The Phoenix Suns will have eight nationally televised games in Disney, which is eight times more than what they had the entire season.
As a Phoenix Suns fan, it is easy to forget that outside of the Valley bubble and a few diehard fans sprawled across the country (the world, really), many NBA viewers haven’t gotten a chance to watch the Suns play all that much, if at all.
This season they only had one nationally televised game and that was on TNT against the New Orleans Pelicans. My hunch is producers chose that game more-so to watch rookie phenom Zion Williamson play, and less-so to watch Ty Jerome. The joke was on them because Zion was out with injury.
When the NBA returns to Disney, more than likely all eight of the Suns’ remaining regular-season games will be nationally televised, essentially octupling (yeah, that’s a word) the number of games seen around the country all season long.
The Phoenix Suns should seize this newfound national exposure.
ESPN featured Suns players for six hours straight one day during the NBA2K Players tournament when Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker took home gold and silver medals, but while that was cool, these eight games will have a different level of eyeballs.
With no other sports on TV to compete, the NBA is looking at potential record-high ratings for regular-season games.
Even if the Suns don’t make the playoffs, this is a chance to showcase to the world they are not the same pitiful group some fans of other teams might remember them to be.
Not unlike the unique recruitment opportunity the Disney bubble presents to future free agents and trade targets, this unique environment is a chance for the Phoenix Suns to showcase who they are to a national audience.
Monty Williams’ 0.5 system, filled with sharp cuts, superb ball movement, and hectic defense needs to be on full display so that fans want to watch the Suns when things return to normal(ish). It will also give the opportunity for players not invited to Orlando, as well as international prospects and future draftees, that the Suns are building something solid right now, and they can be excited about potentially being part of it.
The franchise must take advantage of this rare national spotlight. Go all out. Wear some cool throw-back uniforms. Mosh like you’ve never moshed before. Have fun!
These eight games should serve as a two-week infomercial for the Phoenix Suns and everything this organization is about. Most teams (especially those with sub-.500 records) never get this opportunity and the NBA may never see anything like it ever again.
The Suns need to seize it and show the world the Phoenix Suns are on the rise.