The NBA just received one of the worst ratings they have ever received for their abysmal All Star Weekend in San Francisco. After changing the platform multiple times, nothing has worked for the NBA. So what's next?
During the same time, the NHL had its revamped All Star break that caught national attention. They turned their All Star format from a skills competition and a mini tournament between the four divisions into an international showdown between four different countries.
Like the NBA, NHL players often wouldn't put their best effort into the all star games in the past. But this year was different. The official name of the tournament was called Four Nations Face Off. It was comprised of the best players from the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden.
The round robin tournament took place over a week and got people very excited about the sport. The players put everything on the line even though there was no incentive to playing besides representing your respective country.
The number one concern for players over All Star Weekend has always been injuries, but when you put your nation's colors on, all of those concerns are left behind. It was a great tournament and a great turnaround from the NHL. They turned a usual underwhelming All Star Weekend into a playoff intensity tournament for the players and fans.
On the other hand, the NBA saw its ratings fall off the charts. No one was excited about the usual All Star festivities and especially the game itself. Watching stars play basically a pickup basketball game with no one putting in any effort or trying is flat out boring to watch. It's hard to get excited about something that has no hype whatsoever.
The NBA should look at the NHL as an example of what they should implement. There are multiple ways they can change All Star Weekend. One is by adopting the four nations format from the NHL. Getting four different countries in a tournament would get the fans excited and give the players an incentive to represent their own countries.
Another option is to do a United States versus the rest of the world game. Imagine international players like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and more taking on the best from the United States. The International game has vastly improved in recent history, so this would definitely incorporate a lot of competition and excitement.
Whichever one of those methods it is, the NBA has to do something to fix their weekend. The NHL did an amazing job and even got viewers that didn't watch hockey in the first place to tune in as well. It's clear, the NBA can't keep this format any longer.
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