Let’s talk money

Financially, the league is filled with money, with the average salary standing at $7.7 million, whereas the likes of Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul both earn a simply eye-watering $38.5 million. Some of this comes from sponsors, but with the high–end players being granted such large fees, it puts it on a par, at least in a financial sense, with some of the players in England’s football league.

Considering some of the fees that are bandied about in other sports, $38.5 million seems to just pale in comparison. Even sponsorship has generated simply colossal figures as far back as 2018, with almost $1.12 billion being offered around among all sides. Only the NFL generates more in regard to sponsorship.

What about the fans?

It’s not all about money though, as with any sport the fans are vital to any form of success. An average of 17,750 people attended NBA matches in the 2019/20 season, while the 76ers saw 639,491 people through the turnstiles in the same season, averaging out at 20,628 people before the pandemic put an end to fan attendance. This shows just how popular NBA really is as the attendance dwarfs that of the MLS.

For fans there are apps that allow you to keep up to date with every aspect of the game, letting fans become more knowledgeable and have a greater insight into the sport that they love. The same can be applied to betting on basketball with millions per year wagered on the sport via betting shops or agencies as fans look to get a little extra excitement from their game. This is not dissimilar to all slots Canada, which makes it possible to access gaming online and even give you something else to do in the interval between quarters. Just a five–minute spin could be all you need to give you that little buzz before the match starts again.

Culturally influential

Perhaps the biggest influence – outside of it being a enjoyable, artistic sport — the NBA has a cultural impact that other leagues simply can’t match. From the signature shoes to commercials to social justice, we see the NBA and its players in all over pop culture and more often than not, that visibility resonates with the younger generation.

The NBA has had so many larger–than–life personalities it is inevitable that there has been some form of crossover in regard to other sports or even films. The likes of Shaquille O’Neal (AEW) and Dennis Rodman (WCW) have both appeared in wrestling promotions at the height of their popularity, while Michael Jordan starred in 1996’s cult film Space Jam, with LeBron James touted for a sequel to come out this year. 

Some of these external projects and sponsorships and outspoken players show how much name value can carry you when it comes to the NBA and reiterates how the more famous stars tend to ease into other professions or businesses almost seamlessly, regardless of how unlikely it might initially seem.

To put it simply, the fans tend to be what make any sport and without them the NBA might not have hit the heights it has. With fans gradually returning, it is only a matter of time before they soar once again.