Mike Francesa predicts NBA Finals ratings disaster, eviscerates ‘terrible’ schedule

NBA

By Dylan Svoboda

Mike Francesa isn’t happy about this week’s lull in the NBA playoffs schedule. 

The Celtics swept the Pacers and then the Mavericks took down the Timberwolves in five games a few days later, leaving sports fans waiting a full seven days before the NBA Finals start.

It’s something that will spell “disaster” for the league, according to Francesa. 

“The NBA Finals will begin in a week, which is a disaster for the NBA,” he said on “The Mike Francesa Podcast” on Friday. “I know they can’t do anything about it, I know they want to schedule it. They don’t know what city these things are going to be played in, it’s not like the Super Bowl. I understand why they’re doing what they’re doing, but I think it really hurts their product and it really hurts the marginal fan.”

The schedule for the NBA Finals, which tips off June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET in Boston, has been set for nearly a month, according to Boston.com.

The league uses a fixed schedule for the Finals to make it easier logistically for teams, broadcast partners, media and fans to plan for the series, per the outlet. 

“When you start moving dates within 7 to 10 games of the first game, it creates quite a challenge for those traveling in for the series,’’ an unnamed league source told Boston.com.

While it may be more convenient for those involved, Francesa claims it’s ripping away the drama needed to create a compelling Finals. 

“You got nothing out of the Conference Finals,” he said his podcast”. “You got no build-up, no drama going toward the Finals…You’re now having no basketball on for a week. That rhythm you’ve gotten into, even if you’re a marginal fan, of there being basketball every night in the playoffs … Now there’s not any basketball for seven days.

“You had no drama in the Conference Finals and you have a week off. This thing is gonna get lost. These ratings for the NBA Finals are going to be terrible. If I were in the NBA office, I’d be jumping up and down saying, ‘This is the worst thing that could have possibly happened to us is to have a week off right now.’ We are going into these Finals with no momentum. None.”