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@National Basketball Association

NBC if you want to win over our hearts the product needs to change. Bring back player intros, stop shoving gambling down our throats during games and run less commericals.



**Commercials**

Commercials. Commercials. 2 minute of SAS/Perkins. Commercials. Straight into tip-off. There is a massive difference between TNT and ESPN’s half-time show, both in length and quality. The quality of Inside the NBA might be hard to replicate, but at least don’t take after ESPN and run constant commercials.

**Gambling**

Watching the first quarter of game 2 between NYK-IND the other night, Kenny and Charles were promoting gambling in the middle of a game.

They minimized the game and had a small video in the feed of them. They spoke about spreads, something about Brunson scoring over or under 50pts in this game. Go ahead, place that bet guys.

I know it’s not the first time they’ve promoted gambling while the game is going on but it’s still shocking. It’s one thing to see it on a jersey, on the floor or in a commercial between the games… but seeing it during the game from Kenny and Charles just makes me so sick to my stomach.

**NBA player intros**

We haven’t seen players intro in around 10 years. I’m not sure exactly what year they stopped, but it was around 2014-16 or so. You might think; “Surely they run them during the finals right?” No and they haven’t in ages, all in the name of greed.

The youngins’ don’t know what they’re missing. So much hype comes out of those player intros. You get pumped up and they’re incredibly important for the fans at home to get into the game. So many fun memories have been created because of the player intros. Jordan and Alan Parsons Project, Heatles and Seven Nation Army, Pistons and The Final Countdown are permanently linked for a lot of people.

[97′ Bulls intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn6kiimEsYc)

[2005 Pistons intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcyYl-Bk60A&t)

[2008 Celtics intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHBaQAwdagk&t=1s)

[2013 HEAT intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8gXugd4z4k)

NBA your product is slipping and it’s all in the name of greed. NBC please right these wrongs.

by Robinsonirish

40 Comments

  1. bush_league_commish

    I’m sure the NBC execs are prowling r/nba just thirsting for ideas to improve their product

  2. defiantcross

    And of course, roundball rock. Reacquire the rights if you need to

  3. Gambling’s a runaway train that’s not going to be stopping unless the government changes course and decides to put more restrictions on it again. There’s too much money in it for the leagues and the networks for them to decide to stop “because it’s the right thing to do.”

  4. deemerritt

    I would bet they focus more on the actual games than TNT/ESPN but i wouldnt bet on less commercials lmao.

    ITs gonna be unpopular here but TNT really created the rings culture shit that has hurt the NBA. ESPN and TNT also just made being a hater of 99% of players be the standard and i hope NBC gets back to celebrating the game of basketball

  5. BetweenTheBuzzAndMe

    > stop shoving gambling down our throats during games and run less commericals.

    money talks, that’s not happening

  6. can do without the player/coach-interviews-that-take-up-a-portion-of-the-screen-while-live-play-is-occurring. they never have anything interesting to say anyway.

  7. Colonial_Revival

    Can we stop doing player interviews after each quarter? I dont need trite answers as these guys catch their breath

  8. try_another_nam

    Yeah I’m sure paying record prices for NBA rights will result in less ads

  9. Zero chance on the gambling front. They’re not going to be the high bidders and then turn away the most lucrative advertising money around.

    NBA teams still do those player intros, TV has just decided there’s more money to be made showing other stuff.

  10. DevMahasen

    Saying this as non-American NBA fan. The live game is unwatchable. I have it on mute most of the time.

  11. LosCleepersFan

    Lol NBC spent a fortune. Ads will go up zero chance for getting less commercials, gambling commercials are here forever.

  12. I just hope we get Bob Costas as a studio guy again. Let him cook with some monologue intros.

  13. beastguy32

    You honestly believe a company that just paid billions to secure NBA broadcasting rights will run fewer commercials?

  14. Snuggle__Monster

    People hoping to be hit by a tidal wave of nostalgia are probably in for a major disappointment. I would love to be wrong. I would expect their NBA coverage to be very similar to Football Night in America.

    And you know damn well those Peacock exclusive games are happening. People threw a massive fit when they did it for Chiefs/Dolphins and they still got a massive audience to show up and watch. Now they’re doing 2 this year.

  15. Yeah, NBC is going to pay $2.5 billion per year to show us LESS ads. Lmao.

  16. brah. nick wright youtube videos have 500k views. unfortunately, people want trash

  17. Maybe you should direct this one to ESPN who still will have the finals every year despite the fact that even casual fans recognize how much worse their product is than TNT

  18. All of this nbc nonsense needs to stop.

    There’s only what thing that matters.

    BRINGING BACK THE TESH MUSIC

  19. OptionalBagel

    NBC was willing to bid so much money to get the NBA BECAUSE of the gambling money. They’re going to make all that money back on gambling ads.

  20. celtic_sea_salt

    NBC: Best we can do is live player prop bets during the game on screen tracking the players like the “29 ft” shot popup when someone jacks a deep one

  21. I dont really feel like I am missing out on SAS and Perkins

  22. JackHammerPlower

    There is a 0 percent chance they stop gambling commercials

  23. Gambling is what’s paying for everything.

    Until that stops it won’t slow down

  24. Banana_rammna

    Very controversial hot take but I think they should just make sports betting illegal again. It was cool when it was a little side activity you’d bet a cheeky 5 on but they turned it into a candycrush/fortnite loot box to just prey on people with addictive personalities.

  25. Commercial-Pair-8932

    They’ll do none of what you asked, and they’ll add some subscription only peacock games for good measure.

  26. sequence_killer

    the gambling compaints for inside are legit. though it is a sports wide issue now

  27. Omg 2005 Detroit with Kid Rock

    BAH WIDDA BAH DE BANG DE BANG

  28. The loss of player intros particularly during the Finals has to change.

  29. eudaimonia_dc

    If we have to have gambling ads, can they at least not run Kevin Hart nonstop?

  30. SmellyObeseAndBald

    I’m all live and let live but holy shit the gambling advertisements are really getting out of hand. Not everyone is constructing some fun parlay once a month. Shit legitimately ruins lives.

  31. ColtCallahan

    lol @ the gambling part. They’re worse than TNT with that. Watch their SNF coverage. They have a best bet segment with Matthew Berry.

  32. kamekaze1024

    Run less commercials is fucking dumb request. You’re essentially asking them to not make more money. I get the hate for commercials but be realistic

  33. No-Muscle6204

    Player intros were such an important part of the NBA presentation they put them in the NBA Live Sega Genesis games.

  34. Oh man, I really hope they bring back player intros from when I was a kid, heck even from when I was in college. TNT used to do it before big games too up until 2010 or whenever.

    Here’s my advice, NBC. Take a look back at what you all were doing back in the 90s. Just do that. Hell, I still like to go back and watch some of the intros to the NBA Finals and what not. They’d show the player intros, then give a dramatic bit about the matchup about to occur which would get you all hyped and then lead right into Roundball Rock. Don’t stray from a good formula.

  35. Geeez that bulls intro just brings goosebumps man. Imagine hearing that as the visiting team

  36. raylan_givens6

    Yes to bringing back player intros

    I don’t need to hear canned obvious “analysis” instead

    Bring back the classic NBA no NBC theme

    Bring back Ahmad Rashad, Bob Costas, etc

    Have actual A list former pros with personality, not the D list former pros like ESPN has

    ESPN is straight up trash – from Stephen Smith to Malika to Perk to Mike Breen, etc

    TNT does it right, but WB looks like its going in toilet , so NBC , do it right

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