4]

This has been the least interesting series of the playoffs for me.

[MagicMatic]

Media hates Orlando. Small market unsexy defense oriented basketball team.

[Duke4life831]

This is one of the bigger issues I think with NBA's marketing. Its so star and big market oriented, that unless youre just some freak prospect like Wemby, the league/MSM just flat out doesnt care until you force them to care.

Lets remember, it was just last year Lisa Salters (who is ESPN's sideline reporter for NBA games), went on some show talking about how blown away she was by Jokic, because it was really her first time watching him. Denver is talked about now because Jokic has solidified himself as the best player in the game and Denver won a championship.

OKC just last year, had only 1 game on national television (non NBA TV). Gotta force their hand to cover you.

[jkvonny]

Media hates Orlando. Small market unsexy defense oriented basketball team.

This was San Antonio back in the late '90s -mid '00s.

We feel ya.

[Mad Guru]

The NBA goes out of their way not to market Orlando

[The Sebastian Express]

Where do you find these numbers?

He makes stuff up. He was in the Magic Cavs thread trashing both teams before the series.

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Here you go champ

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/monday-4-22-sports-viewership-nba-playoffs-lakers-nuggets-knicks-sixers-stanley-cup/

Why are you using the simulcast numbers as if that's important? TruTv is part of the cable packages for most network providers. The main and basic one. NBATV is part of a sports package in most areas, which costs between 9-20 dollars more in many cases.

[Godymas]

because no one gives a ****

the Magic came earlier than expected, Paolo is like half a star, no one rlly cares that much about the rest of the team outside of Orlando

the Cavs have been impossible to care about for whatever reason.

Neither of these teams are particularly fun to watch

[Chuck Everett]

I find it embarrassing, but engagement is engagement and numbers don't always lie. A lot of people commenting in this thread haven't been in their series thread either participating, because they haven't been watching.

This playoffs has brought so many casuals with hot takes to the board, it's kind of funny. Not many people watch regular season NBA basketball and it's probably a byproduct of the league moving itself off of broadcast tv and to cable.

[NyKnicks1714]

He makes stuff up. He was in the Magic Cavs thread trashing both teams before the series.

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Here you go champ

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/monday-4-22-sports-viewership-nba-playoffs-lakers-nuggets-knicks-sixers-stanley-cup/

Why are you using the simulcast numbers as if that's important? TruTv is part of the cable packages for most network providers. The main and basic one. NBATV is part of a sports package in most areas, which costs between 9-20 dollars more in many cases.

I didn't say it matters; it was just interesting to me. The bigger story to me and something which does matter is that they didn't chose to put Cavs/Magic on Tru TV instead.

I'm sorry but people who aren't Cavs or Magic fans simply do not care too much about this series, even on a forum of die-hard NBA fans. As the Magic improve and Paolo becomes a bigger name, they'll generate more interest, but it hasn't happened yet.

[Magiclee]

None of these teams will beat the 2nd round opponent and there might not be a single award winner from this series.

Basically mid basketball.

This mindset is part of the reason the NFL destroys the NBA in ratings.

I fully understand there are other factors in play, but the media really does a great job of covering every NFL team to some degree. The media pushes the Cowboys more than others, but they at least still focus on other teams and players a good bit.

The NBA/media only really pushes a handful of teams/players. Every other team is essentially a Harlem Globetrotters opponent to them. Would be interesting to see a tally of the amount of times ESPN mentioned the Lakers this season vs the amount of times they mentioned the Cavs. Meanwhile, the Cavs are likely to be in the second round while the Lakers are in danger of being swept.

From a marketing standpoint, I somewhat get it. The Lakers have the biggest fan base, therefore talking about them constantly will get more views, but I feel it’s a bit shortsighted as when you ignore teams to the degree the NBA/media does, it just creates a wider gap in interest between the most popular teams and least popular.

Like I said, I know there are other factors, it’s just interesting to see the different marketing strategies. For me, the NBAs is dreadful, but I’m sure Lakers fans love it haha.

[Village Idiot]

I was watching the highlights on youtube and what shocked me was having the Portland Trailblazers broadcast crew calling the game for NBATV. Seems really weird.

[3ddman23]

It's quite sad honestly how one of the best young and up and coming teams led by a 21 year old all star, nobody cares about there play off series. That falls on the nba.

They had every opportunity to market this young magic team and they just have dropped the ball on it.

[The Sebastian Express]

Here you go champ

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/monday-4-22-sports-viewership-nba-playoffs-lakers-nuggets-knicks-sixers-stanley-cup/

Why are you using the simulcast numbers as if that's important? TruTv is part of the cable packages for most network providers. The main and basic one. NBATV is part of a sports package in most areas, which costs between 9-20 dollars more in many cases.

I didn't say it matters; it was just interesting to me. The bigger story to me and something which does matter is that they didn't chose to put Cavs/Magic on Tru TV instead.

I'm sorry but people who aren't Cavs or Magic fans simply do not care too much about this series, even on a forum of die-hard NBA fans. As the Magic improve and Paolo becomes a bigger name, they'll generate more interest, but it hasn't happened yet.

This isn't how any of this works. You're aware they've been doing one team on NBATV on most week nights for playoff series for years, aren't you? They do all series on broadcast TV on the weekend, and then in nearly every case if there's three series being played on a week night one is delegated to NBA TV. There's no broadcasting that third series on simulcast for any of TNT's sister networks.

Pacers/Bucks game two was on NBA TV.

Today's unique because they're for some reason broadcasting this game on ESPN at 5:30PM EST/2:30PM PST. Again, the whole simulcast angle is irrelevant.

[Ducklett]

As others have already said, neither team is expected to make it past the second round and there aren't any particularly compelling storylines to promote.

The last game broke a Cavs franchise record, and Paolo was the first 21 year old since LeBron to have a game like he had and the first 21 year old to put up his Statline with 0 turnovers in like 45 years. But yeah, nothing happened.

[Chuck Everett]

I was watching the highlights on youtube and what shocked me was having the Portland Trailblazers broadcast crew calling the game for NBATV. Seems really weird.

Kevin Calabro is kind of an alternate for national TV games. Brendan Haywood is a good analyst too. Those two teams could do a lot worse commentary wise.

[CIN-C-STAR]

Actually think the answer is quite a bit simpler than most of the responses here: it's because they don't own the broadcast rights.
Why hype something you aren't profiting off of?
There are some compelling storylines: Donovan Mitchell's pending free agency after next season. And compelling players: Paolo, Mitchell & Mobley.

[NyKnicks1714]

Why are you using the simulcast numbers as if that's important? TruTv is part of the cable packages for most network providers. The main and basic one. NBATV is part of a sports package in most areas, which costs between 9-20 dollars more in many cases.

I didn't say it matters; it was just interesting to me. The bigger story to me and something which does matter is that they didn't chose to put Cavs/Magic on Tru TV instead.

I'm sorry but people who aren't Cavs or Magic fans simply do not care too much about this series, even on a forum of die-hard NBA fans. As the Magic improve and Paolo becomes a bigger name, they'll generate more interest, but it hasn't happened yet.

This isn't how any of this works. You're aware they've been doing one team on NBATV on most week nights for playoff series for years, aren't you? They do all series on broadcast TV on the weekend, and then in nearly every case if there's three series being played on a week night one is delegated to NBA TV. There's no broadcasting that third series on simulcast for any of TNT's sister networks.

Pacers/Bucks game two was on NBA TV.

Today's unique because they're for some reason broadcasting this game on ESPN at 5:30PM EST/2:30PM PST. Again, the whole simulcast angle is irrelevant.

Yes, and it's always the series people care the least about. It's not random.

As for NBATV vs Tru TV, there's nothing I know of preventing them from putting the series on Tru TV to reach more viewers and putting the simulcast on NBA TV. If there's something in the contracts preventing that then I'm mistaken. I'm no longer sure what point you're trying to make though.

[NyKnicks1714]

As others have already said, neither team is expected to make it past the second round and there aren't any particularly compelling storylines to promote.

The last game broke a Cavs franchise record, and Paolo was the first 21 year old since LeBron to have a game like he had and the first 21 year old to put up his Statline with 0 turnovers in like 45 years. But yeah, nothing happened.

The issue here isn't whether or not they're compelling, it's whether or not people find them compelling. As of now, they do not. Doesn't mean it won't change: A Game 7 next weekend, a potential series with Boston, continued improvement next season, Paolo getting more recognition, etc. It will just take some time.