In addition, most fans don’t care whether the Finals
This week’s SB Nation Reacts polls reveals how NBA fans are experiencing this year’s Finals—and the results suggest a divided audience when it comes to the feel and presentation of the league’s biggest stage.
According to the first poll, only 47 percent of NBA fans believe the Finals “feel big” this year. That means a slight majority—53 percent—don’t view the championship round as delivering the gravitas and spectacle that typically define it. Whether that’s due to market size, lack of superstar narratives, or fan fatigue, the result underscores a potential branding issue for the league’s showcase event.
Interestingly, this lukewarm sentiment also appears in how fans perceive the aesthetics of the Finals. The second poll shows that just 42 percent of respondents care whether the official NBA Finals logo appears on the court. Despite the NBA making an intentional decision to exclude the logo from center court in favor of preserving each team’s home branding, the data indicates that a clear majority of fans are indifferent to this design choice.
Here are this week’s SB Nation Reacts results. They are based on the NBA Finals so far. pic.twitter.com/QEb56W9cHC
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) June 13, 2025
I also don’t care that much myself about markings on the floor. But I get that there probably should be some distinct markings on basket stanchions or on the sidelines that the Finals are being played.
Combined, the numbers appear to paint a picture of a Finals series struggling to resonate beyond hardcore fans. While the competition itself may still be strong, the broader cultural moment—what makes the Finals feel like a true event—seems to be missing for many.
These findings could push the league to rethink how it packages and presents the Finals in the future. Whether through enhanced storytelling, bolder visuals, or expanded in-arena experiences, the NBA has some work to do if it wants to recapture the “big game” feeling for a wider swath of its fanbase.
For now, nearly half the audience is engaged—but half isn’t. And in a league that thrives on spectacle, that’s a number worth watching.
FanDuel is an SB Nation/Vox Media partner.