Idea: Extend the Length of the Season, Minimize Number of Back-to-Back Games

[meangreenmachine]

What are your thoughts on extending the length of the season so that we have fewer (possibly no) back-to-back games? Perhaps you eliminate the preseason, start the season in early October and end it by early/mid-July with the draft now occurring in late July and free agency in August. That would mean only two and half months of no basketball (really only one month since we would have the draft and free agency to keep us busy at the end of July and August).

Another somewhat related idea: Trim the playoffs to 8 teams and have the lottery consist of 22 teams, so even a good team has a chance of getting a great prospect (perhaps you even provide greater odds than currently so we can further discourage tanking). I think we've only had two or three teams seeded lower than four make it to the Finals (the only winner that comes to mind is the '95 Rockets, who were a fifth seed that benefited from Shaq/Penny choking), so why not just have the four best seeds in each conference duke it out? When you get unusual circumstances such as four teams tied at seeds 3-6, settle the third and fourth seeds with a win-or-go-home 83rd game where the three hosts the six and the four hosts the five.

What are your thoughts?

[loco_91]

I like the idea of extending the season and eliminating preseason. Wonder whether the players would go for it, or whether they prefer having a longer offseason. Also wonder how much it would reduce injuries.

I don't like the idea of shrinking the playoffs. The playoffs are the most fun part of the season, even if you're an eighth seed it's fun. If the playoffs were eight teams, we wouldn't have even made it last year, which would've been a major major bummer.

[Moranis]

I see no reason to make the calendar season longer and still play the same amount of games.  It already takes a very long time.

And shrinking the playoff teams is just silly.

[Surferdad]

I like the idea of extending the season and eliminating preseason. Wonder whether the players would go for it, or whether they prefer having a longer offseason. Also wonder how much it would reduce injuries.

I don't like the idea of shrinking the playoffs. The playoffs are the most fun part of the season, even if you're an eighth seed it's fun. If the playoffs were eight teams, we wouldn't have even made it last year, which would've been a major major bummer.

Agree with loco on both. 

On the playoffs, that would mean much less revenue both because playoff games are 'cash cows' and also because of less fan interest around the league in the playoff run of their teams.  The league would never go for it.

Starting the season earlier is an idea I've thought about for a while.  As an interim measure, maybe cut back the pre-season to 3 or 4 games and try to limit back-to-backs to 1 or 2 for each team per season.

The possible limitations I see on extending the season both before and after the current season are (1) the availability of arenas and c(2) ompetition with other sports.  Both can be overcome, but imagine the NBA Finals taking place at the same time as the MLB All-Star game. 

[mef730]

The season is too long. Shrink the calendar, get rid of all the extra travel rest days during the finals. Go to 72 games.

Will never happen, of course, because that's lost revenue.

Mike