NBA discussing in-season tournament with $1 million-per-player prize pool, per report

In recent times we have seen plenty of adjustments to the NBA schedule. Some have been momentary alterations necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas others, just like the play-in match, are everlasting additions. Trying forward, there could possibly be much more developments within the years to come back. 

On Monday, the league’s competitors committee met to debate plenty of matters throughout their annual offseason assembly. Amongst them is a possible in-season match with a prize pool of $1 million per participant, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

Additional particulars are scarce at this level, and there’s at present no timeline for when this particular iteration of the concept could be carried out. The final idea of an in-season match has been floated round for a number of years now, however nothing has ever been finalized. 

Earlier this yr, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that NBA commissioner Adam Silver was hopeful that the success of the play-in match may generate extra curiosity in an in-season competitors that will be primarily based on the fashions utilized by European soccer leagues. Earlier than such an occasion could possibly be carried out, each the gamers union and no less than two-thirds of the league’s groups must come to an settlement. Because it stands, there are nonetheless considerations from each events, per Wojnarowski.  

This summer time, the WNBA debuted an in-season competitors referred to as the Commissioner’s Cup that largely failed as an initiative. As a way to keep away from together with further video games on the schedule, the league made sure common season video games “cup video games” and after the primary half of the season the 2 groups with the perfect document in “cup video games” met within the championship. It was complicated for each followers and gamers, a lot of whom did not perceive the format and did not appear to care. 

Determining the logistics and format would be the main focus for the NBA as they attempt to transfer ahead with an in-season competitors, however the greatest problem would be the identical because the one the WNBA confronted. How do you make it matter, not solely to paying prospects, however to the gamers and groups that will be concerned?