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Golden State Warriors ugly season has hurt NBA’s overall ratings

ByTony Pesta|
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after he was called for a foul against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on November 15, 2019 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after he was called for a foul against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on November 15, 2019 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The downfall of the Golden State Warriors has had a far-reaching impact on the rest of the league.

For years, fans claimed that the Golden State Warriors “ruined basketball” by stacking the deck and loading their team with talent. Now that the Warriors have fallen to the worst record in the league, the NBA’s ratings are down as much as 20 percent.

Yes, NBA broadcasts everywhere are suffering from drops in ratings. TNT is currently down 23 percent while ESPN sits at 20 percent.

There are many different explanations for this recent trend. For starters, cable, in general, is dying out as more and more people prefer to stream games online now. The NBA’s League Pass is expensive and barley works for the people who do purchase it. As a result, fans work hard to find free online streams in order to watch the games.

Furthermore, it doesn’t help that star players such as Kawhi Leonard are routinely sitting out of games for load management. Throw in the fact that the league’s biggest star, LeBron James, is now playing in the Western Conference and at later start times and it’s no wonder the league’s ratings are dropping.

However, above all else, it is the downfall of the Warriors that is directly impacting the league’s ratings. In the last few months, the Warriors have witnessed injuries to players such as Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell and Draymond Green.

Though Durant and Cousins no longer play for the Dubs, it’s easy to see why their absence from the league would cause certain fans to lose interest. Of course, the lack of Curry/Thompson has caused the Warriors to fall off the face of the earth.

Whether you loved or hated the Warriors dynasty there was no way to deny their greatness. The Dubs were polarizing and brought in a massive amount of attention. With the league’s greatest supervillain now gone, the NBA’s ratings are suffering.

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