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Hard to imagine anything LESS interesting than the NBA regular season - until now.

(11-03-2023 04:23 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Hard to imagine anything LESS interesting than the NBA regular season - until now.

I get they are trying to be like soccer. But they forgot that a vast majority of NBA players don’t really like playing much. They would get more excited if they shortened the season. NBA should start at Christmas.

Not only does this in season playoff not make sense but watching the games on TV give me a head ache because the courts are all really weird.

They're all regular season games too. If it doesn't raise your excitement, fine- most people don't seem to really care. But there's not really an argument for it making the season less exciting or whatever.

I commend the NBA for thinking outside the box and being creative with scheduling. It's refreshing because the North American sports are basically bigoted against scheduling methods and conventions that work successfully in Europe and around the world and actively market toward "We're the US! We always do it our special way because we can, we're the USA!"

But the NBA's in-season tournament lacks critical elements that make international soccer cups successful. International cups are great because small clubs (or franchises) participate. Small clubs mix it up with the big boys.

Like if the NBA in-season tournament had the Grand Rapids Gold playing the Pistons. That would be a REAL cup. But the NBA didn't do this because it ostensibly didn't want to share the TV money, or any other money, with the minor league clubs. Plus the NBA teams don't want to risk actually losing to a minor league team.

So it's the same NBA franchises playing each other. Not really captivating. It's a good start and I commend the NBA for trying. But it's still got a long way to go.

(11-03-2023 04:23 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Hard to imagine anything LESS interesting than the NBA.

Fixed

(11-05-2023 06:24 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  I commend the NBA for thinking outside the box and being creative with scheduling. It's refreshing because the North American sports are basically bigoted against scheduling methods and conventions that work successfully in Europe and around the world and actively market toward "We're the US! We always do it our special way because we can, we're the USA!"

But the NBA's in-season tournament lacks critical elements that make international soccer cups successful. International cups are great because small clubs (or franchises) participate. Small clubs mix it up with the big boys.

Like if the NBA in-season tournament had the Grand Rapids Gold playing the Pistons. That would be a REAL cup. But the NBA didn't do this because it ostensibly didn't want to share the TV money, or any other money, with the minor league clubs. Plus the NBA teams don't want to risk actually losing to a minor league team.

So it's the same NBA franchises playing each other. Not really captivating. It's a good start and I commend the NBA for trying. But it's still got a long way to go.

Soccer cups are compelling and all but I don't think playing G League affiliates, many of which are wholly owned by NBA franchises, would compare to real cup play against fully independent clubs.

I think the in season tournament is kind of silly, fwiw, but it's harmless in that it's basically just artificially pumping up regular season games that pretty much would have been played regardless. I don't think people are really buying the hype, but who really cares

(11-06-2023 11:19 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  Soccer cups are compelling and all but I don't think playing G League affiliates, many of which are wholly owned by NBA franchises, would compare to real cup play against fully independent clubs.

No doubt about that.

(11-05-2023 06:24 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  I commend the NBA for thinking outside the box and being creative with scheduling. It's refreshing because the North American sports are basically bigoted against scheduling methods and conventions that work successfully in Europe and around the world and actively market toward "We're the US! We always do it our special way because we can, we're the USA!"

But the NBA's in-season tournament lacks critical elements that make international soccer cups successful. International cups are great because small clubs (or franchises) participate. Small clubs mix it up with the big boys.

Like if the NBA in-season tournament had the Grand Rapids Gold playing the Pistons. That would be a REAL cup. But the NBA didn't do this because it ostensibly didn't want to share the TV money, or any other money, with the minor league clubs. Plus the NBA teams don't want to risk actually losing to a minor league team.

So it's the same NBA franchises playing each other. Not really captivating. It's a good start and I commend the NBA for trying. But it's still got a long way to go.

Good, you get it. I like this idea. It's fresh. They're really trying to present this as a big deal so it gains steam for the future.

I don't think they'll ever include G-League teams, but I think the longterm goal is within 5 years to begin including foreign teams into the tournament. Not a ton, think like the best 4-8 international clubs.

This would expand the reach of the NBA further into markets that are already interested but would potentially grow the NBA product with new eyeballs and fan interest.

Having teams like Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiakos, Real Madrid, and Metropolitans from the inception would probably be too much change at once for fans, so they'll do it after we get used to the tourney.

(11-06-2023 03:19 PM)ElFanatico Wrote:  This would expand the reach of the NBA further into markets that are already interested but would potentially grow the NBA product with new eyeballs and fan interest.

Having teams like Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiakos, Real Madrid, and Metropolitans from the inception would probably be too much change at once for fans, so they'll do it after we get used to the tourney.

I would be very surprised if the NBA would allow that since it is a huge risk. If you have NBA teams losing to international teams then the Association loses the mystique of being the premier basketball league.

(11-06-2023 03:19 PM)ElFanatico Wrote:  

(11-05-2023 06:24 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  I commend the NBA for thinking outside the box and being creative with scheduling. It's refreshing because the North American sports are basically bigoted against scheduling methods and conventions that work successfully in Europe and around the world and actively market toward "We're the US! We always do it our special way because we can, we're the USA!"

But the NBA's in-season tournament lacks critical elements that make international soccer cups successful. International cups are great because small clubs (or franchises) participate. Small clubs mix it up with the big boys.

Like if the NBA in-season tournament had the Grand Rapids Gold playing the Pistons. That would be a REAL cup. But the NBA didn't do this because it ostensibly didn't want to share the TV money, or any other money, with the minor league clubs. Plus the NBA teams don't want to risk actually losing to a minor league team.

So it's the same NBA franchises playing each other. Not really captivating. It's a good start and I commend the NBA for trying. But it's still got a long way to go.

I don't think they'll ever include G-League teams, but I think the longterm goal is within 5 years to begin including foreign teams into the tournament. Not a ton, think like the best 4-8 international clubs.

Is this something that's been mentioned? I would be surprised just because it seems inevitable that it would lengthen the season and I doubt there's much appetite for that.

(11-06-2023 04:49 PM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  

(11-06-2023 03:19 PM)ElFanatico Wrote:  

(11-05-2023 06:24 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  I commend the NBA for thinking outside the box and being creative with scheduling. It's refreshing because the North American sports are basically bigoted against scheduling methods and conventions that work successfully in Europe and around the world and actively market toward "We're the US! We always do it our special way because we can, we're the USA!"

But the NBA's in-season tournament lacks critical elements that make international soccer cups successful. International cups are great because small clubs (or franchises) participate. Small clubs mix it up with the big boys.

Like if the NBA in-season tournament had the Grand Rapids Gold playing the Pistons. That would be a REAL cup. But the NBA didn't do this because it ostensibly didn't want to share the TV money, or any other money, with the minor league clubs. Plus the NBA teams don't want to risk actually losing to a minor league team.

So it's the same NBA franchises playing each other. Not really captivating. It's a good start and I commend the NBA for trying. But it's still got a long way to go.

I don't think they'll ever include G-League teams, but I think the longterm goal is within 5 years to begin including foreign teams into the tournament. Not a ton, think like the best 4-8 international clubs.

Is this something that's been mentioned? I would be surprised just because it seems inevitable that it would lengthen the season and I doubt there's much appetite for that.

Not it hasn't. But I think it would be a jarring move for some. But I think you have to work up to it.

Quote:I would be very surprised if the NBA would allow that since it is a huge risk. If you have NBA teams losing to international teams then the Association loses the mystique of being the premier basketball league.

If the money is there, they'll do it.