NHL on pause

[celticsclay]

Lance Stephenson, Joe Johnson, Brandon Knight back in the league. Nets now have had 3 straight games postponed. What a glorious strategy by the league to keep rolling along.

How are the Nets allowed to postpone while everyone else has to keep playing with replacement players?

That's what I've been wondering for a while now.

Other games have been canceled including multiple raptors and bulls game, cavs hawks etc (there have been no western conference games canceled because they have not been decimated like the East). The nba has not come out with explicit reasoning for this but I think they don’t want a game played exclusively with g league/ten day contract players. The nets recently had 11 or 12 players out between Covid and injuries. If the nets have to sign 7 ten day contracts for a few games it kind of just becomes unwieldy in addition to an embarrassment to the nba. There is also probably an element of concern that when you have ten guys sick there is a possibility more positive tests are coming and you could infect all the ten day contract guys.

[nickagneta]

Just want to say, ratings are less and less a total viewers number. It's getting the highest percentage of people watching at that time getting the highest ratings in the key 18-45 year old demographic and specifically the 18-45 year old male demographic.

So what the media partners want is getting the highest percentage of that demo watching the longest period of time. That's what drives the advertising prices per minute. And the amount of times a sponsor can get those adds on over the extended period garners the most exposure.

That makes 8.5 hours of tv time reaching the largest percentage of the desired male in 18-45 and 2nd most for 3.5 hours more important and profitable for the network than doing it for 3.5 hours.

So NFL isn't going to kill the NBA in the ratings because the NBA is going to be dominating the most desirable demographic far longer. 

[Moranis]

Can't help but wonder, Clay, if the NBA's motive for making teams sign G-League or worse players to continue the season has anything to do with making sure they have 5 games to show on national networks on Xmas Day.

Seems like shutting down the whole season for a two week pause a few days back made sense but, their national media partners probably wouldn't be very happy losing out on those massive Xmas Day ratings.

NFL is going to kill them ratings wise on Christmas this year, so I'm not sure that is a real good reason to go forward.

Might have wanted to look at the schedule before posting this. NFL has only a 4:30 and an 8:00 game. The 8:00 game is only on the NFL Network, severely curtailing any conflict against NBA telecasts. And the 4:30 game is Packers v Browns, not exactly a marquee matchup. Meanwhile the NBA have 12:00, 2:30 and 10:30 games running unopposed with marquee matches at 5:00 and 8:00 with the 8:00 game being on ABC and ESPN vs the NFL game on NFLNet.

I stand by my statement.  The NFL will significantly outdraw the NBA.  It will not be close.  The Packers/Browns game will be the most watched television event on Christmas and by a wide margin.  Fox is going to have massive ratings for that game.  The Warriors v. Suns game is going to be completely overshadowed and that very well may be the game of the year in the NBA.  And frankly the lead in to the Packers game will significantly hamper the Bucks viewership in the 230 game against the Celtics.  The Nets/Lakers will do ok because as you say the Colts/Cardinals game is on the NFL network, but that is the only game that is going to draw well (and that even probably hinges a great deal on Lebron and KD actually playing in it).  The Hawks/Knicks is too early (and isn't a great game) and the Mavericks/Jazz game is too late (especially in the east) and just isn't a big draw. NFL is king.  It is the only consistent thing in television ratings right now (at least in the US).

This is surprising.

What is surprising about this?

For some background, Game 6 of the NBA Finals drew just under 12.5 million viewers (that was the most viewers of any of the games).  The 430 pm game last Sunday between Green Bay and Baltimore had over 22 million viewers on Fox (same channel as the Packers/Browns).  Last year on Christmas, the best drawing game of the day peaked at just under 4 million viewers (that was the Lakers and Mavs).  Now that was down from prior years, but the Lakers with Lebron and Davis against Kawhi, George, and the Clippers on Christmas in 2019 (i.e. before Covid) averaged right around 7 million viewers.  I'm not even convinced the Cardinals/Colts game won't outdraw the NBA games even with it just being on the NFL Network.  I mean the Patriots/Colts game last Saturday, which was only on the NFL Network (outside of home markets) had over 7 million viewers.  Now maybe the Cardinals/Colts isn't quite the same draw and there is a really good NBA game as competition, but I wouldn't be surprised if that game outdrew the Nets/Lakers game in the head to head (it is probably the more likely scenario). 

I'm not saying this will happen, but it is entirely possible that the Packers/Browns game could have more viewers than all 5 of the NBA games combined, especially if it draws anywhere near to what the Packers/Ravens game drew.

It’s kind of a completely hypothetical argument at this point because  the nba games are going to either be canceled or
Missing their stars. I agree if it is the gleague nets against the lakers the numbers will be horrible. I was mainly objecting to your point that the leadin to the packers game would impact the Celtics. There is no other way to say it, but that is an idiotic take. Any bar in America would create enraged customers if they switched to pregame coverage of football game over a live nba game two hours before it started (or turner it off 4th quarter for the anthem) Furthermore I would get really angry if I was at a gathering and someone demanded to watch the pregame show for two hours before the game started (and just to be clear I am a huge nfl fan also) I honestly have no idea how you could seriously think that. Was it just a joke? Will this be the first time you ever admit you were being ridiculous?

people don't go to bars on Christmas. They are at home and the Packers coverage will absolutely affect the Bucks game because America loves football far more than basketball.  Frankly the Madden documentary may very well outdraw the C's game (90 minutes and starts at 2 on fox). That is just the reality of sports viewing in the US. Football is king. Nothing else matters.

[Moranis]

Just want to say, ratings are less and less a total viewers number. It's getting the highest percentage of people watching at that time getting the highest ratings in the key 18-45 year old demographic and specifically the 18-45 year old male demographic.

So what the media partners want is getting the highest percentage of that demo watching the longest period of time. That's what drives the advertising prices per minute. And the amount of times a sponsor can get those adds on over the extended period garners the most exposure.

That makes 8.5 hours of tv time reaching the largest percentage of the desired male in 18-45 and 2nd most for 3.5 hours more important and profitable for the network than doing it for 3.5 hours.

So NFL isn't going to kill the NBA in the ratings because the NBA is going to be dominating the most desirable demographic far longer.

NFL will have way more 18-45 viewers also.  It is just reality.  The NFL will outdraw the NBA.

[celticsclay]

Can't help but wonder, Clay, if the NBA's motive for making teams sign G-League or worse players to continue the season has anything to do with making sure they have 5 games to show on national networks on Xmas Day.

Seems like shutting down the whole season for a two week pause a few days back made sense but, their national media partners probably wouldn't be very happy losing out on those massive Xmas Day ratings.

NFL is going to kill them ratings wise on Christmas this year, so I'm not sure that is a real good reason to go forward.

Might have wanted to look at the schedule before posting this. NFL has only a 4:30 and an 8:00 game. The 8:00 game is only on the NFL Network, severely curtailing any conflict against NBA telecasts. And the 4:30 game is Packers v Browns, not exactly a marquee matchup. Meanwhile the NBA have 12:00, 2:30 and 10:30 games running unopposed with marquee matches at 5:00 and 8:00 with the 8:00 game being on ABC and ESPN vs the NFL game on NFLNet.

I stand by my statement.  The NFL will significantly outdraw the NBA.  It will not be close.  The Packers/Browns game will be the most watched television event on Christmas and by a wide margin.  Fox is going to have massive ratings for that game.  The Warriors v. Suns game is going to be completely overshadowed and that very well may be the game of the year in the NBA.  And frankly the lead in to the Packers game will significantly hamper the Bucks viewership in the 230 game against the Celtics.  The Nets/Lakers will do ok because as you say the Colts/Cardinals game is on the NFL network, but that is the only game that is going to draw well (and that even probably hinges a great deal on Lebron and KD actually playing in it).  The Hawks/Knicks is too early (and isn't a great game) and the Mavericks/Jazz game is too late (especially in the east) and just isn't a big draw. NFL is king.  It is the only consistent thing in television ratings right now (at least in the US).

This is surprising.

What is surprising about this?

For some background, Game 6 of the NBA Finals drew just under 12.5 million viewers (that was the most viewers of any of the games).  The 430 pm game last Sunday between Green Bay and Baltimore had over 22 million viewers on Fox (same channel as the Packers/Browns).  Last year on Christmas, the best drawing game of the day peaked at just under 4 million viewers (that was the Lakers and Mavs).  Now that was down from prior years, but the Lakers with Lebron and Davis against Kawhi, George, and the Clippers on Christmas in 2019 (i.e. before Covid) averaged right around 7 million viewers.  I'm not even convinced the Cardinals/Colts game won't outdraw the NBA games even with it just being on the NFL Network.  I mean the Patriots/Colts game last Saturday, which was only on the NFL Network (outside of home markets) had over 7 million viewers.  Now maybe the Cardinals/Colts isn't quite the same draw and there is a really good NBA game as competition, but I wouldn't be surprised if that game outdrew the Nets/Lakers game in the head to head (it is probably the more likely scenario). 

I'm not saying this will happen, but it is entirely possible that the Packers/Browns game could have more viewers than all 5 of the NBA games combined, especially if it draws anywhere near to what the Packers/Ravens game drew.

It’s kind of a completely hypothetical argument at this point because  the nba games are going to either be canceled or
Missing their stars. I agree if it is the gleague nets against the lakers the numbers will be horrible. I was mainly objecting to your point that the leadin to the packers game would impact the Celtics. There is no other way to say it, but that is an idiotic take. Any bar in America would create enraged customers if they switched to pregame coverage of football game over a live nba game two hours before it started (or turner it off 4th quarter for the anthem) Furthermore I would get really angry if I was at a gathering and someone demanded to watch the pregame show for two hours before the game started (and just to be clear I am a huge nfl fan also) I honestly have no idea how you could seriously think that. Was it just a joke? Will this be the first time you ever admit you were being ridiculous?

people don't go to bars on Christmas. They are at home and the Packers coverage will absolutely affect the Bucks game because America loves football far more than basketball.  Frankly the Madden documentary may very well outdraw the C's game (90 minutes and starts at 2 on fox). That is just the reality of sports viewing in the US. Football is king. Nothing else matters.

I understand football beats basketball in ratings. Your take that a pregame show two hours before the game will beat the Celtics bucks live game is so stupid I don’t even know why I am bothering responding to it. The pregame show doesn’t even start till an hour before the game. Why can you never admit when you have said something preposterous. You think people are going to turn the tv stations for what is often an infomercial for an hour of the Celtics games to get warmed up for a pregame show? Like this insanity. man. You are not dumb. Why do you say stuff like this?

I’ll add I don’t know much about this madden documentary or what the level of excitement for it is. Maybe that is a legitimate draw. But the idea that people would rather watch two hours of pregame before a football game rather than an actual live game is beyond the realm of reality.

[Moranis]

I never said the pregame show would outdraw the C's game, I said it would affect the ratings because of the teams playing in the respective games. The Packers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL with the reigning and perhaps likely again MVP.  To act like that doesn't matter is the only strange thing.

I get it, this is a basketball site full of uber basketball fans, but that is not the US as a whole.  Football is king. People will just turn on Fox waiting for the football game to start.  That is just how it works.

[celticsclay]

I never said the pregame show would outdraw the C's game, I said it would affect the ratings because of the teams playing in the respective games. The Packers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL with the reigning and perhaps likely again MVP.  To act like that doesn't matter is the only strange thing.

I get it, this is a basketball site full of uber basketball fans, but that is not the US as a whole.  Football is king. People will just turn on Fox waiting for the football game to start.  That is just how it works.

Merry Christmas Mo

[greg683x]

I never said the pregame show would outdraw the C's game, I said it would affect the ratings because of the teams playing in the respective games. The Packers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL with the reigning and perhaps likely again MVP.  To act like that doesn't matter is the only strange thing.

I get it, this is a basketball site full of uber basketball fans, but that is not the US as a whole.  Football is king. People will just turn on Fox waiting for the football game to start.  That is just how it works.

Merry Christmas Mo

Lol

[Moranis]

Haven't found all of the ratings (many don't get released online until Wednesday), but the Nets/Lakers on ABC at 8 pm eastern only appears to have had a 0.8 rating 18-49 with just 2.79 million viewers.  The PBC boxing event on FOX nearly outdrew it with 0.6 rating 18-49 and 2.65 million viewers.  That isn't a good sign at all for the NBA if a random boxing match performs nearly as well.

[Moranis]

Just as I predicted, the NFL absolutely demolished the NBA in the ratings. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/tv-ratings-nfl-dominates-christmas-weekend/ar-AASftn4?ocid=uxbndlbing

The Colts/Cardinals game more than doubled the Nets/Lakers game (the biggest ratings of all the NBA games) on the same time despite being only on the NFL Network.  The Packers v Browns game is the 2nd highest rated NFL game this season at just under 29 million viewers.  Only the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game topped it.