The 2025 NBA Finals have been one of the lowest-rated of all time, but that could drastically change because of a do-or-die Game 7.

On Thursday, Indiana defeated Oklahoma City, 108-91, to force a deciding final game Sunday. It will be just the fifth Finals series this century that has gone the full seven games.

The previous four series saw a 65% increase in viewers for Game 7 vs. the average of the first six contests. That includes the seven-game Finals series in 2005, which could not draw more than 11 million viewers through its first four games. 

The finalists were the Spurs and the Pistons, which, like the Thunder and Pacers, are in two of the league’s smallest markets. Games 5 and 6 in 2005 delivered at least 13 million viewers each, while Game 7 drew 19 million. (This year’s series has not passed 10 million viewers in each of the first five games.)

The last Game 7 in the NBA Finals was in 2016 between the LeBron James-led Cavaliers and Steph Curry-led Warriors, which drew 31 million viewers—the most-watched NBA game since Michael Jordan played for the Bulls.

Finally Near the Summit

Herb Simon is the NBA’s longest-tenured owner. But in 42 seasons at the helm in Indiana, he has never been this close to an NBA championship. The Pacers had only made the NBA Finals one other time before this season, when they lost 4–2 to the Lakers in 2000.

As with many legacy pro sports team owners, Simon’s investment has paid off. He purchased the Pacers in 1983 for $11 million. In 2023, he sold a 15% stake in Pacers to Steven Rales, who already owned 5% of the team, at a $3.47 billion valuation. The Pacers are now estimated to be worth $3.6 billion, according to Forbes. 

Under Simon, the Pacers have taken a different approach to roster building than most of the league. They refused to tank, and haven’t picked in the top five of the NBA Draft since 1989. Game 3 hero Bennedict Mathurin, selected No. 6 in 2022, was their first top-10 pick in that timeframe.

They also have been shrewd with their spending, avoiding the luxury tax for the last 20 years. However, win or lose, this run has changed their approach as the team is prepared to enter the tax next year. It likely helps that the team is making millions in revenue from ticket sales and merchandise from each additional home playoff game this year. 

Simon’s approach has kept the Pacers competitive for decades, including 10 conference finals appearances since 1990. That’s tied for third in the league, and all other teams with at least 10 have won multiple championships (Lakers, Spurs, Celtics, Heat).

The Lakers, one of the most iconic franchises in history, are being sold at a historic $10 billion valuation to Mark Walter, a man who many people had never heard of until it was announced he was buying the Lakers.

Walter is actually a very prominent figure in the world of sports ownership, but his role has mostly been behind the scenes. Before Wednesday night’s stunning announcement, Walter already owned a 26% stake in the Lakers; he’s been a stakeholder since 2021. A spokesperson for Walter tells Front Office Sports that he is indeed entering into an agreement “to acquire additional interests” in the Lakers. Sources familiar with the matter confirm the $10 billion valuation is accurate, and a source familiar with the agreement tells FOS the investment is being “driven by Walter,” as opposed to TWG.

In addition to the Lakers, through his holding company TWG Global—and its subsidiary Guggenheim Partners—he has ownership stakes in the Los Angeles Sparks, the Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and Cadillac’s Formula 1 team. He is also the primary financial backer of the PWHL. TWG Global doesn’t just invest in sports. It has holdings across industries, including financial services, insurance, and artificial intelligence as well. In total, the TWG portfolio has an enterprise value of more than $40 billion.

It remains to be seen how visible he’ll be with the Lakers, one of the most high-profile sports franchises in the U.S. The Lakers have roughly 60 million total followers across X, Instagram, and Facebook, compared to 21 million for the Celtics. The Cowboys also pale in comparison to the Lakers, with a little more than 17 million total followers across those platforms.

The Lakers’ cultural impact, especially in the U.S., is unmatched. They’ve won 16 championships and are almost always equipped with some of the biggest stars in the sports world. The star-studded lineage traces all the way back to George Mikan—who played in the 1940s and 1950s when the Lakers still played in Minneapolis (the team moved to Los Angeles for the 1959–60 season). It extends to legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, LeBron James, and, most recently, Luka Dončić.

Walter has some big shoes to fill to keep the Lakers’ legacy going. First things first, he’ll need to introduce himself to the team’s current star, Dončić, who apparently is included in the group of people who don’t know much about Walter.

Walter’s low profile appears to be on purpose. The few times he has spoken publicly, he’s talked about his desire to remain behind the scenes. In 2012, he told the Chicago Tribune, “I’m a fairly quiet and private person,” and said he hasn’t “sought publicity.” That same year, the Los Angeles Times reported that Walter, then newly minted as the Dodgers owner, said he was happy to remain a person in the background: “I’m here to support and help my people as much as I can. I’m here to cheer as loud as I can.”

Born in Iowa in 1960, Walter was educated at Creighton University and Northwestern University Law School. Forbes estimates his net worth at $6.1 billion.

The College World Series final is set to play out this weekend, as Omaha closes out another successful run hosting one of the most unique events in all of college sports.

The three-game LSU-Coastal Carolina series begins Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, with Game 2 on Sunday night and, if necessary, a winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night.

Total attendance so far for the 12 CWS games at Charles Schwab Field Omaha this month is 292,181. The $130 million ballpark that opened in 2011 has an official capacity of 24,000 but can fit even more than that for its biggest games.

With a maximum of three games left, this year’s tournament won’t break the record of 392,946 set in 2023, but the average game attendance (24,348 so far) will rival that separate record of 24,748 set last year. The 2023 CWS had 16 total games, while the 2024 edition had 15. This year will end up with either 14 or 15.

Omaha is under contract to host the CWS through at least 2035.

Going, Going, Gone

LSU is vying for its eighth CWS title, and second in three years. In 2023, the Tigers defeated SEC rival Florida, as pitcher Paul Skenes—now one of the biggest stars in MLB—was named the Most Outstanding Player. LSU will also look to win the SEC’s sixth straight CWS, after 13 of the conference’s 16 baseball programs made the NCAA tournament.

Coastal Carolina—winners of 26 straight games—is back in the CWS for the first time since their debut in 2016, when it won the program’s first and only NCAA baseball national championship. Right after that title, the Chanticleers changed conferences, moving out of the Big South and into the Sun Belt, where they play today.

Some strong performances this weekend from both teams could play a role in how much money their programs receive from their respective schools, as revenue-sharing in the NCAA begins next season. 

Baseball is not expected to earn a large chunk of available cash at any school, but most universities are committing to paying athletes from all sports at least a small portion of the $22.5 million they are allowed to spend.