NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has announced that the NBA is discussing changing the NBA All-Star Game format to a USA vs. The World format.
In an interview, Silver told reporters that the league, represented by himself and NBA President of Basketball Operations Bryan Spruell is in discussion with the NBA Players Association and their broadcast partner NBA about changing the game to a USA vs. International game. Silver confirms the idea in a statement:
“Given the strong interest we’ve seen in international basketball competitions, most recently in last summer’s Olympics in Paris, we’re discussing concepts with the players association that focus on NBA players representing their countries or regions instead of the more traditional formats that we’ve used in the past.”
The discussed change comes at a pivotal time for the All-Star game as fan perception becomes an issue. League officials have implemented a number of changes over the past decade to bring back fan interest, but to mixed results.
The potential format change comes off the heels of a successful 2024 Summer Olympics, where international players showed the talent gap between USA basketball and the rest of the world is razor thin. The formatting is also influenced by a highly successful NHL All-Star Game, where it embraced a four nations tournament approach.
While a new format is interesting, it remains to be seen if it would bring fans back, as fans try to reengage in the NBA’s All-Star weekend. The latest discussions could see a rise in viewership, but how the USA vs. International idea could be implemented will determine interest.
The NBA is discussing changing the NBA All-Star Game format to a USA vs. The World game, a move that could happen as soon as next season.
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NBA Considering USA vs. World All-Star Game