The 2019-2020 NBA season just ended, and the 2020-2021 NBA pre-season has just begun.

This is something that we could all get a bit of a kick out of. The Coronavirus impacted the end of the last NBA season so much that in order to remain on any sort of schedule they had to start their new season just a few short months later.

The players did not get a lot of vacation time, that’s for sure. Already we’ve seen the highly talented rookies get their first taste of action and enjoyed some fun with the veterans. So far no outbreaks have emerged in the league but only time will tell when it comes to the Coronavirus.

A consistent issue that has arisen with the NBA are the ratings. During the period in the bubble they were competing with the NFL for views, and it wasn’t much of a competition. The NFL consistently had more viewers than the NBA in September and October. In fact, the NFL kickoff Thursday night game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans had more viewers than every NBA Finals game.

There have also been multiple NCAA football games with more viewers than the NBA Finals.

As the NBA starts again they will be in competition with both the NFL and NCAA.

At the beginning of January most sports viewers will be primarily watching the NCAA football playoff. And that’s not the only hit the NBA will take, as January progresses the NFL playoffs will begin and will be even longer this year, with two more games than in years past.

The NBA will have their work cut out for them when it comes to early season views. One thing they can always count on though, Christmas Day. For another year the NBA will be the only sports leagues to play on the holiday.