ABC to feature player introductions in NBA Finals broadcast for first time in over a decade

Alex Walsh

ABC to feature player introductions in NBA Finals broadcast for first time in over a decade image

The NBA Finals product this year has been heavily criticized by fans.

People feel that the games don't feel special or different from a regular playoff game, despite it being the pinnacle stage of the sport.

ABC might be able to change that mindset with a decision they made for the upcoming Game 5 broadcast.

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What feature will there be on the Game 5 broadcast?

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that ABC will be airing the player introductions for Pacers/Thunder Game 5.

This is the first time they have done this for the NBA Finals since 2013.

It's apparent that they are finding last-minute features to add to the broadcast to try and please the fans.

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We have already seen virtual NBA Finals/trophy logos added to the broadcast, but even the NBA received criticism for that.

Game 5 is a huge game for both teams in this series, so the OKC fans are bound to be extremely loud for these introductions.

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It was reported within the last couple of months that NBC would be airing player introductions next season for the games they broadcast.

NBA League Pass has also been doing this for years, but it will be cool to see the crowd's reaction to the introductions on a much bigger stage than what NBA League Pass usually covers.

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Alex Walsh

Alex is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A current Sports Media major at Hofstra University in New York, he is a huge Celtics and NBA fan who gets way too many notifications from NBA insiders on X. He became interested in PDC Darts at the beginning of 2024 and has been obsessed ever since.