When Game 1 of the NBA Finals tipped off at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center on Thursday, fans took quick notice of one distinct absence: that of any design signaling that this isn’t just any game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, but a Finals showdown.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the logos’ absence ahead of Game 2, stating that there was concern that they added a “slipperiness” to the floor—a legitimate concern for sure—and hinted that they might have a solution for Game 2.
Minutes into the broadcast and the solution was apparent—if very lackluster. Digital images of the Larry O’Brien Trophy are being superimposed on the ESPN/ABC broadcast, and they don’t look great.
Video shot live at the Paycom Center clearly shows that there are no trophy logos—or some of the other ads displayed on the court.
One can certainly give the NBA some credit for listening to the fans here, though the solution is far from elegant.
Evidently the NBA got the message midway through the second quarter, as the digital graphics have been switched to those that read “NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV” in the script similar to the logo in the tweet quoted by Kevin O’Connor above. If that wasn’t always the plan, it sounds like the league and ESPN/ABC could be taking feedback from fans in real time.
The Larry O’Brien Trophy used to be featured underneath the center court logos for the host of each NBA Finals game, and looked much better than the digital versions above. If player safety is a real concern, that is fair enough, but the league hasn’t had much trouble finding interest ways to change up their court designs for far less important events like the league’s in-season tournament, the NBA Cup.
More NBA Finals on Sports Illustrated
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