Unsurprisingly, the NBA is still enormously popular in the USA after so many years. Though the sport has grown and evolved tenfold, the buzz surrounding it remains the same. Speaking of buzz, another visual entertainer that did wonders this year, was Netflix special ‘Squid Game’. A Korean drama, the series earned itself millions of fans around the world, and was one of the most popular shows of the year. However, it didn’t manage to outdo USA’s premier sporting league.
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Every year, fans wait for the NBA season to commence. With stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, there is no surprise as to why the competition is so widely viewed. Even historically, basketball has been a sport that tons of people love playing in the United States and otherwise. The NBA was merely the tournament that skyrocketed the sport’s popularity. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the league topped the trends in 2021.
USA Today via Reuters
Nov 26, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after a time out call by the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
NBA tops Squid Game in 2021 trends
Having released in the second half of 2021, Squid Game took the world by storm. Both in Korea and worldwide, binge-watchers got hooked onto the series instantly. It revolves around a group of desperate individuals from the lower strata of society. Out of sheer need for money, they get involved in a deadly game show, where failure to complete tasks leads to death. All in all, Squid Game gathered close to two billion hours of viewership, only within the first month. Yet, it still wasn’t enough to outclass America’s basketball top flight on trends. Here’s why.
According to Google Trends, the NBA ranked first yet again for the year 2021. This means that the league was the most viral search among readers online. So far this season, the NBA’s regular season games are averaging just over 1.5 million viewers. This only gets better during the playoffs. On the other hand, Squid Game ranks 10th in the USA, behind the likes of DMX and Kyle Rittenhouse. As a result, the NBA trended over Squid Game as per the year’s trends.
No matter how popular a show is, there’s no denying the global appeal that the NBA has generated. Moreover, local fans are drawn in by the connect with their own cities. Can the league continue its domination in the social sphere even in 2022? Let’s wait and watch.
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