David Stern can't admit it, but there is one thing he's happy about, the Miami Heat advancing to the Finals to face the San Antonio Spurs. It has nothing to do with the the players on either team, it's all about the TV ratings. The Spurs are historically a bad team attracting fans, but LeBron James will save the day for the NBA's front office as viewers will be reeled in to watch the 2013 NBA Finals.
Let's face it, fans hate the flopping and they claim referees are always giving the Heat calls, but to the James haters, it's like a soap opera so bad they can't keep from watching. With James in the Finals, the TV ratings are bound to get a boost. Whether people like the Heat or not, they will tune in to see if they lose. The fact that the Spurs have never lost in the NBA Finals, will raise their interest as fans are hungry to watch the Heat screw up.
Both teams matchup well, but the Heat had the best record during the regular season and have three of the better players in the league, if they lose it will be an upset and NBA fans all across the NBA will rejoice if Miami doesn't win the championship.
In 2011, nothing went the Heat's way in the Finals. It was James' first year in Miami after his move to South Beach. Non-Cleveland Cavaliers fans were upset. They considered James cocky. Things went downhill after James and Dwyane Wade mocked a sick Dirk Nowitzki by coughing as they were walking out of the parking lot. Fans really disliked them then. Fans watched the NBA Finals, bringing back the TV ratings into double digits for the first time since 2002 when the Los Angeles Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets in the Finals. Fans saw, not James, but Nowitzki celebrate in Game 6 and they were happy.
TV ratings matter because it's all about advertising. Who's going to spend money to get their product on television when there is nobody watching?
The Spurs brought some dark days to TV ratings despite their great success and having guys like Avery Johnson, David Robinson, Robert Horry and even today's players Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Duncan is the only player on the roster who was in the team when the Spurs did a decent job attracting fans, but it was only because they were playing the New York Knicks back in 1999. That has been the highest rating for a Spurs game at 11.3.
Since 1999, the Spurs are 3-0 in the NBA Finals, winning in every appearance. They beat the Nets in 2003, Detroit Pistons in 2005 and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007. Nobody bothered to watch James versus the Spurs then, but that's because James wasn't the player who he is now. He and the Cavs were not hated and they were not the most popular team in the league.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET
Stern should be happy. His most useful commodity (LeBron James) is in the Finals for the third straight year. The most hated team in the league is still alive in the NBA Playoffs and playing for another championship. Stern and his boys are really happy.