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In a season where the Oklahoma City Thunder bested the Indiana Pacers in both matchups, the NBA braces itself for a finals that may not be the financial windfall a higher-profile matchup could have provided. The Pacers, on a remarkable hot streak, and the Thunder, with their dedicated yet smaller fan base, will face off as the league prepares for a different kind of championship series.

Although the Thunder have passionate support, Oklahoma's population of around four million is dwarfed by many other states, including New York City alone. Ticket revenues may also reflect this discrepancy. With the cost of the cheapest ticket for Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City hitting $172—its highest ever—it still pales in comparison to the lowest end of ticket prices at Madison Square Garden for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. One source indicates that the Knicks would have pulled in roughly $10 million per conference finals game, a significant sum shared with the league and players' union as basketball-related income.

Interestingly, while TV ratings for these finals are anticipated to be lower, the league’s bottom line remains unaffected in the short term. The NBA’s current television deal, secured in 2014, guarantees fixed payments irrespective of viewership figures this season. Similarly, an 11-year media rights deal signed last summer with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon, valued at $75 billion, ensures a stable revenue stream regardless of how many tune in for the Thunder-Pacers series.

The shift towards newer market teams like Oklahoma City and Indiana in the finals signals potential short-term ratings declines, a trend seen in previous years. Ratings saw an average viewership drop when smaller market teams such as the Spurs and Thunder made the finals in the past. However, star power and extended series offer a different kind of lucrative potential. Historical data suggests the most-watched games typically occur in extended series, with Game 7 doubling the viewership of Game 1 in notable instances like the Celtics-Lakers in 2010 and Cavaliers-Warriors in 2016.

In the aftermath of title wins by smaller market teams, the NBA has observed growth in viewership for nationally broadcast games featuring those teams. Post-championship seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets saw TV ratings for their games rise by 21 percent and 32 percent respectively compared to the previous year.

The hopes this year rest on bringing players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA's MVP for 2024-2025, and Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers, into the limelight, potentially cultivating a new generation of household names. For the NBA and Disney-owned ABC, a longer finals series stands to benefit everyone involved financially, as incremental games increase revenues through additional advertisements and viewership.

Ultimately, while the Thunder and Pacers might not command the media market power of larger coastal cities, the NBA remains optimistic. A longer series could turn today’s emerging stars into tomorrow’s superstars, trading short-term ratings dips for long-term gains.