Removing The Larry O'Brien Trophy From Center Court Is A Modern Day Atrocity

The NBA Finals are upon us, and although we had an all-time classic of a Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, not a whole lot of people actually watched.

Some may claim this is due to the league and media at large pushing the narrative of two "small market" teams presenting an uninteresting matchup, while others will claim there's nothing wrong with the Finals, that the low ratings are a myth, and the real problem is YOU, you right-wing bigot.

I have a different theory.

At the risk of combining a Boomer take with Gen-Z vernacular, these NBA Finals lack the requisite "aura" - i.e. have bad viewership numbers - in part because they committed the unforgivable sin of removing the Larry O'Brien Trophy from their center court designs.

We used to be a proper country.

As the comments section astutely pointed out, this hasn't stopped the NBA from wrapping their courts head to toe in those GOD-AWFUL in-season tournament designs.

To be clear, the lack of Larry O'Brien painted on the floor isn't the sole reason no one is watching the NBA Finals, but it does represent a sort of microcosm of why the NBA is starting to fall off in the eyes of its viewers, so to speak.

At one point in time, the Finals used to be appointment television.

The pageantry was unmatched.

Now we can't even get the National Anthem or player intros.

The minimalist efforts from the NBA in terms of marketing and presenting these Finals reeks of complacency and hubris.

The league must just assume people will watch its product, no matter who is playing and where the teams are located.

Fans are starting to notice, however, and are voicing their displeasure on social media, as you can see above.

If the NBA wants to start being taken seriously again, it can start by showing fans that it gives a damn about them.

Bring back the Larry O'Brien Trophy at center court and start being a league of the people.