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What makes an NBA team watchable? It's a little complicated

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 10: Fans cheer at Jurassic Park as they watch the Golden State Warriors play against the Toronto Raptors during Game Five of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 10, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
The Raptors have become appointment viewing for Toronto sports fans. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

This statement has been utilized a number of times to open articles over the course of the last few months, but here goes: the NBA is back.

So let us dive into the circadian rhythm of televised basketball whence we came — the shift in season where a game of 30 teams determines our cortisol levels and commitment to regulated sleep patterns. With every offseason, we settle back into our tempos — not unlike the summer breaks of our youth — and with 14 days until games begin, I’m met with a familiar electric air of excitement for the camaraderie and comfort in routine the annual NBA season brings.

As with any typical end to the offseason, fans of the league share the teams they’ll be looking to watch extensively through the year. This got me thinking: what components actually lend to the watchability of a team?

Winning is only part of the equation

It’s not always as simple as “winning,” seeing as how multiple losing ball clubs draw the interest of both the leisure viewer and discerning critic. It’s measured by a different binary. It’s about a culture and eagerness that is difficult to quantify, despite being so plainly present.

The most major component contributing to watchability is relative cultural necessity. Not the usual culture we associate with a team, typically relating to the competence of coaching, front office and its ownership. This is specifically in relation to the team’s place in its given community.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 19: A Los Angeles Lakers fan poses for a photograph before the team played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 19, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Los Angeles is always going to be a Lakers town. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

How much do the inhabitants strolling by arenas and watching local commercials featuring star players value the franchise? Is the jersey woven into the fabric of morning commutes and evenings at the mall? Do we associate the team colours with a mental illustration of the city? When I think Boston, I think green. When I think L.A., I think purple and gold. When I think Memphis, I imagine their clear skies mimic the easy blues of their uniform.

It’s no coincidence the teams deemed most unwatchable seem offbeat in relation to their location. Think the Sacramento Kings and the evident disconnect between ownership and the heartbeat of this California town. As if it’s difficult for the viewer to find value in a team that doesn’t seem like it belongs to the city it claims to represent. This established cultural necessity requires years of theoretical and manual grassroots work.

A relevant example is the “We the North” campaign put forth by the Toronto Raptors over half a decade ago. In the present, the team reaps the monetary benefits of its early efforts sown with locals, but such benefits required years of consistent and relentless engagement with the community. When a team is important to the city, our chronic FOMO (fear of missing out) stimulates our curiosities. This is why I sometimes find myself watching the Blazers’ backcourt buzz around at 10:30 pm on a weeknight. What’s the city of Portland up to?

The hope for a better tomorrow

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25:  Devin Booker #1 and Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns react against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on February 25, 2019 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The NBA's youth movement is always a joy to watch. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Being hypnotized by any wreckage happens because it’s so rare to witness live destruction. It’s no longer hypnotic rubbernecking if the crash happens 82 times a season — that’s just redundant scheduled programming. The outcome becomes too predictable.

With NBA basketball, we may find a franchise hard to quit because of childhood affiliations and once-fond memories, but generally, even losing teams need to spark a sense of hopefulness and anticipation for the viewer. If they aren’t good today, they likely will be in the near future. It’s the difference between a perpetual rebuild and drafting the gem of the class, or the difference between the Spurs phasing out of two decades of relevance and the Knicks having yet to fade in.

Stripped down to its core, sport is a form of play. Stripped further of vitals like “winning” or “anticipation,” it becomes torturous — like a movie with no end, a tunnel with no light. This is why less-than-stellar regular season records don’t fully explain the cult followings of a team like the Phoenix Suns, a club that has further fanned the flame of excitement with their offseason acquisition of the sought-after Chris Paul. We’re seeing a concerted effort of a team seeking to maximize their young talent and construct a thoroughly watchable squad.

You may’ve noticed, but it’s only been during the wobbly uncertainty of the last several months that discussions about the reasoning and purpose behind televised basketball have really been brought forth beyond esoteric articles in academic fields. If anything, exploring these themes more often in the mainstream will lead to a more robust establishment and perhaps more watchable teams, especially considering the significant loss of revenue the league has endured over the course of 2020 and likely even the next season.

What we do know for sure is that engaged audiences are earned and although the formula seems simple enough, it requires specialized efforts not all teams are willing to invest in.

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