Why the NBA’s Game 7 Ratings Surge Can’t Hide a Bigger Problem

(And What Sports Marketers Must Do Next)

📸: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Ever feel like you’re working overtime to spark excitement, only to see the numbers barely budge? That’s a common pain point for sports marketers. The 2025 NBA Finals were a ratings rollercoaster: most of the series saw record lows, but then Game 7 exploded, pulling in the biggest audience in six years. Sounds like a win, right? But let’s not kid ourselves, one big night doesn’t fix a season-long slump.

We all crave that viral moment, the “everyone’s watching” energy. But if fans only show up for the final showdown, what’s happening the rest of the time? The average viewership for this Finals was down nearly 10% from last year, making it the least-watched since 2021. Even with a 74% viewership jump for Game 7, it still drew half the audience of the 2016 matchup. That’s a red flag, not a confetti cannon.

It’s a mistake to think a single blockbuster game means the product is healthy. Fans are tuning out for a reason. Maybe it’s the endless three-point shooting, maybe it’s stars sitting out, or maybe it’s just too hard to find your team on TV. If we ignore these signals, we’re just putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg.

We want fans who care all season, not just for the buzzer-beater. We want stories that pull people in, week after week. We want to build brands that last, not just chase spikes. That means digging deeper, studying what keeps fans away, not just what brings them back for one night.

You’re probably thinking, “But what can I actually do?” Here are a few thoughts:

• Look at your season-long engagement, not just your best moments.

• Ask fans what’s missing, and listen to the tough answers.

• Try new formats: behind-the-scenes, real-time reactions, fan-led content.

• Push for more balanced national coverage, so small-market stories get told.

• Don’t just market the stars, market the stakes, the rivalries, the journeys.

Is the NBA’s Game 7 surge proof the league’s product is still strong, or are the record-low Finals ratings a warning sign that marketing alone can’t fix? What do you see in your own work? Drop your thoughts below.

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