When the Stars Are Out: The Impact of Missed Games on NBA Television Audiences

Abstract

Using the 2018–2019 NBA season, we examine the causes and effects of star players missing games. Focusing on 19 star players, we find that injury, proximity to the end of season, games on consecutive days, and opponent quality lead to missed games. We then estimate a model of NBA television audience size using granular data from nationally broadcast games. Doubling the proportion of star players missing games reduces TV audience by approximately 6.5 million household viewings per regular season. A rough estimate of the advertising revenue lost due to stars missing games is between $15 and $20 million per season.