We Almost Lost The NBA...
This is Balcony Ball. Just 2 roommates, a balcony and the craziest stories in NBA history. Today's episode we talk about the closest the NBA has ever been to bankruptcy back in the 70s-80s.
Video Transcript
If you're between the ages of 16 and 46, you probably have no idea that the NBA actually almost died.
Did it really?
It did.
How?
There were 23 teams in 1979.
How many of those teams do you think were profitable?
How many?
Out of 23 teams?
Yeah.
I'd say, 20 of them?
20 of them?
Bro, seven teams.
Seven?
Seven.
Holy Less than half.
Way less than half.
Less than a third.
Yeah, less than a third.
16 teams were running at a loss.
They were losing money, dude.
The average attendance back then was 8,000 fans a game.
That's half an arena.
They were selling half a game every single time.
They were losing money.
And you know the crazy part, is they kind of did it to themselves.
What do you mean?
