If it’s GSW vs Cavaliers, ratings will be trash.
No....
The last three years of GSW vs CLE have seen ratings of 11.6, 11.4, and 11.3, a very slight decrease, but the viewship has gone up each year from 19.94 million viewers to 20.28 to 20.38 last year. Those ratings killed every other NBA Finals ratings since 2004.
NBA viewers love the rivalry. I can't see ratings changing all that much for a GSW-CLE 4.
You might be right. I confess that was more my heart than my head. Still, in previous years I think there was suspense about whether Cleveland could take the Warriors down. I am thinking that if the Warriors feel like it they would win a series this year in 4. Five games the most.
I don't know. I live in Oakland so a lot of people are still excited here obviously. However, a lot of my friends from the pennsylvania area that are casual NBA fans say they are not into it and may only watch half the games. That is how I feel cool kind of. I ended up watching just about all of it last year even though I was bored by it. This year I think I may finally take the plunge and not watch every game. I have seen that matchup enough and it just doesn't really interest me to see them play 4-7 more times.
I don't expect them to tank ratings wise, but I would be surprised if there isn't at least some viewer fatigue that makes them the lowest of the 4. This happens with everything.. too much of the best thing it becomes less popular.
The ratings will go down because Golden State vs. Cleveland this year will be extremely lopsided. Barring like 2 significant injuries to Golden State, everyone will expect Golden State to sweep Cleveland and blow them out in like 3 of the games. I mean, last year's Cavaliers team with Lebron averaging a 30-point triple double and Kyrie averaging 29/4/4 were beaten soundly in 5 by Golden State. The lone win coming on a night at home where it seemed every Cavs player had a career night lol. The Cavs don't even have Kyrie anymore and their supporting cast is worse than last year's (defense has gotten slightly worse as well).
Yes, Cleveland vs. Golden State is probably a match up people are sick of seeing now (4 times in a row), but I think ratings would remain great and be high IF folks thought that CLE had a chance to beat them and the series had a chance to go 6-7. I'd frankly be surprised if it goes 5 games.