The rewards of success are evident because the 2024-25 NBA season schedule is unveiled. Small-market groups are lastly getting some big-stage love following their latest accomplishments.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are amongst these benefiting from elevated nationwide tv publicity. Due to standard and marketable superstars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards, these groups are attracting extra viewers, regardless of enjoying in smaller markets.
The Indiana Pacers stand out among the many groups receiving elevated media consideration. This spring, the Pacers shocked the NBA world by successful two playoff sequence and giving the Boston Celtics an enormous take a look at within the Japanese Convention Finals. Regardless of their spectacular playoff run, the Pacers have been largely missed because the finish of the Convention Finals.
That is anticipated for a small-market group, particularly within the present period of social media and declining cable TV viewership. The league usually focuses on bigger markets, as evidenced by ESPN analyst Tim Legler’s feedback that community executives deemed the Pacers not “attractive sufficient” for in depth protection throughout their playoff run.
Nonetheless, the Pacers are receiving recognition for his or her achievements with 9 nationwide TV video games scheduled for the 2024-25 season. Though the whole is technically 14 video games, NBA TV video games require a subscription and are unavailable to primary cable viewers, so let’s persist with 9.
This contains two of their first 5 regular-season video games on ESPN. The extremely anticipated matchup in opposition to the New York Knicks on Oct. 25 marks their house opener, adopted by an Oct. 30 rematch with the Boston Celtics. Indiana will even play their first-round opponents from this previous season, the Milwaukee Bucks, on Nov. 22 on ESPN and once more on March 11 on TNT.
Probably the most intriguing video games of Indiana’s season happens on Jan. 25, when the Pacers journey to Paris to face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at midday EST, showcasing Wembanyama in his unique stomping grounds.
The Pacers’ sudden nationwide highlight is notable, contemplating they’d just one scheduled nationwide TV sport final season—a Jan. 30 matchup in opposition to the Boston Celtics. Indiana gained further publicity by means of three video games within the NBA Cup (previously referred to as the In-Season Event) and a Feb. 28 sport in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans that was added to ESPN’s lineup as a last-minute alternative, in addition to the compulsory nationally televised playoff video games.
Regardless of these alternatives, the Pacers weren’t media darlings earlier than the 2024 NBA season, nor have they been traditionally. This season marks their highest variety of scheduled nationwide TV video games because the 2018-19 season once they had 12.
Along with their newfound success and elevated visibility, the Indiana Pacers now have a marketable star able to promoting tickets—one thing the group has arguably lacked because the days of Paul George and (earlier) Reggie Miller. Regardless of hailing from the small city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Tyrese Haliburton has maintained a excessive profile because the begin of the 2023-24 season, bringing the Pacers up with him.
Haliburton has embraced his function as a celebrity, guaranteeing that his group’s small-market standing does not hinder his affect. Through the 2024 All-Star Weekend, hosted in Indiana, Haliburton and the Pacers have been outstanding in NBA media protection. Since then, he has appeared at Paris Style Week and on WWE broadcasts. He even gained a gold medal with Group USA within the 2028 Paris Olympics.
With a brand new, marketable star, the Pacers appear able to capitalize on this momentum, driving this wave so far as Tyrese Haliburton can take them. Up to now, the organiztion appears to be succeeding in advertising themselves each on and off the court docket.