Sports Fans Can't Get Enough of the 2025 NBA Finals … Debates
To the cheers of social media, ABC's NBA Finals coverage Monday included airing starting lineup introductions for the first time since 2013. That move was the latest response from the league and its broadcaster—including commissioner Adam Silver explaining to fans why the Finals court no longer features a Larry O'Brien trophy decal—in an endless conversation about the way the championship games are presented (rather than what's happening on the floor).
Based on ratings trends—the subject of their own discourse—these online interactions are not doing much to inspire actual viewership during a series the Oklahoma City Thunder now lead 3-2.
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Yet these kinds of debates are everywhere across U.S. sports. Who showed up at the Stanley Cup? Do WNBA stars really hate Caitlin Clark!? What's going on with Bill Belichick!?!? In each case, fans can participate—even dishing their own takes—without watching a minute of the action.
An MLB spokesperson recently confirmed league experts are studying why baseballs appear to not be flying as far this year. Former MVP Andrew McCutchen chimed in via X on Saturday to say 'higher seams' are to blame, setting off a weekend of stitching chatter slowed only by the Rafael Devers trade circus. The ball talk comes just six years after people bemoaned MLB's 2019 'juiced balls' for elevating home run totals too far.
Following April's torpedo bat mania—which spawned a real sales surge for manufacturers despite the items debuting in MLB before 2025—fans are once again debating the game's equipment rather than its players.
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In an entertainment world no longer dominated by linear TV, every league is hungry to become the center of conversations du jour. Today, no news is—in fact—very bad news. And in a digitally connected society, those aforementioned topics rise to the top, even when they are built upon shaky premises. Maybe especially when they're built on shaky premises! Why? Well…. They're equally relevant across fan bases. They don't require a degree in statistics. They lend themselves to great memes.
However, leagues must recognize that not every bit of chatter is equally valuable. Some talk can actually be counterproductive. While a discussion of how the modern Finals court pales in comparison to its forebearers may raise people's awareness that the games are on, it doesn't encourage anyone to tune in.
And that's ultimately what sports need from their fans. Business models are still built on selling tickets, media rights, communal identity. No team is getting paid by the tweet.
Of course, leagues don't get to control the narrative. These non-game discussions 'win' because they play well on global content platforms and cater to the 66% of Gen Z Americans who spend more time watching discussions about content than watching the original content itself.
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But properties can play their part to refocus audience attention. Behind-the-scenes access fuels shows like Drive to Survive, which put the spotlight back on F1's drivers. Investing in creators like Jomboy, as MLB did last week, can add texture to the experience of consuming games—and make watching sports seem cool again. Both those sports have seen their fanbases grow.
If you're a fan sick of the meta-narratives dominating conversation, you have options too. Follow a smaller sport, with fewer casual onlookers, and you'll find a higher percentage of the discussion tied to the actual competition. You know, the reason we watch sports in the first place?
Amid myriad potential distractions, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert regularly stresses the three things that turn people into fans: 'rivalries, games of consequence and household names.'
Spats. Stakes. Stars. They draw eyeballs. Not stickers and seams.
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