Are NBA Fans Really Into the NBA Cup?

As the NBA Cup makes its way onto the scene, one thing is clear: not all fans are feeling the excitement.

We dove deep into the data from Reddit comments and Google searches to get a real sense of where the fans stand — and spoiler alert, even those who seem more interested aren't exactly hyped.

Here's a breakdown of how each team's fanbase is reacting to this new addition to the NBA calendar.

Our approach was straightforward — analyze fan interactions on Reddit and gather Google search data to see who’s talking about the NBA Cup. Fans were then given a score between 1 to 10, with 1 indicating low engagement and 10 representing almost total disinterest!

Teams Least Interested in the NBA Cup

Pulling from a mix of social media buzz and search trends, here’s the lowdown on the teams whose fans care the least:

1. Charlotte Hornets (1.69): Hornets fans exhibit the least interest, with Reddit mentions at 0.019% and Google searches totaling 1,000, representing 0.04% of the city's population.
2. New Orleans Pelicans (1.81): Pelicans fans show minimal NBA Cup enthusiasm, with 0.030% Reddit engagement and 390 Google searches, equating to 0.03% of the metro population.
3. Washington Wizards (1.83): Wizards fans keep their magic contained, with 0.045% Reddit mentions and 1,300 Google searches, representing 0.02% of the local population.
4. Orlando Magic (2.06): Magic fans aren't spellbound, with 0.017% Reddit mentions and 1,300 Google searches, or 0.05% of their metro area.
5. Dallas Mavericks (2.16): Mavericks fans show tepid support, with 0.045% Reddit engagement and 1,900 Google searches, equivalent to 0.03% of the population.
6. Sacramento Kings (2.36): Kings fans exhibit restrained enthusiasm, with 0.034% Reddit mentions and 1,000 Google searches, or 0.04% of the local populace.
7. Utah Jazz (2.39): Jazz fans keep tradition alive, with 0.039% Reddit mentions and 480 Google searches, representing 0.04% of the city population.
8. Miami Heat (2.39): Heat fans show passion at 0.050% Reddit mentions and 1,900 Google searches, accounting for 0.03% of their metro area.
9. Detroit Pistons (2.50): Pistons fans stick to their game with 0.065% Reddit mentions and 1,000 Google searches, equating to 0.02% of their local population.
10. Chicago Bulls (2.52): Bulls fans balance tradition with 0.031% Reddit mentions and 4,400 Google searches, representing 0.05% of their population.
11. Los Angeles Clippers (2.66): Clippers fans engage moderately, with 0.052% Reddit mentions and 6,600 Google searches, or 0.04% of their city's population.
12. Memphis Grizzlies (2.76): Grizzlies fans show subdued excitement, with 0.033% Reddit mentions and 720 Google searches, representing 0.05% of their population.
13. Houston Rockets (2.79): Rockets fans display lukewarm interest, with 0.049% Reddit mentions and 2,900 Google searches, equivalent to 0.04% of the local metro area.
14. Atlanta Hawks (2.81): Hawks fans focus on the playoffs, with 0.065% Reddit mentions and 1,900 Google searches, equating to 0.03% of the population.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (2.85): 76ers fans engage at 0.073% on Reddit and generate 1,600 Google searches, representing 0.03% of their local area.
16. Indiana Pacers (3.05): Pacers fans show measured support, with 0.049% Reddit mentions and 1,000 Google searches, equivalent to 0.05% of their population.
17. Phoenix Suns (3.15): Suns fans shine brighter with 0.052% Reddit mentions and 2,400 Google searches, accounting for 0.05% of their city's population.
18. Brooklyn Nets (3.33): Nets fans quietly engage, with 0.053% Reddit mentions and 12,100 Google searches, representing 0.05% of their metro area.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (3.40): Bucks fans engage modestly, with 0.038% Reddit mentions and 1,000 Google searches, the highest proportion at 0.06% of their population.
20. New York Knicks (3.64): Knicks fans maintain steady support, with 0.063% Reddit mentions and 12,100 Google searches, equivalent to 0.05% of their city’s population.
21. Los Angeles Lakers (3.76): Lakers fans uphold their legacy, with 0.089% Reddit mentions and 6,600 Google searches, or 0.04% of the metro population.
22. Toronto Raptors (4.06): Raptors fans engage passionately, with 0.050% Reddit mentions and 4,400 Google searches, representing 0.07% of their local populace.
23. San Antonio Spurs (4.37): Spurs fans remain consistent, with 0.061% Reddit mentions and 1,900 Google searches, accounting for 0.07% of the city’s population.
24. Denver Nuggets (4.51): Nuggets fans exude low-key confidence, with 0.089% Reddit engagement and 1,600 Google searches, representing 0.05% of their local area.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (5.59): Portland fans prefer tradition, with 0.128% Reddit mentions and 1,300 Google searches, equivalent to 0.05% of their city’s population.
26. Golden State Warriors (5.84): Warriors fans drive high Reddit chatter at 0.136%, paired with 2,400 Google searches, representing 0.05% of their population.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (6.20): Timberwolves fans lead with proportional enthusiasm, with 0.055% Reddit mentions and 4,400 Google searches, representing 0.12% of the metro area.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder (6.80): Thunder fans show strong local interest, with 0.061% Reddit mentions and 1,900 Google searches, or 0.13% of their population.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (7.59): Cavs fans display high engagement, with 0.146% Reddit mentions and 1,900 Google searches, representing 0.09% of their local population.
30. Boston Celtics (8.08): Celtics fans lead in engagement with 0.169% Reddit mentions and 3,600 Google searches, accounting for 0.08% of the metro population.

The Disinterest Trend

Interestingly, even the Boston Celtics — the team with the "most interest" score at 8.08— aren't that into it. This points toward a general theme that while some teams may rank higher, actual interest across the board is lukewarm. Fans, it seems, are more aligned with traditional NBA seasons and rivalries than embracing this new cup challenge.

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Methodology

Here’s how we got to the bottom of the NBA Cup's reception:

• Data Collection: We gathered a massive amount of data from over 2 million Reddit comments in NBA discussions and looked at Google search volumes for “NBA Cup” in each team’s metro area.
• Data Processing and Analysis: We normalized the data, cleaned it, and matched the discussions to search analytics to create a fair scoring metric for each team.

Search volume is an average over the course of  August to November 2024. Search volume as a %, is the metro population of each team's city.

The 'interest score' was calculated by applying an equal weighting to the % of Reddit comments and Google search volumes for NBA cup, and converting these to a score out of 10.

You can find the full dataset here.

In conclusion, while the NBA Cup is a novel concept, engaging fanbases appears to be an uphill task. These insights are just a snapshot of current sentiment, and there’s always room for strategies to boost interest. Whether this cup grows into a fan favorite or fades into obscurity will depend on how the NBA and teams engage with their communities moving forward.