Record-low number of viewers watches Lakers win the NBA title
After a number of woke protests Disney is battling with decreasing viewer numbers.
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday, setting a record at the 17th NBA championship and putting the fabled franchise back to the top of the basketball world. While it was a team effort, LeBron James led the lead with 28 points and a defensive masterclass that earned him the honor of the MVP Finals. The series crowned the longest and rockiest season in NBA history, which resumed in a viewer-free bubble at Disney World (NYSE: DIS) in July. TV ratings have also challenged Disney World's ABC network as the first three games of the finals hit historic record lows, averaging 6.6 million viewers per game (48% less than last year). The 2019 NBA Finals brought the Disney media segment $ 288 million in revenue, but given declining audience numbers and slashed advertising budgets, that number is likely to be much lower for 2020. "Moving business to a consumer-centric model would most likely not deliver a high return on equity for the foreseeable future," writes Vladimir Dimitrov in an article on SA, Disney: 2 Major Problems With The Bulls' Thesis.