Basketball isn’t the same game it was a decade ago. What used to be dominated by toughness, physical play, and mid-range scoring has transformed into a fast-paced, three-point-focused game, with some fans feeling less love for the game and the style of basketball. While legends like Michael Jordan defined how the game was played in the 80s, players like Stephen Curry have reshaped how the game is played today, one more about speed, spacing, and skill than it used to be.
While the game today has evolved in style and strategy, not everyone likes these changes. In fact, many fans argue that today’s version of basketball doesn’t have the excitement and physical intensity of the games of the 80s and 90s. As a result, some viewers have started to lose interest. Viewership in the NBA has significantly decreased. According to Sports Illustrated, National NBA broadcasts on ABC averaged 2.95 million viewers in 2019-20, a 45% drop from the 5.42 million viewers in 2011-12.
In my years of watching basketball, I’ve always loved the game, and especially love watching the New York Knicks. Yet I feel that the way we watch basketball, and how many people watch it, has drastically changed in the last few decades. When I was younger, my dad would show me videos of basketball from when he was a kid, and I was hooked. I’ve always loved watching contact sports, especially 90s basketball games between rivals like the Lakers and Celtics. But now you don’t see contact like that.
Another thing that has changed is that 40-50 years ago, more people watched NBA games in person rather than on TV. Nowadays, it is so easy to stream games, plus NBA ticket prices have skyrocketed, shifting from an affordable $5-$50 per ticket in the 1980s to $30-$200 now. Playoff tickets have gone up even more, with Lakers prices fetching up to $20,000 to $40,000 per seat.
The NBA Play-In Tournament is one of the league’s most recent changes. It works as a mini playoff before the actual postseason even starts, and while it does create high-stakes games, I feel like it was added to boost ratings and make more money rather than to improve the game. Still, as the playoffs begin, I think the intensity of the game overall is finally starting to come back.
This season, basketball feels more competitive and physical, like it used to. As veteran stars like LeBron James, James Harden, and Kevin Durant are possibly ending their careers, they’re playing with more urgency while also passing the spotlight to the next generation. Younger stars like Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Luke Doncic of the Lakers now have the chance to shape the future of the league, and hopefully bring back the passion and meaning that many fans feel has been missing.
One thing is for certain: the game will continue to evolve, and its meaning will always be shaped by those who play and watch it.
