Sources: NBA considering reseeding conference finalists, postseason play-in

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

[gpap]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

For me personally, the idea of a mid-season tournament does nothing for me.

I think the idea is rather senseless and don't really see how the games will be any more meaningful than your traditional regular season game.

If anything, it sounds like nothing more than a glorified all-star game and it also sounds like the only reason it's being considered is to draw more ad revenue for the league.

Maybe the execution will look better than it sounds on paper, but personally, I'm not digging it.

[GreenlyGreeny]

I don’t like most of these ideas, but the league should reseed each Conference’s playoff bracket after each playoff round, like the NFL and NHL.

Agree 100% with this.

[GreenlyGreeny]

How about combining both conferences into one with the best record team being #1 seed and the worst record team of reaching the postseason is the #16 seed

And then have it like 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14 etc etc.

Sure but what if by random chance the one seed has to travel 3000 miles to meet 16, and seed two has to travel 300 miles to meet seed 15? That seems unfair. And what if seed one advances and their next round opponent is 2500 miles away and seed two’s next round opponent is 250 miles away? By the time of the NBA Finals, seed one may have traveled many thousands of miles whereas the opponent perhaps just a thousand or so.

Mixing the conferences adds this variable that is unacceptable IMHO. It gives an unfair competitive advantage to the teams in the Midwest versus the coasts. It would make the road to an NBA Championship more difficult for Boston and LA compared to now, and make it relatively easier for the Bulls, for example.

[slamtheking]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

as a fan, I could care less about casual fans.  as a business, risking alienating your core customers to try for marginal gains in casual customers hasn't always gone particularly well.  this would be such a move.

[Moranis]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

as a fan, I could care less about casual fans.  as a business, risking alienating your core customers to try for marginal gains in casual customers hasn't always gone particularly well.  this would be such a move.

are they really risking alienating the core fans though?  I mean would any core fan not watch the same amount of games because the NBA did an in-season tournament.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

as a fan, I could care less about casual fans.  as a business, risking alienating your core customers to try for marginal gains in casual customers hasn't always gone particularly well.  this would be such a move.

are they really risking alienating the core fans though?  I mean would any core fan not watch the same amount of games because the NBA did an in-season tournament.

That's exactly my point. What would it take to alienate core fans? I don't think its going to be something like this. In fact, my argument is that the core fans would probably begrudgedly follow it just as much as other games.

[fairweatherfan]

Seems like a solution in search of a problem, or a league in search of a gimmick.

When has conference finals not getting reseeded been a real problem? Normally people talk about conference imbalance, but there was a subpar conference finalist last year and it was from the West. What is gained by having the conference finals be Bucks-Blazers and Raptors-Warriors, with Bucks-Raptors probably just meeting in the Finals instead? Just doesn't seem like it's fixing anything that needs fixing, at the expense of a lot of added travel and weird matchups.

A midseason tournament though - could be fun. That one could be done in a way that breaks up the doldrums of the regular season. Need a good incentive to make the players buy in though.

[slamtheking]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

as a fan, I could care less about casual fans.  as a business, risking alienating your core customers to try for marginal gains in casual customers hasn't always gone particularly well.  this would be such a move.

are they really risking alienating the core fans though?  I mean would any core fan not watch the same amount of games because the NBA did an in-season tournament.

That's exactly my point. What would it take to alienate core fans? I don't think its going to be something like this. In fact, my argument is that the core fans would probably begrudgedly follow it just as much as other games.

is that what you're going for?  a core fanbase that watches a new money-making scheme begrudgingly? 

I can tell you that I haven't watched a non-Celtic game in probably 2 decades, including playoffs.  the product sucks.  adding this extra garbage to the season isn't getting me back into the game.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Here's a really important question to ask: I know that hardcore NBA fans probably won't like these play-in games and mid-season tourneys, but will they still watch, talk about, and follow the coverage?

In my opinion, they absolutely will. On top of that, mixing things up like this might drum up more interest from fringe fans. It's a savvy move that has very little downside.

who cares about fringe fans?

The NBA as a business.

as a fan, I could care less about casual fans.  as a business, risking alienating your core customers to try for marginal gains in casual customers hasn't always gone particularly well.  this would be such a move.

are they really risking alienating the core fans though?  I mean would any core fan not watch the same amount of games because the NBA did an in-season tournament.

That's exactly my point. What would it take to alienate core fans? I don't think its going to be something like this. In fact, my argument is that the core fans would probably begrudgedly follow it just as much as other games.

is that what you're going for?  a core fanbase that watches a new money-making scheme begrudgingly? 

I can tell you that I haven't watched a non-Celtic game in probably 2 decades, including playoffs.  the product sucks.  adding this extra garbage to the season isn't getting me back into the game.

That's actually really interesting. I would probably argue that they haven't lost anything if you don't watch then. You will still watch the Celtics and nothing else.

But there are others that have small amounts of interest that this might engage. They would be the target. Not you.

Again, its the same thing. They haven't lost anything, but they have the potential of gaining more ratings.

[GreenEnvy]

Only thing I would like is the play-in games (baseball has been wildly successful) and reseeding. They should only be reseeding intra-conference. The thought of Celtics-Lakers in the second round or a semi-final is weak.

Leave East vs West til Finals, but if a top team is knocked off, that should benefit the team with the best regular season record, not the 3 or 5 seed.

I do not need a in-season tourney either, don’t get the point of that.

[nickagneta]

I like things they way they are. Completely.

I think a mid season tourney is very much a European soccer thing and would bomb in America. It would be just a gimmick.

I think play ins for the final slot is awful. I hate it in baseball. I hate it in NCAA basketball. If you get 8 spots for the playoffs per conference, then the top 8 teams make it. Besides, would a team rather have 2 home playoff games before bowing to a top seed or a 2-5% shot at a top 5 pick in the draft, depending on where the team is seeded league wide? I would be telling my team to lose.

Lastly, I don't like reseeding in the conferences between rounds. Let's say a #8 seed beats a #1 seed. Why should they be punished in playing the #2 or #3 seed instead of receiving the reward of the upset and face the #4 or #5 seed?

[Celtics4ever]

Hate these proposals, this is not soccer.

A lot of people supporting crap like this don't even watch the games.

[gouki88]

I simply don't get why the NBA is hellbent on making changes

[gpap]

I simply don't get why the NBA is hellbent on making changes

I just think Adam Silver is trying to make more money for the league and increase TV ratings. Me personally, just let it be!