Last week, the NBA officially released the full 82-game schedule for the 2019-20 season. Memphis Grizzliesand even though the franchise enters the 2024-25 campaign with a lot of hype, it seems the league didn’t feel that was enough to show them the respect they deserve.
With each passing season, each team in the association receives a certain number of nationally televised games on its schedule.
High-profile clubs typically enjoy more such broadcasts (for example, the Los Angeles Lakers lead the league with 39 national broadcasts) while lesser-known teams see far fewer (for example, the Detroit Pistons have only four).
Despite the enthusiasm within the nation of Grind City and, frankly, many others residing outside the communityThe Grizzlies are only in the middle of the pack when it comes to widespread broadcasts.
As it stands, Memphis is scheduled to appear in a total of 17 nationally televised games (ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV) next season, ranking 14th out of 30 clubs.
What’s rather peculiar about this allocation is that it’s the same number they were given at this time last year heading into what was already shaping up to be a rather difficult 2023-24 season, as cornerstone Ja Morant was hit with a 25-game suspension to start the year due to his off-field antics.
With him, along with several other key members like Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Marcus Smart all expected to hit full strength, coupled with the redemption narrative (they only won 27 games in 2024-25) and the intrigue of that aforementioned core joining forces with promising youngsters like GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., and projected rookie sensation Zach Edey, you’d think their airplay numbers would have increased, not stayed the same.
What makes things even more troubling is the fact that if you focus solely on their outings hosted by ESPN, ABC and TNT (in other words, what many consider to be true national broadcasts), their number drops to just nine games, dropping them to 16th in the league standings.
It seems the NBA has forgotten that just two seasons ago, the Grizzlies were considered the up-and-coming team in the Western Conference — a team that boasted a superstar guard, a reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a budding young prospect leading the charge for a team that was coming off a 56-win season and finished the 2022-23 season with 51.
Memphis is hungry to reestablish itself as one of the game’s elite units, and even Morant himself already is. send warning signals to the rest of the association as he works to get back to 100 percent.
Yet despite this much-discussed scenario, it’s clear that the NBA still doesn’t consider the Grizzlies a “one to watch” franchise in 2024-25, but, for some reason, a very disappointing and failed “super team” in the Phoenix Suns (who received 30 nationally televised games). And a time slot for Christmas Day) are perceived in such a light?
Memphis can only make them regret their decision regarding the television schedule as the season progresses, but, even with months of gaps every now and then, the league should certainly be ashamed of their actions.
