Bulls TV ratings continue to fall

[Tugg Speedman]

Bulls TV ratings continue to fall
February 15, 2017

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170215/BLOGS04/170219921/chicago-bulls-tv-ratings-continue-to-fall

The Chicago Bulls have made no shortage of headlines this season with the arrival of Dwyane Wade, plenty of locker room drama and the curious benching of a point guard they are paying $14 million this season.

But all of that apparently hasn't been enough to keep people watching their games on TV.

Through 30 broadcasts on CSN Chicago, the middling Bulls have posted an average TV rating of 2.12, or about 74,000 Chicago-area households per game.

That's down 28 percent compared with the final season average and puts the team on pace to endure its lowest TV viewership average in nearly a decade on the network, which is co-owned by the Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox and NBCUniversal.

Some factors having nothing to do with the team's poor performance on the court have dragged down the ratings on the regional network, which has the rights to 42 Bulls games this season.

[JWags85]

Besides the fact that the Bulls are flat out mediocre, this is a knowledgeable basketball town and fans know the team is running by fools with no purpose or direction, add to that the very public PR messes and its a reciepe for the casual fan to tune out.  Especially when the rest of the NBA product is so good and entertaining right now, plenty of other teams that are infinitely more enjoyable to watch.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

NBA sucks anyways.

[GGGG]

NBA sucks anyways.

Most people who watch basketball disagree with this.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Most people who watch basketball disagree with this.

Ive grown up on basketball and I just cannot get into the NBA for whatever reason, even after the (admittedly) very entertaining finals from last year. My ranking for sports to watch.

1. NCAA Basketball
2. NFL
3. NHL
4. Volleyball
5. International Rugby
6. MLB
7. Premier League
8. High School Basketball
9. NCAA Football
10. Probably the NBA

Hell, I may put on a cricket match before an NBA game depending on my mood.

[JWags85]

Ive grown up on basketball and I just cannot get into the NBA for whatever reason, even after the (admittedly) very entertaining finals from last year. My ranking for sports to watch.

1. NCAA Basketball
2. NFL
3. NHL
4. Volleyball
5. International Rugby
6. MLB
7. Premier League
8. High School Basketball
9. NCAA Football
10. Probably the NBA

Hell, I may put on a cricket match before an NBA game depending on my mood.

But did you grow up on the crotchety "they dont play defense in the NBA" or "its a bunch of overpaid superstars who dont try hard" hot takes that always come from so called "basketball purists" about the NBA?

Cause saying you grew up on basketball and put the NBA below HS basketball is bonkers.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

But did you grow up on the crotchety "they dont play defense in the NBA" or "its a bunch of overpaid superstars who dont try hard" hot takes that always come from so called "basketball purists" about the NBA?

Cause saying you grew up on basketball and put the NBA below HS basketball is bonkers.

To be fair, im only 23 so Ive grown up in the current era.

I like imperfection. It annoys the hell out of me watching Curry pull up from 40 feet or to see a guy shoot a 25 foot turnaround fadeaway only for them to make it, I dont enjoy that kind of basketball. Constant iso plays annoy me and the whole guys taking five steps without dribbling pisses me off as well.

Give me high school basketball any single day of the week.

[buckchuckler]

To be fair, im only 23 so Ive grown up in the current era.

I like imperfection. It annoys the hell out of me watching Curry pull up from 40 feet or to see a guy shoot a 25 foot turnaround fadeaway only for them to make it, I dont enjoy that kind of basketball. Constant iso plays annoy me and the whole guys taking five steps without dribbling pisses me off as well.

Give me high school basketball any single day of the week.

Yeah.  Sucks when the players are great.  Nothing worse than that.  Give me a pickup game at the Y over NBA anyday.  Much more entertaining. 

As for the Bulls, they are mediocre (at best) and uninteresting.  That is reflected in the ratings, and not at all surprising. 

[brandx]

Real Americans don't watch sports anymore.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yeah.  Sucks when the players are great.  Nothing worse than that.  Give me a pickup game at the Y over NBA anyday.  Much more entertaining. 

As for the Bulls, they are mediocre (at best) and uninteresting.  That is reflected in the ratings, and not at all surprising.

Just a personal preference mate. I think the NBA is a terrible product. Have not watched a single NBA game this year versus about 30 college games and 20 high school ones.

[GGGG]

Just a personal preference mate. I think the NBA is a terrible product. Have not watched a single NBA game this year versus about 30 college games and 20 high school ones.

So the NBA is a terrible product because the players are too good at playing basketball?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

So the NBA is a terrible product because the players are too good at playing basketball?

I find it dull. Lemme know when they stop letting everybody take five steps towards the basket for a layup.

[GGGG]

I find it dull. Lemme know when they stop letting everybody take five steps towards the basket for a layup.

I feel like I am arguing with my 80 year old father who hasn't watched an NBA game since 1982.  He doesn't like the NBA, but he does a terrible job telling you why.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I feel like I am arguing with my 80 year old father who hasn't watched an NBA game since 1982.  He doesn't like the NBA, but he does a terrible job telling you why.

To be fair, that's a pretty apt comparison. I'm tend to be a crabby person.

[bradley center bat]

NBA sucks anyways.

It sure does!! I will take my 1,000 games per year of college ball.

[MerrittsMustache]

In the current NBA, being mediocre is worse than being terrible. There used to be a lot of excitement around NBA teams making the playoffs. The fan mindset was closer to that of MLB and NFL fans where if you can get in, you've got a chance. Fans are smarter now and understand that there are only a handful of teams capable of winning a championship each season and that the best way to become one of those teams is to be as bad as possible and draft a franchise player. Losing 60 games is better than being the #6 seed.

Unfortunately, not all NBA front offices have come around to that way of thinking and/or not all owners are willing to deal with several years of losing while attempting to sell hope in order to fill seats.

[cheebs09]

I started watching the NBA agin with Novak on the Knicks. I've gone to a decent number of Bucks games the last few years now that they are a bit more interesting to watch. I think it's a good product. To each their own.

[Galway Eagle]

I watch the NBA as entertainment but it's hard to be super passionate about it. First the crowds are nowhere near as loud as college. Second, the lack of traveling calls is terrible. Finally being foul happy because of love for the stars drives me insane.

I also back up Chitown about HS Ball. Maybe y'all didn't grow up in strong basketball areas but I'd prefer watch my old high school's team over most NBA games.

[GGGG]

I also back up Chitown about HS Ball. Maybe y'all didn't grow up in strong basketball areas but I'd prefer watch my old high school's team over most NBA games.

When my kids stopped playing it, I stopped watching it.

[Galway Eagle]

When my kids stopped playing it, I stopped watching it.

Can I ask you what league that was? Because I'm quite certain there's a big drop off in seeing Simeon vs Whitney young and most other leagues around the country.

[GGGG]

Can I ask you what league that was? Because I'm quite certain there's a big drop off in seeing Simeon vs Whitney young and most other leagues around the country.

It doesn't really matter.  I watched because my kids were playing.

I watch a lot more NBA than I do college basketball.  Outside of Marquette, I really only watch two or three other college basketball games during the week.  Come NBA playoff time, I am watching regularly pretty much every night.

[CreanLover]

The NBA has a problem in that everybody already knows who is going to play in the Finals. It's less competitive than its ever been.

[StillAWarrior]

To be fair, im only 23 so Ive grown up in the current era.

I like imperfection. It annoys the hell out of me watching Curry pull up from 40 feet or to see a guy shoot a 25 foot turnaround fadeaway only for them to make it, I dont enjoy that kind of basketball.

Sounds like you would love the Bulls, then.


/Sorry.  Low hanging fruit.  I couldn't help myself.

[CTWarrior]

The NBA has a problem in that everybody already knows who is going to play in the Finals. It's less competitive than its ever been.

This is always my problem with the NBA.  Even in a competitive year, you know the 4 or 5 teams with a real chance 20 games into the season, and there are still more than 60 games to go which don't really mean anything.  As others have stated, making the playoffs aren't a big deal if you're not one of those top few teams and it costs you a chance at the lottery, and even watching young players develop isn't as exciting, important or interesting as it is in other sports, because a guy like Jimmy Butler raising his game to an All Star level still isn't going to help you get a championship.

So you have to enjoy each game for its own sake, rather than where it fits in the larger picture.  Once I arrived at college, I stopped being much of a regular season watcher, but I always watched a lot of the playoffs.  Last year I watched all of the finals, but not much else, as it felt like a forgone conclusion as to what the matchup was going to be. 

Also, I prefer team ball to individual skill (which is what the NBA is selling).  So if I stumble across a Spurs game, I will watch.

[MU82]

From USA Today:

Sunday night's All-Star Game on TNT — which the West won in a shootout, 192-182 — was the most-watched All-Star Game telecast since 2013, according to Nielsen Fast National ratings, with an average of 7.8 million total viewers.

So I guess Smuggles' hypothesis that every sport is on a never-ending downward spiral when it comes to TV viewers needs a slight reboot.