The NBA Should Apologize To Hong Kong If They Want To Recover Their Ratings, Down 21% From Christmas Day Last Year

It's well documented that the NBA ratings are in a freefall, but how did they recover with a Christmas Day launch? According to the numbers, commissioner Adam Silver's commitment to China and BLM was a mistake that'll linger for years. If the NBA wants to recover their ratings, then they need to apologize to the people of Hong Kong and Daryl Morey.

Outkick's Clay Travis jumped off the top rope after the league released their shoddy ratings.

When the NBA decided that appeasing Chinese leaders to protect TV deals and jersey sales was more important than standing up for human rights, they didn't consider the long-term damage when they returned home. Now, Adam Silver is making adjustments, like moving the NBA's launch to Christmas Day, which now we know didn't help. Silver will play dumb or make excuses and say young people are "pulling the plug on cable," but reality is that the NBA showed they care more about money than human rights. A mistake that can't be fixed without an apology.

You'd think Adam Silver and LeBron James were Nelson Mandela and Susan B. Anthony if you paid attention to their interviews. "More Than An Athlete" t-shirts, BLM stitched on jumpsuits, and opening schools? These guys must be top-notch leaders that our youth can get behind, right?

Wrong.

Both LeBron James and Adam Silver sat on their hands after then Rockets' GM Daryl Morey took a stand for humans over dollars. Morey knew, just like Silver and King James, that standing up for the people of Hong Kong would fray the league's relationship and make it nearly impossible to become international business partners. He didn't care, because that's what real leaders do.

The NBA now sees the results of putting money over freedom and there's nothing they can change about their sport to appease us other than walking back their stance on China.

What needs to be done

If Adam Silver wants former fans of the NBA to embrace the game again, apologize to Daryl Morey and the people of Hong Kong. Show you actually care about human beings. I shouldn't have to ask, but here I am laying the framework today. If not, the spiral will continue and no change in the NBA's scheduling can save them.