So, I got myself wondering about this the other day – do basketball games actually start when they say they will? You see the schedule, 7:00 PM sharp, right? But I’ve been to a few, watched tons on TV, and it always felt… off. So, I decided to actually pay attention for a while, kinda keep a casual log in my head, you know?
First thing I did was check the big league games, the pro ones on TV. I’d tune in right at the listed start time. And almost every single time, what do you get? More talking heads, analysis, commercials, maybe the national anthem lineup still going on. The actual tip-off? Usually, it felt like 10, sometimes 15 minutes later than the advertised time. It was pretty consistent, actually. It’s like the “start time” is really just when the broadcast begins, not the game itself.
What I Found Watching TV
I started noting it down mentally. Okay, 7:00 PM game listed. Actual jump ball? 7:12 PM. Next one, 8:30 PM listed. Tip-off? 8:44 PM. There’s definitely a buffer built in there. My guess? It’s all about squeezing in those last few commercials and getting the pre-game hype done. They know people tune in for the listed time, so they’ve got a captive audience for a bit longer before the action starts. TV scheduling seems to be the biggest factor here.
How About In-Person Games?
Then I thought, maybe it’s different if you’re actually at the arena. I went to a couple of local college games and one minor league game over the next few months. Here’s what I noticed:
- College games were a bit closer. Sometimes they’d start maybe 5 minutes late, especially if there were ceremonies or warmups ran a tiny bit long. But generally, much nearer the mark than the big pro games on TV.
- The minor league game I attended was pretty much on the dot. Smaller operation, less TV pressure maybe? They introduced the players, played the anthem, and boom, tip-off was maybe 2-3 minutes past the hour.
So, my little experiment kinda confirmed my hunch. Pro games, especially the nationally televised ones, almost never start exactly on time. There’s that built-in delay, mostly for broadcast reasons, I reckon. Pre-game stuff, anthems, introductions, commercials – it all pushes the actual tip-off back.
Local games, college level or lower leagues? They seem to be a bit more punctual. Still, things can happen – delays with the previous game, technical issues, long warmups. But if you’re going to a non-pro game, you’re more likely to see the action start closer to the ticket time.
It wasn’t some super scientific study, just me paying attention because I was curious. But yeah, if you’re setting your watch by the listed start time for a big NBA game, you’ve probably got time to grab another snack before the ball actually goes up. That’s just how it seems to roll.
