How come in the Jordan era they had better TV ratings then now?

[QUOTE=sdot_thadon;15015743][img]https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2BFAW16/michael-jordan-complains-to-the-refereree-while-competing-against-the-utah-jazz-during-the-1997-nba-finals-2BFAW16.jpg[/img]
Yeah Mj would never...[/QUOTE]

Lol wow, you found an instance of it - compared to doing it every single play. Nice try. :lol


[img]https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/d5Py9NQMl.tDOhoFD18_oA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjIy/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/4a9f9c40-1dac-11f0-b57b-63dc887311d1[/img]
[B][SIZE=5]
^Beta[/SIZE][/B]

[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/be/2b/3f/be2b3f12a0175b4894ae8cef6806ee1d.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/be/2b/3f/be2b3f12a0175b4894ae8cef6806ee1d.jpg[/IMG]

[B][SIZE=5]^Alpha.[/SIZE][/B]




[img]https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/d5Py9NQMl.tDOhoFD18_oA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjIy/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/4a9f9c40-1dac-11f0-b57b-63dc887311d1[/img]
[B][SIZE=4]
^Beta. :lol[/SIZE][/B]

[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ej7t2z1UcAA_Em0.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ej7t2z1UcAA_Em0.jpg[/IMG]
[B][SIZE=5]
^Alpha[/SIZE][/B]


[img]https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/d5Py9NQMl.tDOhoFD18_oA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjIy/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/4a9f9c40-1dac-11f0-b57b-63dc887311d1[/img]
[B][SIZE=5]
^Beta.[/SIZE][/B]

[QUOTE=SouBeachTalents;15015756][IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ej7t2z1UcAA_Em0.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Ref laughing at him on the bottom left. :oldlol:

[img]https://www.boundingintosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-9.53.33-AM-1340x700.png[/img]

[B][SIZE=5]^Beta.[/SIZE][/B]

[QUOTE=Full Court;15015749]Lol wow, you found an instance of it - compared to doing it every single play. Nice try. :lol


[img]https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/d5Py9NQMl.tDOhoFD18_oA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDA7aD0xNjIy/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/4a9f9c40-1dac-11f0-b57b-63dc887311d1[/img]
[B][SIZE=5]
^Beta[/SIZE][/B][/QUOTE]

You probably weren't even born yet when that Pic was snapped bud. What's amazing about this exchange is the fact that Mj was far and away thought to have preferential treatment by the officials and STILL complained to them that much. Meanwhile they've reffed Lebron more like Shaq and honestly has probably been shorted 1000+ fta as the most devastating perimeter player in the paint ever.

[QUOTE=sdot_thadon;15015842]You probably weren't even born yet when that Pic was snapped bud. What's amazing about this exchange is the fact that Mj was far and away thought to have preferential treatment by the officials and STILL complained to them that much. Meanwhile they've reffed Lebron more like Shaq and honestly has probably been shorted 1000+ fta as the most devastating perimeter player in the paint ever.[/QUOTE]

You sound like a beta.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you're a big Lebron fan?


:roll:

[QUOTE=Indian guy;7466847]Mainly technology(internet/iphone) - there are a thousand more ways to watch/follow sports now. A million more other things to do as well.

The best example is the superior TV ratings from 99-04, yet I don't think anyone's going to argue the NBA is less popular today then it was then.[/QUOTE]

Summed it up.


Fewer options back then.

My humble take:

NBA's popularity really started with Magic vs Bird rivalry - glued to the TV for the few broadcast games - my mom was a Celtics fan and I a Laker fan. But MJ took its popularity to another level - it's hard to describe - like a WORLDWIDE phenomenon - like watching the moon landing or Thrilla in Manilla in little old Jamaica - the excitement/talk/buzz. I was not a MJ fan - did not like the cockiness/arrogance but he was FEARED when he stepped on court.

Back then, players battled dearly. Not like today with the load management, regular season almost counting for nothing, friend/friend with everyone. It seemed like they hated to lose and put pride/everything into winning. And of course, there was not the movement that there is today - teams were pretty stable (at least the stars).

[QUOTE=Full Court;15015923]You sound like a beta.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you're a big Lebron fan?


:roll:[/QUOTE]

One thing I know for certain in my travels is the guys who care to speak on Alpha/beta dynamics are never the alpha in any situation. And actually, im a fan of both Mj and Lebron that knows Lebron isn't given a fair shake by a certain segment of fan. But none of that has anything ro do with me knowing more about Mj than you, keep up.

[QUOTE=sdot_thadon;15015842]You probably weren't even born yet when that Pic was snapped bud. What's amazing about this exchange is the fact that Mj was far and away thought to have preferential treatment by the officials and STILL complained to them that much. Meanwhile they've reffed Lebron more like Shaq and honestly has probably been shorted 1000+ fta as the most devastating perimeter player in the paint ever.[/QUOTE]

Lebron has a higher Free Throw Rate for his career, and that's with him playing well past his prime years and barely getting to the line now as he doesn't attack the paint nearly as much.

If we just look at their prime years (I'll do age 24-29 seasons for this purpose, from when Jordan hit his peak to his 1st retirement), Lebron had a 44.9% Free Throw Rate vs. Jordan's 36.6%.

Free Throw Rate = Free Throws attempted per FG attempt.

And we can also look at the Personal Fouls number. Jordan averaged 2.6 fouls to Lebron's 1.8 for his career in the RS and 3 fouls to Lebron's 2.3 per game in the Playoffs.

[QUOTE=sdot_thadon;15015955][B]One thing I know for certain in my travels is the guys who care to speak on Alpha/beta dynamics are never the alpha in any situation.[/B] And actually, im a fan of both Mj and Lebron that knows Lebron isn't given a fair shake by a certain segment of fan. But none of that has anything ro do with me knowing more about Mj than you, keep up.[/QUOTE]

Yep. Spoken like a true beta.

They're higher than they've ever been. By a huge margin. You can play around with terrestrial/cable/streaming numbers all you want but the bottom line revenue doesn't lie.

That does NOT necessarily mean the product is better today. Maybe it is better or maybe it's better at catering to the lowest common denominator or maybe it's more accessible. Personally, I think the casual sports fan is a dieing breed. It's going the way of late night talk shows and variey programs. People don't just sit around and watch whatever's on or channel surf. There's access to so much content now that people generally will go to "their thing" when they can instead of tolerate something passable. Just my opinion of how entertainment media is consumed now vs the 90s.