• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025

NBA, ABC Air Finals Lineup Intros After Fan Complaints

It was the second time during this Finals that the NBA bowed to pressure from fans.

Thunder
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The NBA continues to step up its belated efforts to remind fans they’re watching the Finals and not an ordinary game. 

Ahead of Monday night’s Game 5, ABC aired the introductions of the starting lineups for both the Pacers and Thunder, the first time it had done so at the Finals since 2013. The plan to air the intros was first reported by ESPN. Sources told Front Office Sports that ABC will continue to do so for the remainder of the series.

The Thunder beat the Pacers 120–109 on Monday night to take a 3–2 series lead. Oklahoma City will have a chance to clinch the title in Indianapolis on Thursday night. 

Through five games, the Finals have been a competitive series. Off the court, though, ratings have dipped, and fans have bemoaned a lack of pageantry. The move to air the intros—and add a digitally imposed Larry O’Brien Trophy logo to the court—shows that the league is plugged into the online discourse about its product.

The trophy logo was removed from Finals courts after 2009, and fans have complained every year since.

“I’ve seen some of the chatter on social media about on-court decals,” commissioner Adam Silver said before Game 3. “People don’t realize, they went away a decade ago because there were claims, Kendrick [Perkins] knows … they were slippery when we had them on the court. We’re back to adding them virtually.”

The NBA and ESPN did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ad space right before tip-off is valuable inventory, and airing introductions would eat into that ad time.

Michael McCarthy contributed reporting.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Nicholas DeGraves (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston University Terriers during the third period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national semifinals at Enterprise Center

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State Commitment Cements College Hockey Supremacy

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State decision signals hockey’s rising stars now prefer NCAA.
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
exclusive

CBS, NFL Host James Brown Discussing Contract Extension

The 74-year-old Brown has hosted a record 10 Super Bowl pregame shows.
Sports are shown on TVs behind a bar as guests enjoy the grand opening of DraftKings Sports & Social in Ohio.

California Has Declared Daily Fantasy Sports Are Illegal. Now What?

The opinion might spark a broader DFS conversation in the state.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.