Caitlin Clark might not know how to fix the NBA’s declining TV ratings, but she knows giving fans a migraine with neon painted courts for the in-season tournament isn’t it.
Clark joined Jason and Travis Kelce on the latest episode of their New Heights podcast where she addressed the much talked about NBA ratings decline. Clark might be the most important asset to the WNBA’s growing ratings, so why not see if she can fix the NBA’s problem?
They can start by ditching the painted courts.
“I’m getting like a migraine looking at the neon green floor,” Clark said. “I feel like it was a hit the first year, the NBA Cup or whatever it was and it kind of toned down a bit this year. But it’s interesting, they’re trying to spice it up a little bit.”
The fully painted courts get the job done in terms of differentiating tournament games from regular season games, but Clark is right, they’re painful to stare at on TV. Credit the league for trying. The NBA Cup might be years away from holding much influence, but teams and players undoubtedly treat those matchups with more importance than their regularly scheduled November and December games. Still, it hasn’t solved the ratings issue. According to Clark, the issue might be that players have gotten too good.
“I’ve been asking a lot of people about this and why they think they’re down,” Clark said. “I feel like the average basketball fan doesn’t understand how good NBA players are. And they think it looks like they’re not trying. I promise you they’re trying. They’re just like so good. That’s why it looks like they’re not trying. And obviously the physicality of the league has changed a lot.
“I was never around when it was much more physical and maybe people want more beef and physicality, and people think it’s gone soft. But I think that’s also because the skill has just changed. That’s what’s great about basketball. It’s always evolving…so it’s hard for me to put my finger on why it’s gone down and also it’s competing against a lot of football right now, you have to take that into consideration.”
So you’re saying not enough people like the NBA because the players are too good? Clark could have joined the chorus of people blaming load management, too many three pointers, or a lack of rivalries. But Clark deserves a round of applause for once again showing just how media savvy she is.
While the ratings slump has been addressed by commissioner Adam Silver, various players, coaches and now Caitlin Clark, it’s worth noting that ratings are only down 3% from last season, according to the NBA, per Nielsen. Clark went on to co-sign the Kelce brothers’ ideas of instituting a four-point line, an NBA Jam inspired ‘on fire’ rule for consecutive shots made and allowing NHL style in-game fights. But painted courts? That’s something Clark can’t get behind.
