From Newsgroup: alt.sports.basketball.nba

Ratings for the NBA have dropped significantly as the professional sports league becomes increasingly owoke.o

In addition to obstacles presented by the coronavirus, a report from City Journal outlined the staggering ratings hit of the NBA because of its left-wing activism, most recently wearing social justice-themed warmups
and jerseys and even postponing playoff games over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

oAmericans have been falling progressively out of love with the NBA, for instance, and the pandemic has only exacerbated an already difficult situation,o the report says. oTV ratings, mediocre after the season
restarted, are down collectively by 40 percent on the TNT network, and 20 percent on ESPN, since their peak nearly a decade ago.o

The report noted that the NBAAs onetwork TV premium broadcasts ratings on
ABC are off by 45 percent,o which oa former public relations executive for
the NBA describes as a acrateringA of viewership,o per The Athletic.

The pick-up in social justice-themed activist has been, in large part,
sparked by Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James.

Back in May, for example, James used his massive social media platform to promote the conspiracy that black people are oliterally hunted everydayo
in the U.S.

oWeAre literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the
comfort of our homes!o the basketball player posted.

oCanAt even go for a damn jog man!o James wrote, referencing the fatal shooting of 25-year-old black man Ahmaud Arbery. oLike [what the f***] man
are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! IAm sorry Ahmaud (Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the [a]
heavens above to your family!! #StayWoke #ProfiledCauseWeAreSimplyBlack.o

Last week, the NBA postponed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday NBA playoff
games over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

As noted by The Daily Wire, Blake, an accused sex criminal, was shot by Kenosha police seven times after he opened his car door and reached inside
the vehicle during an attempted arrest. Officers were initially called on scene to respond to a domestic disturbance.

It was later revealed that Blake had a weapon on the floorboard of his vehicle, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of
Criminal Investigation.

As part of a racial justice initiative, NBA players have also been allowed
to display a osocial justiceo word or phrase, selected from an approved
list, on the back of their jerseys instead of their last names.

The approved list includes oAnti-Racist,o oAlly,o oSay Her Name,o oI CanAt Breathe,o oEnough,o oBlack Lives Matter,o and oHow Many More.o

oThe lockdown will cost the NBA at least $1 billion in revenue, and an MLB study earlier this year projected a potential revenue decline of $4
billion from the shortened season,o City Journal noted. oAnd the poor TV ratings suggest that many sports viewers have missed watching NBA games
less than the league might have anticipated.o

oItAs hard to ignore the politics, especially the increasing habit of NBA players and coaches of criticizing the U.S. and its citizens, even while
many gave a pass to Chinauone of the leagueAs biggest new marketsuduring
its crackdown on Hong Kong dissidents,o the report highlighted.

--
"It took a worldwide pandemic. It took a 35% plunge in the stock
market. It took quarantining. It took many small businesses closing. It
took canceling practically everything, to bring the USA economy back to
the Obama high mark."

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