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The NBA is set to introduce an in-season tournament starting in the 2023-2024 season. The tournament will feature all 30 teams and will run through November. It will eventually have eight teams advancing to a single-elimination round in December. We like it. It should be quite exciting. Here are four reasons why the NBA's in-season tournament will be a smashing success.
Well, here are 4 reasons why the In-Season Tournament should be a smash hit.
NBA IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT EXPLAINED 🎥
Starting Nov. 3, all 30 teams will compete for the NBA Cup with 8 teams advancing into the knockout rounds! The tournament semis and championship game will be held in Las Vegas, Dec. 7 and 9! pic.twitter.com/NZdURUa3XR
— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2023
1. Prize Money Ain't Peanuts
The prize money for each player ($500,000) could be an incentive to curb any load management concerns. Then again, load management should not be a concern anyway. That argument is hard to justify given early-season games haven't been as important as later ones. The tournament will also provide fans with a new way to engage with the league, which could lead to increased viewership and revenue.
Keep in mind that the NBA's in-season tournament will offer prizes for the eight teams that advance to the single-elimination round. The prizes have not been officially announced yet, but the league has considered giving out automatic playoff berths, draft picks, or even cap exceptions to winning teams. How do those sound, eh? These prizes should add extra incentives for teams to compete in the tournament. For us fans, these could lead to more exciting and consequential games.
2. More Excitement on the National Stage
The NBA's in-season tournament aims to increase early-season engagement without impacting teams' approaches. The tournament will add an extra layer of excitement to the early part of the season. Again, this is typically a slow period for the league.
Remember also that the tournament likely raises regular season excitement more than it raises load management. For every star who sits, there are tens of hungry competitors looking for a stage to make their claim for a bigger contract. Also, no star wants to get embarrassed on national TV. You know if LeBron goes 0-4 or sits out of the group stage, people are going to ask how it affects his legacy. We cannot wait to dive into those water cooler conversations.
3. We Love KO Games
The NBA's in-season tournament will feature a new format that will be different from the regular season. The teams will be divided into six groups, with each group consisting of five teams. Each team will play the other four teams in their group, once at home and once away. The six group winners will advance to the knockout rounds along with two “wild card” teams — the team in each conference with the best record that did not win their group. The knockout rounds will be single-elimination, with the winner of each game advancing to the next round until a champion is crowned.
Imagine these in-season tournament games as the best possible version of regular season games. Of course, much of this is because this kind of format brings moments of “elimination” to the regular season. People, admittedly, love eliminating other people. We love high-stakes games, which is why we love the Playoffs. Having this in-season tournament means we get more of them now.
4. Ratings (And Salaries) Will Go Up
For sure, the NBA's in-season tournament has the potential to generate more revenue for the league. The tournament will provide fans with a new way to engage with the league, which could lead to increased viewership and revenue. The tournament will also provide teams with an opportunity to earn additional revenue from ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorships. Remember that high-stakes games tend to attract more fans and higher viewership. The NBA is always looking for ways to increase revenue, and the in-season tournament could be a significant source of additional income.
Consequently, if this raises regular season TV ratings, it would also eventually raise a salary cap that’s already exploding by 10 percent annually. A higher salary cap gives teams more room to compete and helps contracts age better. Yes, investing $210M in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks sounds crazy today. However, looking ahead, those numbers could look pretty average in a couple of years.
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Load Management?
Most critics mistakenly say that this in-season tournament will increase load management. They clearly haven't been reading or watching the right sources. The NBA's in-season tournament will not affect the regular season schedule and workload for players significantly.
All in-season tournament group games are part of the normal 82-game schedule. All In-Season Tournament games will count toward the regular-season standings except the Championship, which will sit outside the regular season. Remember that tournament games will run through November. Only eight teams will advance to a single-elimination round in December. The other 22 teams in the league would continue with regular-season play.
Smash Hit
At the end of the day, it’s hard to see why an In-Season Tournament would hurt the league. In reality, it is cleverly designed to be a smashing success. The tournament will increase engagement, feature a new format, offer prizes for the players, and generate more revenue for the league's stakeholders. The NBA is always looking for ways to innovate and improve, and the in-season tournament is a step in the right direction. Fans can look forward to an exciting new addition to the NBA season starting in 2023.
