If you`re tired of constant discussions about NBA ratings, you might want to steer clear of the upcoming 2025 NBA Finals. We now know the matchup will feature the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, after the Pacers secured their spot by eliminating the New York Knicks with a 125-108 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday.
Alternatively, this specific pairing might significantly increase your interest. It serves as a compelling test case to determine the real impact of the ratings debate, particularly as it pertains to “small-market” teams and the appeal of next-generation stars. Just how big of a draw are players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton, realistically?
We are about to find out in what will be the first NBA Finals where both participating teams originate from markets ranked outside the top 20, according to Nielsen rankings which measure media audience size, notably for television. Based on recent ratings, Indianapolis is ranked No. 25 among U.S. metropolitan areas, and Oklahoma City is No. 47. The last time we saw a small-market championship series like this was back in 1971, when the Milwaukee Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets.
That 1971 matchup was, of course, a very long time ago. There were only 17 teams in the NBA then, and television coverage was vastly different. If we look just at this century, the Finals series that come closest to featuring two small-market teams were Denver-Miami in 2023, San Antonio-Miami in 2013 and 2014, and San Antonio-Detroit in 2004.
In that more recent group, San Antonio is the only team from a market ranked in the bottom 10 based on TV audience and metro population. Detroit, Denver, and Miami rank significantly higher at 14th, 15th, and 17th, respectively.
Indiana and Oklahoma City are genuine small-market teams. If the NBA is successfully riding this new wave of competitive balance – a landscape specifically fostered to move closer to an equal opportunity for winning championships – this series will undoubtedly measure the level of broader interest in two highly entertaining basketball teams that many casual fans might not be very familiar with.
This is particularly true for the Pacers, whom some observers might argue don`t even possess a bona fide superstar, despite Haliburton`s frequent star-level performances. The Thunder, at least, have the league MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander, though his game sometimes comes with controversy around drawing fouls. From a pure marketing perspective, the NBA no doubt would have preferred the New York Knicks advancing over the Pacers.
But again, does market size hold the same significance today? The answer is almost certainly still yes, but perhaps to a lesser extent than was true even five years ago. In the era of NBA League Pass providing easy access to all players and teams, and with the talent pool continuously deepening, great teams and players can and do emerge from anywhere. The league is hoping that fans will ultimately be drawn to compelling basketball and engaging stories, regardless of market size.
The Thunder could genuinely be considered one of the best teams of the modern era. From a narrative standpoint, their relocation from Seattle combined with General Manager Sam Presti`s historic modern rebuild offers several captivating storylines. On the other side, the Pacers are returning to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter-century, having done so by defeating the Knicks and rekindling one of the classic rivalries of the 1990s.
The Pacers play an infectious, fast-paced, “run and gun” style of basketball. This approach relies not on a single ball-dominant point guard dribbling excessively but rather on constant ball and player movement connected by rapid, “hot-potato” passing. If you`re wagering on exciting basketball, not just star power, to boost ratings, the Pacers are a favorable bet.
Stories also sell, especially underdog narratives. Consider that among the starters for both Oklahoma City and Indiana in this series, only one was drafted in the top five (OKC`s Chet Holmgren, who was selected No. 2 overall in 2022). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the 11th pick in 2018, and Tyrese Haliburton the 12th pick in 2020. Both arrived at their current teams via trades, and neither entered the league carrying the expectation of becoming a team captain leading a championship contender.
Looking at secondary options, OKC`s Jalen Williams was a relative unknown coming out of Santa Clara, at least to those not professionally focused on mock drafts. Indiana`s Pascal Siakam had long faced doubts about his ability to be a true go-to player on a high-level team. He has consistently put those doubts to rest since joining Indiana and has been spectacular throughout this postseason, proving he`s certainly a “needle mover” in the trade market now.
Or consider Indiana`s Aaron Nesmith, who was discarded by the Celtics only to develop into a defensive cornerstone and reliable shooter for the Pacers. Andrew Nembhard, and especially T.J. McConnell, truly embody the underdog hero archetype. If McConnell were a football player, his story would instantly bring to mind Rudy.
Therefore, there is certainly no shortage of compelling storylines in this matchup, and definitely no lack of high-quality, entertaining basketball. Although, there is a possibility that Oklahoma City`s smothering defense could make offense difficult for the Pacers, potentially leading fans new to Indiana basketball to wonder about the hype around their offense – a fascinating strategic element for devoted basketball fans to watch.
Ultimately, ratings are influenced less by dedicated diehards and more by casual viewers who tune in because of the event`s magnitude. Do the Pacers and Thunder have sufficient appeal to attract this casual audience? We are about to discover the answer in what feels like a vital test for the NBA as it moves, seemingly unstoppably at this point, in the direction of greater parity. This trend creates more opportunities for small-market teams, increasing the probability that a Finals matchup like this one will become more common than an anomaly.
Jasper Hawthorne