What the NBA’s

What the NBA’s viewership shake-up means for fans — and advertisers

In today’s fragmented media market, consistent, “always on” access is everything — and inconsistency is a killer. Few organizations are proving that more clearly than the NBA, as teams test different strategies for engaging fans and growing viewership. The Portland Trail Blazers, for one, made their games radically easier to watch, while the Chicago Bulls went the other way.

The results speak for themselves, with ripple effects for fans and advertisers.

The Blazers opened up access to games to 100% of their TV market by going over-the-air, leading to the biggest viewership increase in the NBA this season. In contrast, the Bulls moved to the new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), but without a key carriage deal with Comcast in place, the Bulls experienced the league’s biggest viewership decline.