Should the NBA Take WWE’s Approach With Their Trade Deadlines?

The NBA has constantly evolved the game of basketball to make it a more captivating product for the viewers. Viewership has always impacted the NBA because at the end of the day, the NBA is a business and it needs to make profits to survive. Over the years, innovations like the introduction of the shot clock and the three-point line have significantly impacted the sport. These alterations increased the speed of the game, resulting in a more entertaining brand of basketball.

The NBA has always been open to changes and with the current broadcasting rights deal ending in 2025, they would look for ways to increase the viewership. It is important because that would give it more leverage while negotiating the new broadcasting rights deal. In a bid to increase viewers, the league introduced the In-Season tournament this season. The tournament has succeeded in attracting more viewers, as the games in November are averaging 1.48 million viewers across ESPN and TNT. That is a 19% jump from last season’s games being played on Tuesdays and Fridays. However, the NBA should follow WWE’s lead on trades if they want to see a drastic increase in their viewership.

Should the NBA copy WWE’s trade system?

World Wrestling Entertainment, better known as WWE is peak television drama. The organization has averaged 1.7 million to 2 million viewers in 2022. One of the components that keeps the fans engaged and tuned in is their trade system. When a trade takes place in the WWE, it isn’t announced to the public. The trade remains a secret until the wrestler makes an entrance during the live event. This style keeps the fans engaged and leaves them on the edge of their seats because they don’t have an idea whatsoever.

Imagine this system being implemented in the NBA. Just imagine the reaction if a superstar was unveiled just before the game. The fans would go bonkers. Some would love it, and some would hate it. But, it will surely increase the viewership of the league. If this system gets implemented, then the viewership records, set in the 1990s during the Michael Jordan era, would get shattered. This change would take the NBA’s viewership statistics to stratospheric heights, as the fans will have to constantly tune in to games because of the element of surprise. If given a chance, the NBA should adopt this system. But, is the system compatible with the current NBA landscape?

Is WWE’s trade system feasible in the NBA?

The WWE’s trade system, if implemented, would undoubtedly be immensely successful for the NBA’s viewership, as well as their coffers. However, implementing this system in the NBA isn’t entirely feasible. You see, the NBA ecosystem has a lot of components that would make it difficult for the NBA to introduce this system. Many journalists like Adrian Wojnarowski, Shams Charania, and Brian Windhorst pride themselves on providing exclusive news. They have thrived in their careers because they provide groundbreaking trade news.

Leaks of classified information would be a very big threat to this system because it will alleviate any element of surprise. Stopping leaks in the current NBA landscape would become extremely difficult because of the number of teams and individuals involved in the day-to-day running of the league.

WWE’s trade system worked for them because only a limited amount of people know about the plot. The information is only confined to certain writers, high-ranking officials of the WWE, and the wrestlers/actors involved in it. This confidentiality makes leaks regarding trades very rare. Although the idea of incorporating WWE’s trade system into the NBA sounds thrilling, the reality is that such a system would be impractical in the current ecosystem of the NBA. The NBA needs to find other avenues to increase its viewership.

 Why is the NBA pushing to increase its viewership?

The NBA’s current media rights deal with Warner Bros Discovery and Disney, who owns ABC and ESPN, have netted them $24 billion in nine years. However, this agreement is coming to an end after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. The NBA would like to increase its earnings by threefold in the next media rights deal negotiations. They have estimated that the new deal will be worth $75 billion dollars over 10 years.

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However, the NBA needs to increase its viewers in order to demand such a massive fee. The In-Season tournament is the latest effort by the NBA to boost its viewership. The tournament faced initial skepticism from all corners of the basketball fraternity. But, the new tournament has helped the NBA attract more fans. According to Sports Business Journal, ESPN averaged 1.52 viewers for games being played on Tuesdays and Fridays, up 20% from last season’s games. Whereas, TNT averaged 1.43 viewers, up 16% from last season. The In-Season tournament has made early-season games more meaningful, which has resulted in increased viewership. The initial signs are promising for the tournament, but the In-Season tournament still fails to capture the imagination of fans quite like the Larry O’Brien trophy.

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