>>212446968viewership numbers are down, and no one can explain why, but some reasons I've heard are:
too superstar focused, people tune in only to watch certain players, which is compounded by the "superstar" diva effect, wherein these players practice something called "load management" where they will outright refuse to play certain days to rest more
too many international players, makes the league feel more foreign, which Americans hate
people consume NBA content on youtube/tiktok now, they do not have to attention span to view an entire game
the game has been "solved" and every team tries to play the same, efficiency maxed
buddyball: all players are friendly with one another and show good sportsmanship, which is in stark contrast to the rivalries of the eras before the 2010's