The NBA is looking into a unique way to get fans to tune in.
While nothing is imminent, commissioner Adam Silver said fans may one day be able to pay for just the final five minutes of a basketball game in an effort to increase viewership.
"Certainly we’re going from a place where it was one price for an entire season of games. Now just in the last two years, we’ve made single games available," Silver told Diamond Leung of SportTechie. "But I think you’re going to get to the point where somebody wants to watch the last five minutes of the game, and they go click, they’ll pay a set price for five minutes as opposed to what they would pay for two hours of the game."
Silver is aware that the average fan likely isn't willing to watch an entire game, but may be more inclined to tune in during a close contest or career performance.
"I think it’s going to be a lot easier to watch games on mobile devices," Silver said.
"I think you’re going to hit the point where for example … you’re on a Twitter feed or you get an alert. I think there will be a lot more sophisticated alerts, and you’ll see 'I know Sue Bird, I like Sue Bird, Sue Bird’s going for a record-setting game.' And then you’re going to go click, and then you’re going to get the game."