'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Mark Cuban remains one of the most active and involved owners in the NBA. Besides being in attendance at nearly all the Dallas Mavericks games, Cuban also has an integral role in the team's dealings. Given how hands-on he is when it comes to ownership, he recently touched on one of the biggest problems plaguing sports today - streaming.
Across a wide range of professional sports, streaming has impacted viewership. From the pay-per-view struggles the UFC and Boxing promotors have had to combat, to NBA Finals viewership, streaming has changed how fans consume sports.
When looking at TV ratings, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that the NFL absolutely trounces the NBA. The way Mark Cuban sees things, that isn't the case. In addition to a different demographic, Cuban believes that the NFL simply has more TV viewers, whereas the NBA dominates social media.
Mark Cuban appeared on the All The Smoke podcast and said:
"When I'm talking at the board & Governor's meetings, I'm like that's where we got to go get the money because Tik Tok and YouTube and Instagram they're killing it off of us. I was talking to somebody like 'well why does the NFL kill you on television?'"
"Because television viewers are older right, the average age is 65, 70, 75 now, and those people are not on social media. The NBA dominates the NFL more on social media than the NFL dominates us on television," he added.
Looking at Adam Silver's goal of making NBA even more popular on the heels of Mark Cuban's comments
Mark Cuban's comments echo a sentiment shared by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who spoke earlier this month about the state of the league. As rumors and talk about an expansion continue to pop up ahead of the NBA negotiating a new broadcast deal, Silver laid out his plans.
Speaking with NBA vet JJ Redick on a recent episode of his popular Old Man and the Three podcast, Silver shared his vision using an analogy. As he explained, if the average American were to ask someone whether they would be watching the NFL Super Bowl this year, chances are the answer would be yes.
If you were to ask an average American whether they will be watching the NBA Finals this year, chances are they would say that it depends on who is playing. Silver wants to change that.
"Part of my job is to take people who are fans of the game … and by definition create interest in whoever the teams are that are most successful. I think where we can all do a better job, and again I’m not just pointing to the media here, is talking more about the game," he said.
As Silver explained, NFL commentators often give in-depth analysis, while NBA commentary is much more simplified and focuses on big teams. On the heels of the Denver Nuggets, a small-market team compared to powerhouses like the LA Lakers, the landscape of the league seems poised to shift in the next few years.
