The NBA Cup: A Slam Dunk or a Missed Shot?

As is the NBA Cup fades away into the past, it would be an excellent time to review its impact on players, fans, and the league. The NBA Cup is the league’s attempt to create an in-season tournament to generate hype and interest during the regular season.

(Source: silverscreenandroll.com Photograph by silverscreenandroll Date: October 24th, 2024)

The NBA Cup Explained: Basketball’s Bold New Tournament

The idea is a fresh change of pace for the NBA regular season as fans get to see exciting court designs and uniforms. These court designs are meant to contrast a team’s traditional colors, differing from the color of team uniforms.

For example, during the inaugural 2023 NBA Cup, the Los Angeles Lakers had to wear a gold uniform instead of their usual black ones during the semifinal round. Intriguingly, the 2023 Dallas Mavericks also had problems since they did not play their two home NBA Cup games due to manufacturing issues.

The format is similar to other multi-stage tournaments like the FIFA World Cup, where there are pools during the group stages and knockout rounds afterward. There are six groups of five with each pool winner and two best runner-up teams advancing.

Each game except for the championship game will be counted toward a team’s regular season record. This has allowed the in-season tournament to exist during the regular season since there is only one added game for the two final teams, leaving little impact on standings.

The grand prize for the NBA Cup is a cash prize, with the championship team earning 500k per player, 200k for the runner-ups, and similar amounts of cash for teams who make it to the knockout rounds. The sponsor is Emirates, a UAE airline, concerning fans who do not support the UAE.

(Source: bbc.com Photograph by Getty Images Date: December 18th, 2024)

The NBA Cup Effect: Are Fans Buying In?

The cash prize reward has motivated players to play at a higher intensity and be more physical since there is something on the line. Players like Damian Lillard praise the tournament, saying “It just brings out the best in us”.

This increased physicality and focus from players has made these November and December regular-season games more exciting to watch. People who love the NBA have enjoyed seeing these regular season games become more intense and worthwhile.

However, many people believe that the NBA Cup’s main goal to draw viewers away from primetime fall sports like college football and NFL games has not been achieved. NBA ratings have been down 19%, suggesting that the tournament has been unable to sustain consistent viewership for the league.

Still, the 2024 championship game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder was the second-most viewed game of the year, highlighting the NBA Cup’s promise in drawing in casual fans.

The NBA Cup’s Next Chapter: What’s Ahead for the Tournament?

(Source: cnn.com Photograph by Ian Maule/AP Date: December 9th, 2023)

Overall, the NBA Cup is still an unfinished idea with many new implementations and brands jumping at the opportunity to stream these games like Amazon. Next year, they will host the semifinals and finals on Amazon Prime.

Some other potential changes include doubling the length of the group stage to eight games to allow contending teams to have a better chance to prove their abilities rather than losing out because of a loss of two. Also, it has been discussed to move the NBA Cup to later in the year because it would allow the NBA to avoid conflicting with football games.

Finally, the NBA Cup may make only the championship game in Las Vegas to incentivize players to play well since they can take a needed break in the city. The championship game could also be moved to other large markets like New York or New Orleans.

However, Las Vegas is a neutral site, which players and coaches appreciate. Ultimately, the NBA Cup is a welcome innovation to the bland regular season that can encourage casual viewers to tune in.