For months, sports fans anxiously waited for the return of their favorite pastime. A glimpse into the world before the pandemic halted society. Analysts and broadcasters believed sports would see some of the highest viewer numbers in decades. With nowhere for people to go, they are compelled to watch. Well, it seems not even the NBA can draw in the numbers — viewers are turning away due to the sport being “too political.”

With a no-audience policy in effect, experts anticipated a small dip in viewership, but most were stunned to see a total of 1.8 million viewers for the 2020 NBA playoffs. Compared to week one of the 2019 playoffs, ESPN, ABC, and TNT all saw a 20% drop in viewers. Even Saturday’s Game 5 between the L.A. Lakers and Portland Trailblazers struggled to gain 2.9 million views with a lousy 1.8 rating. While more people (3.87 million to be exact) decided to watch the Daytona NASCAR cup series, one person noticed the NBA: President Donald Trump.

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Not one to mix words, President Trump tweeted, “People are tired of watching the highly political @NBA. Basketball ratings are WAY down, and they won’t be coming back. I hope football and baseball are watching and learning because the same thing will be happening to them. Stand tall for our Country and our Flag!!!”

A new Harris Poll shows the NBA might want to take the president’s advice as 38% of sports fans say they are turning the channel because the NBA has become “too political.” Viewers are agitated at the constant political stance players take by boycotting games, kneeling during anthems, and promoting lawlessness throughout America. It appears what sports fans want most is a few hours of entertainment without a political stage show.

The poll revealed more crippling news for the NBA as 28% of fans weren’t watching because they found the games boring without people in the stands. And in case that wasn’t enough, another 19% say they boycotted the NBA due to their cozy relationship with China.

As for the political parties fighting for the White House, 57% of Republicans believe the NBA has gone too far with politics while only 22% of Democrats agreed. But no matter the stance, fans on both sides of the aisle believe the same: Sports and politics don’t mix.

This piece was written by Jeremy Porter on September 4, 2020. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com and is used by permission.

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