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How would you improve the NBA product?
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i wanna see more custom courts in terms of design and layout -- similar to how each baseball stadium is unique and the walls are closer or further so same w specific nba team courts like further out 3pt lines at golden states home or something
some type of single game elim tourney
and less games, better refs, etc etc
some type of single game elim tourney
and less games, better refs, etc etc
Honestly, the game itself is as good as it ever was. The main issue is the 82 game season.
It's a bunch of meaningless games and players sitting games, coaches dropping games, teams tanking... if we had teams play each other only twice that would be a start. Maybe go even further and make it a 29 game season.
Playoffs need to be best of three. As for the rules, if you cut one or two timeouts by each team you already solve most of the problems in end game situations.
It's a bunch of meaningless games and players sitting games, coaches dropping games, teams tanking... if we had teams play each other only twice that would be a start. Maybe go even further and make it a 29 game season.
Playoffs need to be best of three. As for the rules, if you cut one or two timeouts by each team you already solve most of the problems in end game situations.
OP
OP
Less revenue overall--ticket sales, ad buys for TV.
So it actually effects the owners the most. The greater the revenue the bigger the pie to split with the players.
Thus fewer games won't happen lol.
Going to best of 7 for the first round was such a dumb choice. But that was also done for money reason--more games, more money.
Have you enjoyed the new rules enacted this yr to stop some of the flopping? I think it's been fantastic
Yes, the Players union prob wouldn't go for it when the best players can just rest anyways and play less games and keep getting paid the same amount
Which is why the owners will never agree to a shorter season, lol.
I would do something to keep 3-4 teams from having all of the best players or at least keep star players from colluding with each other to go to the same team.
Half-court baskets are worth 5pts and full court shots are worth 10.
I still wouldn't watch. I don't give a fuck about basketball.
I still wouldn't watch. I don't give a fuck about basketball.
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I don't think the players will actually. Owners are making money regardless. But an NBA career is more fragile. You can be in and out in a season.
So do you want 82 game checks or 72 game checks?
1997 Finals average viewership was 29.04 million viewers. The 2020 Finals averaged 7.5 million.
I think the game is nearly perfect as it is, the only complaint I have is end of game situations that take -forever- in real life due to teams using timeouts and fouling to stop the clock. The Elam ending is great, the league has tried it here and there but I think they should just use it at this point
Resting of star players and high injury rates are bad for the product, so if shortening the season will curb that, it should be considered. Dropping enough games to fully eliminate back-to-backs from the schedule would probably be a good start. If you shrink the season too much, though, you're just giving up a ton of revenue and also risk driving up the price of tickets further as a result, making attending a game accessible to fewer fans.
I'd also be looking at incremental rule changes aimed at minimizing stoppages in play, be it for free throws or video review—that's probably my biggest current issue with the experience of watching a game. Penalize the most egregious forms of foul baiting and penalize take fouls such that they're no longer a viable strategy for extra possessions at the end of a close game. Reduce the number of calls that are reviewable. Of course that requires a certain acceptance that refs will inevitably get some calls wrong, and requires a trust that the refs will get enough right, and that level of trust in the officials isn't really there for various reasons. So probably some changes are needed in that organization.
In terms of promoting greater parity in the league, that's something fans generally say they want, but I think it's also likely true that super-teams and the like actually drive a lot of casual interest in the league. But if you want parity, I'd consider implementing a hard salary cap and eliminating player maximum contracts. Max contracts have just created a situation where teams have to pay e.g., a top five player in the league the same percentage of their salary cap the same as a top thirty player. In the former case that team gets a huge bargain and team-building advantage, and in the latter case the team has immediately put a ceiling on their ability to improve their team into real contention. Allowing players to be paid closer to their true impact value may eliminate some of those issues. But it also would lead to further consolidation of the overall salary pool in the hands of fewer top players, so presumably the players association wouldn't be in favor.
I actually love Jeff Van Gundy and his rants about rule changes and whatnot. I could certainly do without Mark Jackson and his catchphrases, though.
I'd also be looking at incremental rule changes aimed at minimizing stoppages in play, be it for free throws or video review—that's probably my biggest current issue with the experience of watching a game. Penalize the most egregious forms of foul baiting and penalize take fouls such that they're no longer a viable strategy for extra possessions at the end of a close game. Reduce the number of calls that are reviewable. Of course that requires a certain acceptance that refs will inevitably get some calls wrong, and requires a trust that the refs will get enough right, and that level of trust in the officials isn't really there for various reasons. So probably some changes are needed in that organization.
In terms of promoting greater parity in the league, that's something fans generally say they want, but I think it's also likely true that super-teams and the like actually drive a lot of casual interest in the league. But if you want parity, I'd consider implementing a hard salary cap and eliminating player maximum contracts. Max contracts have just created a situation where teams have to pay e.g., a top five player in the league the same percentage of their salary cap the same as a top thirty player. In the former case that team gets a huge bargain and team-building advantage, and in the latter case the team has immediately put a ceiling on their ability to improve their team into real contention. Allowing players to be paid closer to their true impact value may eliminate some of those issues. But it also would lead to further consolidation of the overall salary pool in the hands of fewer top players, so presumably the players association wouldn't be in favor.
I actually love Jeff Van Gundy and his rants about rule changes and whatnot. I could certainly do without Mark Jackson and his catchphrases, though.
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It's a step in the right direction for sure. Still got your standard spotty enforcement, but what else is new (lol).
lolwut? This is a "tell me you don't watch the NBA without telling me you don't watch the NBA" post if I've ever seen one.
Giannis, Ja, Anthony Edwards, Trae Young, Luka, RJ, Lamelo, Tatum, Zion, Shai, Booker, D'Angelo, Herro, Bridges...the NBA makes stars in its sleep. One usually rises to the top to become the dominant face but it doesn't have a talent problem. No one cares about NFL players outside of the tiny few that they get to see with their helmet off on corny State Farm ads, lol.
this. Mark Jackson is so fucking boring man. Everyone complains about him.
But less games might mean more ratings for each one of those games. I know it's risky, but at some point they will have to discuss this.
Penalizing Flopping by giving players a Technical Foul.
The post-season should have the first to rounds be a best of 5 series. Save the best of 7 for both the Conference Finals and Finals.
The post-season should have the first to rounds be a best of 5 series. Save the best of 7 for both the Conference Finals and Finals.
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Ratings don't translate directly to $ for the league.
They get gigantic TV deals anyways, even with ratings being down, since live rights are still insanely lucrative.
I don't think they feel like they've hit a tipping point on ratings since they're prob never going to catch football and are solidly entrenched in the number 2 or 3 spot
Ideally, if money weren't the primary motivator, you'd shorten the season to like 74 games and treat the All Star Break as like a real, 7 to 10 day long break in the middle of the season to let guys rest. Get rid of the Play-In and go back to best of 5 for round 1.
My even crazier take is abolishing the draft and let teams scout and sign players as early as 16 years old, develop the G League further and turn it into a true minor league where teams can actually use to develop young players, not just a place for fringe players trying to catch on to rosters. Introduce spending limits annually for how much teams can spend on young players.
Get rid of any and all reviews and challenges.
The idea above of revamping the network commentary crews is on point: I never need to hear Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson or Jeff Van Gundy again.
Limit teams to like 2 time outs in the final 2 minutes. The over managing of late game situations really drags things out and kills a lot of drama.
Another crazy idea that I stole from legendary Chick Hearn like 20 years ago: Get rid of foul outs. If a players gets over 6 common fouls (not flagrant, not Techs) then every foul after that is one FT and the ball, so teams would still have to strategize on how they use players in "foul trouble". But the idea of potentially removing star players from a game entirely because of too many common fouls is really sort of dumb. Imagine if in the NFL an all pro defensive player was kicked out of a game for committing one too many off sides?
My even crazier take is abolishing the draft and let teams scout and sign players as early as 16 years old, develop the G League further and turn it into a true minor league where teams can actually use to develop young players, not just a place for fringe players trying to catch on to rosters. Introduce spending limits annually for how much teams can spend on young players.
Get rid of any and all reviews and challenges.
The idea above of revamping the network commentary crews is on point: I never need to hear Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson or Jeff Van Gundy again.
Limit teams to like 2 time outs in the final 2 minutes. The over managing of late game situations really drags things out and kills a lot of drama.
Another crazy idea that I stole from legendary Chick Hearn like 20 years ago: Get rid of foul outs. If a players gets over 6 common fouls (not flagrant, not Techs) then every foul after that is one FT and the ball, so teams would still have to strategize on how they use players in "foul trouble". But the idea of potentially removing star players from a game entirely because of too many common fouls is really sort of dumb. Imagine if in the NFL an all pro defensive player was kicked out of a game for committing one too many off sides?
I think it would help if most of the making suggestion watched the current NBA.
"Stars flock to super teams"
The two best teams in the NBA either drafted or traded for their best players. Out of like the top 6 teams Brooklyn Nets are the only ones that fit that criteria.
"We should bring back 80's or 90's defenses"
How the hell are you going to make teams play stupider? Like are you going to clone Russel Westbrook and force him on every team?
"Everyone wants to move to LA"
The LA Lakers and Clippers are below .500
"Stars flock to super teams"
The two best teams in the NBA either drafted or traded for their best players. Out of like the top 6 teams Brooklyn Nets are the only ones that fit that criteria.
"We should bring back 80's or 90's defenses"
How the hell are you going to make teams play stupider? Like are you going to clone Russel Westbrook and force him on every team?
"Everyone wants to move to LA"
The LA Lakers and Clippers are below .500
I would add an addendum getting ejections for Flagrant Fouls should remain in place.
1. It is way too difficult to watch games. I want to watch my team either in cable/sat or thru streaming. Give me options. I tried ordering just the Wolves games thru Directv, while living in Phoenix, and it was impossible apparently unless I wanted all nba games For some stupid price. I don't have the internet to stream right now, so it was my only hope.
2. The refs are so blatantly bad. The Wolves just lost to the Hawks where they ejected Anthony Edwards in 3 seconds, gave KAT and flagrant foul for a kick out on a fadeaway jumper made famous by Dirk, next game Wolves get make up calls against the Nets.
sadly these two things are the most unlikely to be fixed.
2. The refs are so blatantly bad. The Wolves just lost to the Hawks where they ejected Anthony Edwards in 3 seconds, gave KAT and flagrant foul for a kick out on a fadeaway jumper made famous by Dirk, next game Wolves get make up calls against the Nets.
sadly these two things are the most unlikely to be fixed.
I agree with all your points but the LA draw is real
Lakers were hot garbage for like a decade but managed to get Lebron, no other city could do that
Yes bigger markets often attract players to want to sign there or be traded there, but that also occurs in baseball or football. People often overreact to how much that occurs in the NBA and to hear people talk you'd think the Lakers or Knicks were constantly just signing the best free agents every year. The Lakers literally went like 20 years in between major free agent signings in Shaq and then LeBron. The Clippers have only ever done it once in their entire existence (Kawhi). the Knicks have been begging guys to play for them for years and the best free agent they've ever signed in any of our lifetimes is either Amare Stoudamire or Julius Randle. Big markets are a draw, yes, but they are in every sport just like they are in any profession really.
There are too many games but that won't change for obvious reasons. I think the midseason tournament idea they've been floating is decent if it was in lieu of a month's worth of games. They need someway to make people care about the pre-March section of the schedule. I'd be open to extending the 3 point line out. Basketball officiating is pretty poor and regularly highlights how subjective and arbitrarily enforced the rules are. On that same note, officiating replays take way too much time and kill the rhythm of the game. They need to have an official in the replay booth so these things can be looked at without stopping the game.
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I most certainly watch the NBA and I am indeed a Hawks fan; I have a Hawks flag hanging outside my house. I almost bussed a gut when the Hawks beat the Sixers last year. I plan on going to a Hawks when I go back to visit my family in Atlanta.
The proof is in the ratings. The NFL draft has higher ratings than the NBA finals year in and year out.
NFL Draft Outdraws NBA Finals, Oscars
12.52 million viewers tuned in Thursday for the first round of the NFL Draft. The average combines viewing on ESPN (6.48 million), ABC (4.19 million), and NFL Network (1.85 million
www.outkick.com
Yeah, it's one day, but we are talking about a draft. That shows how deep football runs here. Hell, the NBA is global and still can't beat the NFL in ratings and revenue.
And that's why the league is so successful. They don't have to put anyone at the forefront to represent the league. You are proving my point.
I have no idea how you are going to get players who are already resting and managing minutes to give a shit about a midseason tournament.
I agree with you that it happens in every major sport, and prob more so now than ever.
Given the class of the free agents the Lakers get though, that is insanely frequent
Like Kareem, Shaq and Lebron are like at worst all in the top 10 ever. The other franchises who've gotten that caliber of talent to come are… none? Maybe you could say Oscar to Milwaukee way back when is the only thing close
They have to change it up soccer style. split up the season like Liga MX does. They have a winter season and summer season and each season has a champion. If they are 2 different champs within the calendar year then they have a super championship game of sorts. NBA should adopt that
- Intentional fouls should always be two shots and the ball. FIBA already has this right and classifies any stoppage of a fastbreak as unsportsmanlike. NBA has clear path fouls but doesn't go nearly as far.
The fact that losing teams can use penalties against themselves as a benefit is awful for the sport. It hasn't changed because there is this weird subset of fans that would rather say 'well you are a professional so make your free throws'. Penalties should never benefit the team committing the penalty! It's awful when a team down 3 ends up getting fouled purposely and put at the line to shoot 2 free throws. You enter an endless cycle of BOTH teams fouling each other purposely in this scenario until someone finally misses a FT.
- They need to tier contracts out more significantly. The super max tries to accomplish this but doesn't go far enough. Every team should be able to give out a 'tier 1' contract that is say 45-50% of the cap. After that, no one else on the team should be able to make more than 20-25% of the cap (unless drafted). AD isn't demanding the Lakers in a trade if he can make 50-56 million a year in NO vs a maximum of 22-28 million with the Lakers. The breakdown has to be such that endorsements can't make up the difference to deter it.
This has three benefits. It forces players to consider small markets more. It makes teaming up for the top 15-20 players much less likely. It also shouldn't be an unpopular idea as this would likely raise the median salary for the top 90% of the league because teams will have to focus on surrounding their star with really good starters or role players rather than brute forcing it with star power. Players like AD and Lebron would hate it, but a good players union should be a democracy where the majority have the power, and the majority would benefit from this. Unfortunately sometimes the NBA players union gives too much say to guys at the top.
In the above situation, you might actually see a player like AD want to go to Memphis because they have a tier 1 contract available with a drafted player who has tier 1 potential (Morant) after their rookie contract is up. It would be a slightly more organic superteam. Small markets that draft well in the top 5 would finally have more ammo in FA. Ironically this would not have stopped KD from going to GSW, though, because of Curry's weird career arc having him being paid only 12 million a year while getting MVP twice.
The fact that losing teams can use penalties against themselves as a benefit is awful for the sport. It hasn't changed because there is this weird subset of fans that would rather say 'well you are a professional so make your free throws'. Penalties should never benefit the team committing the penalty! It's awful when a team down 3 ends up getting fouled purposely and put at the line to shoot 2 free throws. You enter an endless cycle of BOTH teams fouling each other purposely in this scenario until someone finally misses a FT.
- They need to tier contracts out more significantly. The super max tries to accomplish this but doesn't go far enough. Every team should be able to give out a 'tier 1' contract that is say 45-50% of the cap. After that, no one else on the team should be able to make more than 20-25% of the cap (unless drafted). AD isn't demanding the Lakers in a trade if he can make 50-56 million a year in NO vs a maximum of 22-28 million with the Lakers. The breakdown has to be such that endorsements can't make up the difference to deter it.
This has three benefits. It forces players to consider small markets more. It makes teaming up for the top 15-20 players much less likely. It also shouldn't be an unpopular idea as this would likely raise the median salary for the top 90% of the league because teams will have to focus on surrounding their star with really good starters or role players rather than brute forcing it with star power. Players like AD and Lebron would hate it, but a good players union should be a democracy where the majority have the power, and the majority would benefit from this. Unfortunately sometimes the NBA players union gives too much say to guys at the top.
In the above situation, you might actually see a player like AD want to go to Memphis because they have a tier 1 contract available with a drafted player who has tier 1 potential (Morant) after their rookie contract is up. It would be a slightly more organic superteam. Small markets that draft well in the top 5 would finally have more ammo in FA. Ironically this would not have stopped KD from going to GSW, though, because of Curry's weird career arc having him being paid only 12 million a year while getting MVP twice.
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I most certainly watch the NBA and I am indeed a Hawks fan; I have a Hawks flag hanging outside my house. I almost bussed a gut when the Hawks beat the Sixers last year. I plan on going to a Hawks when I go back to visit my family in Atlanta.
The proof is in the ratings. The NFL draft has higher ratings than the NBA finals year in and year out.
NFL Draft Outdraws NBA Finals, Oscars
12.52 million viewers tuned in Thursday for the first round of the NFL Draft. The average combines viewing on ESPN (6.48 million), ABC (4.19 million), and NFL Network (1.85 million
Yeah, it's one day, but we are talking about a draft. That shows how deep football runs here. Hell, the NBA is global and still can't beat the NFL in ratings and revenue.
And that's why the league is so successful. They don't have to put anyone at the forefront to represent the league. You are proving my point.
You are comparing a sport with 22 starters with a sport that has 5 starters.
The NBA cant replicate the NFL because the NFL has a fraction of the games, each team has one game a week, it appeals to rural America which the NBA cant, nobody gives a shit about the health of the players.
Like can you imagine the scandal if NBA players acted like NFL players?
Why the hell would I want the NBA to bring in Jordan Peterson or Ben Shapiro like how ESPN brought in Rush Limbaugh?
I like some of the things I see here. I like the idea of players not fouling out and penalizing intentional fouls more. I'd rather have intentional fouls be straight up points rather than FTs in the last 2 minutes. Foul them on their side of the court to stop time? 1 point and ball back.
I most certainly watch the NBA and I am indeed a Hawks fan; I have a Hawks flag hanging outside my house. I almost bussed a gut when the Hawks beat the Sixers last year. I plan on going to a Hawks when I go back to visit my family in Atlanta.
The proof is in the ratings. The NFL draft has higher ratings than the NBA finals year in and year out.
NFL Draft Outdraws NBA Finals, Oscars
12.52 million viewers tuned in Thursday for the first round of the NFL Draft. The average combines viewing on ESPN (6.48 million), ABC (4.19 million), and NFL Network (1.85 million
Yeah, it's one day, but we are talking about a draft. That shows how deep football runs here. Hell, the NBA is global and still can't beat the NFL in ratings and revenue.
And that's why the league is so successful. They don't have to put anyone at the forefront to represent the league. You are proving my point.
I'm not proving your point. Your remarks were about the NBA failing to develop and market talent. That's not the NBA's problem. It has superstars for days, which is the only reason it can compete with the NFL to any degree. Football has long been a more popular sport in America. That has very little, if nothing, to do with the quality of its players.
This is a huge problem too. 82 games is a lot vs the NFL's 17 game season. How do you fix resting a player? They will just say he's injured to get around it like they already do.
Every game counts in the NFL because you want home field through the playoffs. How do you make every game NBA important and mean something? Shortening the season is the only option.
In my initial post, I didn't say anything about marketing their players. Development, yes, but I said nothing about player marketing. I responded to your marketing post with "they don't need a player to represent the league"
Edit: I see it. I said "promote more than just one player." You are right, I did say something about marketing, but in a different way.
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I really don't think this is true? It may be for the 4-5 premier QBs, the Brady, Manning, Rodgers, Brees, Favre, Mahomes types. But overall NBA players are much more recognizable, partially because football is played in helmets.
As in, I'd wager that way more people would recognize and know a fringe NBA all-star like say Paul George or Kyle Lowry than they would some of the best players in the NFL like Aaron Donald, Davante Adams or Derrick Henry.
Edit: See your clarification above but I don't think the issue is really with development either.
Gotcha, I've heard bad stories of people (mostly in some of the larger geographic markets in the midwest/west) having LP blocked for their 'local' team but the RSN either isn't available in their area or isn't carrying the game.
I've also heard international fans have issues.
It's funny that people even care about the markets outside of their own. Like, they aren't playing in the middle of Time Square or the Chicago Bean.
I'm sorry, you wouldn't be able to pick out a 7ft monster that is kd in a crowd lol.
Anyway.... 👀
What does hitting it mainstream even mean? Cause steph is one the most recognizable athletes on the international lvl right now.
Specifically because you namcheked NFL players, while it's popularity is unmatched in NA, ain't nobody recognizing Patrick mahomes, OBJ, Tom Brady in EU or China...
But people want to see dunks not 3 pointers
How about a separate court on each side where each team has a net setup and a "designated dunker" and that person can do an uncontested dunk once every minute.