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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his support for potentially shortening NBA games from 48 minutes to 40 minutes. Such a move would change quarters from 12-minutes to 10-minutes long.

Silver, whose league is desperately trying to find a solution to plunging viewership numbers, made the suggestion during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show.

“Something else that I’m a fan of—and I’m probably in the minority—as we get more involved in global basketball… the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes. I am a fan of four 10-minute quarters,” he said.

“I’m not sure that many others are. Putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two-hour format for a game is more consistent with modern television habits.”

Adam Silver’s Wild Suggestion Is Due To Ratings

Commissioner Adam Silver’s comments are a direct response to news that the league is suffering in the ratings. Just weeks ago, he said officials were trying to fix the problem, in part, by looking at the NBA’s ‘three-point problem.’

“I don’t want to sort of knee-jerk move the 3-point line,” he told Colin Cowherd. “We’re sort of going through a process now, seeing how these players are adapting to the new rules and figuring out whatever changes we should make.”

“I assure you, we are on it. I think it’s a very fixable issue … we will tweak it. We will correct those issues.”

Now, it appears one of the ‘tweaks’ might involve shortening the length of a quarter to WNBA levels. And, he notes, it’s about making their product on television more palatable.

“People in arenas aren’t asking us to shorten games, but I think as a television program, Olympic basketball is two hours, college basketball is, of course, 40 minutes,” he said.

RELATED: Adam Silver Shrugs Off NBA Ratings Dip: ‘Not a Lack of Fan Interest,’ Claims Commissioner

Not A Good Idea

Nothing instills confidence in your game quite like the assertion that giving fans less of it is the best way to make it more watchable.

Granted, MLB has had success in recent seasons by speeding up their games, but there is a significant difference in how those sports are played. There is no clock in baseball, so you tinker with other elements.

As the NBA does have a clock, you still have to find ways to quicken the game outside of shortening the overall product. Baseball is still nine innings. Records will still be comparable.

On the other hand, the NFL – by far the most popular sport in America – has not only increased their season, they’re looking to do so again.

Leave basketball at 48 minutes.

Front Office Sports reports that while the league’s 2024 season debut was a relative hit, games since then have been woefully underperforming in drawing attention to the product.

Sports Media Watch concurs, noting the NBA saw “sharp declines.”

NBA game viewership on ESPN, the league’s primary broadcasting ally, has decreased by nearly 30% compared to the previous year.

One thing Silver may want to address is how the NBA has made the college game irrelevant. Players had years to develop in the past before arriving in the league, but now, they are thrown into the fire immediately without having honed their skills.

Instead, they come into the league and chuck up three-pointers, hoping to be the next Steph Curry. Maybe fix the crappy play before changing the length of the game and hoping nobody notices how bad things are.

Rusty Weiss is a lifelong NFL and MLB fan (Cowboys/Dodgers) and sometimes fan of college basketball (Xavier). Rusty is ... More about Rusty Weiss
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