The NBA’s long-standing desire to launch an offseason tournament will gain momentum behind the scenes on this Friday.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, a meeting between the NBA and the NBPA (Players Association) was held to discus the format, rewards, and potential seasons for the In-Season Tournament.
The reporter revealed that the NBA plans to start the offseason tournament starting in the 2023/24 season. In addition, the trend is that the games of the“cup” last until November.
Following that, in December, eight qualified teams advance to the knockout stage, while the remaining 22 teams restart their regular season. All tournament games would then be included in the regular 82-game schedule.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed those rumors with the media at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland last February.
“I think we were moving closer to it. I feel we’ve had productive conversations with the Players Association, whose approval, of course, would be required to change the format. And my sense is there’s a fair amount of interest.” Silver said.
The NBA is constantly looking to add excitement and new entertainment to the league. However, the discussion of how to do this in an already considered tight schedule with 82 regular season games and playoffs, is an issue that is always raised.
Some points were progressed when the conversations were restarted. As a result of the NBPA’s participation, an agreement between the association and the league appears to be in the works.
According to Charania, the deadline for the competition’s implementation has also approved. On the other hand, it will still be necessary to align the idea with the owners of broadcasting rights, such as television and other media. Likewise, players and franchises will have to agree on the suggested logistics.
It’s hard to say, therefore, how a mid-season tournament will work. While the NBA isn’t the first sports league looking to expand, the idea would be unprecedented in the league.
