This year’s NBA Finals peaked with 19.3 million viewers in Game 7—yet still averaged the lowest total Finals viewership since 2021.

So what gives?

The NBA still delivers on-court excellence. But the presentation of the product—the storytelling, spectacle, and sense of occasion—hasn’t evolved to meet the cultural moment. The Finals, once a must-watch event with emotional stakes and iconic branding, now risk blending into the background of an oversaturated sports and entertainment landscape.

This isn’t just a ratings problem, it’s a marketing and brand experience problem. If the NBA wants to maintain its cultural dominance, especially as it enters a $76 billion media rights era, it needs to re-imagine how it builds anticipation, excitement, and narrative around its most important stage.

Here’s what the NBA needs to fix and what marketers can learn from it.

Missed Moments: The Death of Pageantry

The Finals used to open like a blockbuster premiere—dramatic montages, swelling music, and voice-of-God narration.

Now? Little buildup. Minimal storytelling. Just surface-level stats, color commentary and ads shoehorned into every free moment of airtime.

Bring back emotionally charged pregame montages—and don’t stop at broadcast. Repurpose them into Reels, Shorts, and TikToks. Think less “sports broadcast,” more cinematic universe. Build tension. Tap into nostalgia. Sell the stakes.

Visual Identity: Make the Finals Look Like the Finals

It’s mindblowing that the NBA created custom courts for the in-season tournament but not for the Finals. Visual branding matters.

The Finals should be instantly recognizable—distinct logos, color palettes, and trophy-themed floor designs. Even small moments, like coming back from commercial breaks, can be elevated with archival clip packages that connect team histories to the present. It’s low-cost, high-impact nostalgia marketing. Audiences need to feel, instantly, that they’re watching something historic.

Invest in the Next Generation

The era of LeBron, Steph, and KD is winding down. These icons fueled over a decade of NBA relevance—but their teams are no longer playoff locks.

Now is the time to spotlight the league’s rising stars. But it takes more than highlight reels, media hot takes and endorsement deals. The NBA must invest in storytelling that builds emotional connection—behind-the-scenes mini-docs, in-depth podcast interviews, player POV vlogs, and training camp access.

Long gone are the days when a press conference and a few media appearances were enough to earn fan loyalty. Today’s audience needs more than access, they need narrative. They need to see the journey. In an era where ticket prices and streaming costs keep rising, story and connection are what drive fans to invest their time—and their money.

The Right Voices: Put Champions on the Mic

No disrespect, but the current broadcast panels feel like ESPN daytime reruns. Given the daily exposure fans have to the commentators, its no wonder they are super hyped to see the same people rehash their takes during the Finals broadcast. The Finals have to be better.

Let’s hear from champions who’ve lived it—Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, maybe even LeBron. Their insights bring depth, emotion, and authenticity. It’s what CBS does so well with UEFA’s Champions League coverage and the NBA should take notes. (Note: NBC has signed Michael Jordan as a commentator for next season so this may be a new trend…and proof of concept!)

This Isn’t Just Sports. It’s Brand Strategy.

The NBA has the product. It has the players. But it’s not telling the story well enough.

The Finals should be a cultural tentpole, like the Super Bowl or the Oscars. Right now, it feels more like a Tuesday night mid-season doubleheader.

This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about smarter storytelling. More emotion. More build-up. More legacy. And more moments that make fans feel like they’re witnessing history.

The blueprint is there. It’s just time to run the right plays.