Friday night’s preseason matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, which aired nationally on NBA TV, took an unexpected turn when a commercial break interrupted the live game broadcast—right in the middle of the action.
Announcers Bill Macdonald and Stu Lantz, who were calling the game for Spectrum SportsNet (whose broadcast was simulcast on NBA TV), were discussing the exciting prospect of Lakers star LeBron James potentially sharing the court with his son, Bronny James, in the near future. But as they continued their commentary, viewers were abruptly taken away from the game—not to a split-screen ad that would allow them to still follow the action, but to a full-screen commercial.
The commercial in question? A Dr. Squatch soap ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, in which she played the role of the “Sydney Sweeney Body Wash Genie.” The commercial ran in its entirety, completely replacing the live game footage, much to the surprise of fans watching at home.
When coverage resumed, viewers hadn’t missed any scoring, but they had missed a few moments of gameplay. The score was 8-5 when the commercial break began, and by the time the broadcast returned, Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert was at the free-throw line, preparing to take his shots after being fouled. He missed both free throws, but the unexpected commercial had left some viewers scratching their heads.
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In the grand scheme of things, the interruption didn’t have a major impact on the game itself. No points were scored during the 30-second commercial, and it happened early in the first quarter of a preseason game, where every second of play isn’t as critical as it might be in a regular season or playoff contest. Still, for fans eager to see their favorite players and follow the game, it was a jarring experience.
Preseason games are often seen as a time for players and teams to work out the kinks before the regular season starts, and in this case, it seems like the broadcasters had a hiccup of their own.
But even though the interruption occurred in a low-stakes preseason matchup, it serves as a reminder to broadcasters and networks of the importance of timing their commercials carefully. After all, missing even a few moments of live action during a highly anticipated game can be frustrating for viewers, especially when it’s replaced by an unexpected ad.
While this incident pales in comparison to some of the more egregious commercial interruptions seen during college football season—where entire drives or game-changing plays have been missed—it’s still something broadcasters should avoid.
Viewers tune in for the live action, and pulling them away from that, even briefly, can lead to frustration. Hopefully, this will be a one-off occurrence and not a trend as the NBA preseason continues.
Though fans didn’t miss much this time around, this moment stands as a cautionary tale for future broadcasts. Networks would do well to ensure that their commercial breaks don’t cut into live game coverage, even during preseason contests.
