In today’s fragmented media market, consistent, “always on” access is everything — and inconsistency is a killer. Few organizations are proving that more clearly than the NBA, as teams test different strategies for engaging fans and growing viewership. The Portland Trail Blazers, for one, made their games radically easier to watch, while the Chicago Bulls went the other way. The results speak for themselves, with ripple effects for fans and advertisers.

The Blazers opened up access to games to 100% of their TV market by going over-the-air, leading to the biggest viewership increase in the NBA this season. In contrast, the Bulls moved to the new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), but without a key carriage deal with Comcast in place, the Bulls experienced the league’s biggest viewership decline. Through March 24, Blazers games are up 116% year –over year, according to the team. That’s a drastic change from last season, when Portland ranked dead last in the league in viewership, hampered by a local rights deal with Root Sports that reached just 20% of households in the market.

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