This goes into my overall point and why I can’t go with the entire “The League hates NOLA/small market” theory.
This isn’t the NBA. Market size doesn’t matter.
If this was the NBA, Adam Silver would be pulling every trick to get Reid and Mahomes out of flyover country.
It’s shown that TV ratings are not effected when a small market team is in the playoffs compared to the NBA.
In the NBA, there is a definite drop when the Pelicans, Grizzles, and Kings are playing compared to the Lakers.