Published 16:32 IST, October 13th 2020
Donald Trump takes another shot at NBA, highlights poor Finals ratings on Twitter
Donald Trump launched a Twitter attack on the NBA, calling the league out for its poor NBA Finals ratings, which saw a drop of almost 70% from last year.
US President Donald Trump continues to take shots at the NBA for the league's stance on supporting social justice causes like Black Lives Matter. Trump previously stated he will not be watching basketball if the NBA continues to allow players to kneel during the national anthem. This time, Donald Trump took fresh shots at the league, highlighting the poor 2020 NBA Finals ratings.
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NBA Finals ratings take a nosedive: Trump fires shots at league's stance
Trump shared a report analysis from Breitbart, which claimed viewership for the 2020 NBA Finals was down by nearly 70%. Trump further claimed there was absolutely no interest in the Finals as its numbers were easily beaten by a random 'Sunday Night Football game.' Donald Trump took a sly dig at the criticism the NBA has faced over the past year or so for its deal and investments in China.
Per the report which Donald Trump shared on Twitter, Game 6 of the NBA Finals between Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat drew a peak viewership of just 6.028 million viewers. In comparison, Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals between Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors drew a peak viewership of 18.34 million. That is 66% higher than this year despite the fact that only one team represented the United States and there was no LeBron James in the finals.
Furthermore, the NFL Week 5 game between Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings that took place alongside the NBA Finals posted almost double the viewers with a peak of 12.008 million viewers.
According to a survey conducted by the publication, 39% of fans felt the NBA was too political. Meanwhile, another 19% claimed they lost interest in the NBA due to its links to China, both of which were used by Donald Trump to take shots at the NBA.
Donald Trump on NBA champion LeBron James
Earlier this week, Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Lakers' LeBron James, blaming him for the NBA's repetitive low ratings. Trump branded LeBron James a "spokesperson of the Democratic Party" and called him "nasty" during his interview on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show.
"He’s a great basketball player, but people don’t want to see a guy that’s that way," the 74-year-old said on the show. "They don’t want to see that. He’s a hater. You don’t want to sit down, watch a basketball game, and then watch somebody that hates your guts, okay.”
The NBA Finals concluded on Sunday night with the Lakers clinching the championship with a 106-93 win over Miami Heat in Game 6. LeBron James was named the NBA Finals MVP - his fourth Finals accolade - for his stellar show in the Lakers' 4-2 series win over the Heat. The 35-year-old scored a 28-point triple-double in Game 6.
(Image Credits: AP, Lakers Twitter)
Updated 16:32 IST, October 13th 2020