Regular season TV ratings were flat to down versus last year, while ratings for The Finals were at a 20 year high. The games that rated highest during the regular season were Warriors-Cavs matchups. I think the viewers have made it clear that they want to see super-teams play each other. I believe that would be more likely with fewer teams. Thus, I suggest the league contract from 30 to 24 teams.

Since the owners won't shrink the playoffs and give up potential gate receipts, I think 6 teams is probably the max the league can lose. 12 teams per conference still allows for a late season race for playoff spots as 4 teams per conference won't make the playoffs. Each conference would have 2 divisions of 6 teams. The regular season would still be 82 games:

Play 5 teams in your division 8 times - 40 games
Play 6 teams in the other division 3 times - 18 games
Play 12 teams in the other conference 2 times - 24 games

Here is how I would break down the divisions:
Western Conference Pacific Division - Portland, Golden State, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Phoenix, Denver
Western Conference Southwest Division - Oklahoma City, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans
Eastern Conference Atlantic Division - Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami
Eastern Conference Central Division - Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, New York
Contracted Teams - Sacramento, Utah, Minnesota, Indiana, Milwaukee, Orlando

The national networks would still televise the same number of games. Owners of contracted teams would get a buyout fee, plus a full share of TV contract revenue until the current contract runs out. There would be a two round dispersal draft for players on the contracted teams, and undrafted players would have the remainder of their contracts guaranteed by the league. Teams would be allowed to carry two extra roster spots for four years specifically for players from contracted teams, after which those extra spots would expire.

I think this would make the regular season more interesting and hopefully create more competition during the playoffs. In my opinion, it will be difficult for high ratings for Golden State vs LeBron to outweigh ratings declines during the regular season in the long term.

I think your premise is wrong. It's not that fans want to see super teams, it is that they want to watch a real competition. When you have a dominant team in each conference and then a huge gap between the next best, there isn't much drama or competition for the casual fan to get excited about. These playoffs were dreadful for viewers.

The NFL and MLB has its own problems, but the competition in both sports are fairly even, giving almost every team a realistic shot to turn it around in a few years if they manage their affairs well.

If you are a 76ers, Knick, Bulls fan (major markets) what exactly gives you hope that there are better days ahead in the next 5-10 years? With the advent of 3 and 4 all-star super teams, just drafting a high player or two isn't getting you back in the hunt in most cases. The path to turn it around is much more complex and unlikely.

The NBA is fortunate that they are doing well internationally, because I see no scenario where they don't continue to slide in the US markets. I think contracting the league will just further that slide.

Always love the division realignment/contraction threads. You can always tell where somebody is from or who they are a fan of by which division is least disrupted by the huge change being suggested. Case in point, the Southwest Division in this example.

Lol the poor midwest... They are taking an absolute gutting in this realignment.

The NBA regular season could easily be cut back to 50 games. Mike and Mike did a feature on this a while back, and the standings were something like 97% the same at 50 games as they were at 82.

2008and1 said:

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Just stop putting the knicks and lakers in prime time spots. Nobody wants to watch that garbage.

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Many Media types seem to feel One more season of Cavs vs Warriors in Finals and then LeBron off to Lakers.

Quote:

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2017 NBA Finals had most viewers since 1998 Finals. Casual fans eyeballs seem to be drawn to watching the All-Stsr loaded 'Super teams' regardless of what TexAgs is saying, Cavs vs Warriors has not been ruining the NBA. Quite the opposite. NBA popularity has been increasing.

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That was my point. Finals ratings were sky high while total regular season ratings were flat to down. Contracting a few small market and/or unsuccessful franchises would allow for the top players on those teams to be dispersed to the other franchises, replacing less talented players. This should strengthen the rest of the league and make for improved regular season matchups with better ratings.

Not having teams in metropolitan areas matters for overall ratings and interests in leagues in that area.

Case in point NHL in Houston

Buford T. Justice said:

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The NBA regular season could easily be cut back to 50 games. Mike and Mike did a feature on this a while back, and the standings were something like 97% the same at 50 games as they were at 82.

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Except $$$$$$