By: TINAYZA HERRIOTT / STAFF WRITER
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game suffered a staggering drop in viewership, drawing just 4.7 million viewers, making it the second-lowest watched All-Star Game in history. The only year to perform worse? The 2023 edition, which barely surpassed 4.6 million viewers. With dwindling engagement and growing criticism from both fans and players, the NBA’s premier midseason event is facing a serious problem.
In an attempt to revamp the event and reignite fan interest, the NBA introduced a new format designed to enhance competitiveness. The league shifted to a four-team mini-tournament structure, where teams played shorter, fast-paced games rather than the traditional full-length matchup. The goal was to increase urgency and engagement but in reality, the format ended up limiting how much we could see from each player. With pre-set score targets determining the length of games, individual performances felt rushed and incomplete, preventing players from fully displaying their talent. Rather than creating a more intense, competitive atmosphere, it resulted in gameplay that lacked rhythm.
Another controversial decision was allowing Rising Stars to participate in Sunday night's action, which is traditionally reserved exclusively for voted All-Stars. Although exciting in concept, this diluted the honor of being an All-Star, making the weekend feel less special for both players and fans. Instead of elevating the experience, these changes added to the growing list of fan grievances.
Frustration Grows Over Broadcast and Absences
Viewers expressed particular frustration over the large gap between the broadcast start time and the actual gameplay. Despite official coverage kicking off at 6:00 PM on MAX, the first game didn’t tip off until 8:20 PM, resulting in unnecessary viewer fatigue due to the extended pre-game build-up.
The late withdrawals of stars like LeBron James and Anthony Edwards further fueled fan frustration. Unable to name timely replacements, deserving players like Devin Booker and Norman Powell missed out. Fans, especially disappointed by LeBron’s absence during his historic 20th consecutive All-Star selection, questioned whether his injury justified skipping the event or if rest for the regular season took precedence. Given LeBron’s enormous influence, his absence without a replacement left many fans feeling short-changed and ignited criticism across social media, with some calling it a disservice to fans and the event itself.
Friday Events: Enjoyable but Underwhelming Execution
The 2025 All-Star Weekend officially began Friday night, showcasing enjoyable moments but revealing areas needing improvement.
The NBA HBCU Classic, featuring Morehouse College and Tuskegee University, provided competitive basketball and highlighted talent from historically overlooked programs. However, insufficient promotion limited its audience reach, preventing the event from achieving its full potential. To maximize impact, the league must enhance public awareness of this promising event.
The Celebrity Game at Oakland Arena met expectations with casual, humorous basketball led by Team Bonds (Barry Bonds) against Team Rice (Jerry Rice). Actor Rome Flynn shined, securing MVP honors and leading Team Bonds to a 66-55 victory. Although enjoyable, the event lacked surprises and substantive basketball content, continuing its tradition as a casual entertainment showcase.
Closing out Friday was the popular Castrol Rising Stars Challenge at Chase Center, which maintained its recent four-team mini-tournament format under the guidance of NBA legends. Ultimately, it was Team Chris, coached by Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, who came out on top. The standout performer of the night was Stephon Castle, earning the MVP award after scoring 12 points to lead Team Chris past Team G League, 25-14. With their victory, Team Chris secured a spot in Sunday’s All-Star mini-tournament—a move that, while interesting, drew some criticism from fans who prefer to keep Rising Stars separate from the main event.
Saturday Night Festivities: Mixed Results and Missed Opportunities
The NBA’s Saturday night events, intended to energize All-Star Weekend, were instead filled with controversy, surprises and ongoing frustration over missing star power.
The Skills Challenge provided one of the more bizarre moments of the night, as Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama—competing as Team Spurs—were disqualified for an unconventional and illegal attempt to bypass the shooting portion of the event. Rather than taking valid shot attempts as required by the rules, Paul and Wembanyama instead tried to game the system by hurling the balls off the rack without actually attempting to make a basket.
The move immediately drew scrutiny from officials, who quickly ruled it as a violation and disqualified Team Spurs from advancing. With Team Spurs eliminated, it was Team Pacers—consisting of Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner—who took full advantage, securing the win.
The Three-Point Contest delivered excitement, as Damian Lillard's pursuit of a historic three-peat was halted by Tyler Herro. Initially overlooked, Herro’s performance under pressure provided fans with compelling entertainment, proving that the contest still has appeal.
However, the Dunk Contest, criticized heavily since 2016 due to star players consistently declining participation, offered mixed results. Mac McClung became the event's first-ever three-peat winner, sparking audience interest with his creativity and athleticism. Yet, performances from participants like Matas Buzelis and Andre Jackson Jr., who repeatedly missed dunks, further damaged the contest's momentum. While McClung's victories were impressive, his domination is the result of the absence of marquee stars and reinforced perceptions of the contest's declining relevance.
Nonetheless, hope remains. A brief Twitter exchange between Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo sparked excitement over potential elite-level participation next season. Although unconfirmed, this speculation alone indicates a pathway to reviving the Dunk Contest's former glory.
Sunday Night Slugfest: Slow Pace and Forced Entertainment Disappoint Fans
Sunday's newly introduced four-team mini-tournament began with Team Chuck’s Global Stars defeating Team Kenny’s Young Stars, 41-32, driven by strong performances from Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In the second semifinal, Team Shaq’s OGs edged out Team Candace’s Rising Stars, 42-35, thanks largely to Damian Lillard’s clutch shooting.
The championship game featured Team Shaq comfortably beating Team Chuck, 41-25. Stephen Curry, playing at his home arena, delivered the night's highlight performance, scoring 12 points and securing the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP Award.
Both players and fans have criticized the game’s long commercial breaks and sluggish pace, which disrupted any sense of competition. Rather than an electrifying showcase of elite talent, the All-Star Game often felt like a disengaging exhibition lacking intensity.
Even the entertainment segments faced criticism during the broadcast. Kevin Hart made several appearances throughout the event, which sparked some controversy. Many viewers quickly became tired of his forced humor and the amount of time he spent on screen, voicing their frustrations on social media about how often he appeared and how repetitive it felt.
Additionally, an awkward mid-game stoppage to honor the "Inside the NBA" crew, including Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, disrupted the game's flow. While the gesture itself was thoughtful, the drawn-out exchange between Hart and the TNT crew quickly became uncomfortable. The forced banter noticeably dragged, adding to viewer frustrations and creating a moment of tension rather than celebration.
The NBA All-Star Weekend finds itself at a crossroads. The lack of competitiveness, prolonged broadcasts and absence of star power continue to disappoint fans despite efforts to inject new energy and excitement. If the NBA hopes to restore the event’s reputation, it must carefully reconsider recent changes, balancing fresh ideas with the traditions fans have come to love. The coming year is crucial—either the All-Star Game will regain its place as a showcase of basketball’s greatest talent, or it risks slipping further into irrelevance.
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