What is the point of East vs West?

[BJ43]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Thanks for your contribution, it has nothing to do with this thread...

[NY_Kn1cks]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Thanks for your contribution, it has nothing to do with this thread...

The same contribution this thread has to the board.

[Sixerscan]

Average season attendance in the NBA in 2010-2011 was 708,923, or about 17,290 a game.

If we did 17290 as the average over a 58 game season, the total attendance would be 501,433.

That's a difference of 207,490.

The average NBA ticket cost $47.67 in 2010-2011.

$47.67 times 207,490 equals $9.98 million. Times 30 is $297 million

So just looking at ticket sales would lower revenue the NBA and its arena partners by $300 million a year, to say nothing of concessions, parking, TV deals and ads, all of which would probably add up to over a half billion dollars in lost revenue A YEAR.

Now, obviously there are some variables at play here (Attendance would go up some with fewer games, maybe even with higher ticket prices, there would be less costs, etc etc etc). Still, any idea to shorten the NBA by season by one game, let alone 26, is a total non starter unless you can figure out a way to make up that revenue difference. The obvious answer is to pay the players less, but you can't shorten the season without their approval, and they won't agree to it if they are losing money for no real reason other than you wanting to see the two best teams play in the Finals instead of the conference finals or what have you.

[Sixerscan]

The problem with 2-3-2 is when the lower seeded team steals one of the first two suddenly you have an 8 seed with home court advantage over a 1 seed.

this is true with a 2-2-1-1-1 as well. in either scenario 8 has 3 home games remaining and 1 has 2.

[BJ43]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Thanks for your contribution, it has nothing to do with this thread...

The same contribution this thread has to the board.

Having a bad day? Did your girlfriend cheat on you?

[BJ43]

Average season attendance in the NBA in 2010-2011 was 708,923, or about 17,290 a game.

If we did 17290 as the average over a 58 game season, the total attendance would be 501,433.

That's a difference of 207,490.

The average NBA ticket cost $47.67 in 2010-2011.

$47.67 times 207,490 equals $9.98 million. Times 30 is $297 million

So just looking at ticket sales would lower revenue the NBA and its arena partners by $300 million a year, to say nothing of concessions, parking, TV deals and ads, all of which would probably add up to over a half billion dollars in lost revenue A YEAR.

Now, obviously there are some variables at play here (Attendance would go up some with fewer games, maybe even with higher ticket prices, there would be less costs, etc etc etc). Still, any idea to shorten the NBA by season by one game, let alone 26, is a total non starter unless you can figure out a way to make up that revenue difference. The obvious answer is to pay the players less, but you can't shorten the season without their approval, and they won't agree to it if they are losing money for no real reason other than you wanting to see the two best teams play in the Finals instead of the conference finals or what have you.

OK, so if they arent going to shorten the season, let them extend it by 5 games. Every team plays the other 29 teams 3 times = 87

This doesn't decrease revenue, and it makes it easy to determine the winner of a series in the case that 2 teams finish with identical records

The 58 games was a secondary argument/thought. My main focus was the top 16 records making it through to the playoffs, and I felt in order to have those games evaluated fairly they would need to be playing the same teams an even amount of times. So whether it's twice for 58 games or three times for 87 games....i just felt/feel that many games is too much for a regular season

[Buckeyevstworld]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Because a red sky would freak everyone out.

[twinthunder3]

Otherwise, home court advantage really entitles a home court ADvantage because that team wouldn't have to travel.

[heatwillbeback]

I think a big part of it is fostering rivalries- you face the same teams in series year after year sometimes, and good rivalries are great for business.

[youngthegiant]

Playoffs should really be just one standing. Teams like the sixers and celtics can just slide into the ecf, even though they are not as good as other teams. New York would have easily of beat the hawks, or a depleted chicago team. Having one set of standings makes everything more fair.

[83SixersRocked]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Because a red sky would freak everyone out.

i was almost sorry i read the thread until this

[FlashKing]

why is there an NFC/AFC? Why is there an American League and National League? Why did the woodchuck chuck wood?...I'm Ron Burgandy?

[Josephpaul]

Average season attendance in the NBA in 2010-2011 was 708,923, or about 17,290 a game.

If we did 17290 as the average over a 58 game season, the total attendance would be 501,433.

That's a difference of 207,490.

The average NBA ticket cost $47.67 in 2010-2011.

$47.67 times 207,490 equals $9.98 million. Times 30 is $297 million

So just looking at ticket sales would lower revenue the NBA and its arena partners by $300 million a year, to say nothing of concessions, parking, TV deals and ads, all of which would probably add up to over a half billion dollars in lost revenue A YEAR.

Now, obviously there are some variables at play here (Attendance would go up some with fewer games, maybe even with higher ticket prices, there would be less costs, etc etc etc). Still, any idea to shorten the NBA by season by one game, let alone 26, is a total non starter unless you can figure out a way to make up that revenue difference. The obvious answer is to pay the players less, but you can't shorten the season without their approval, and they won't agree to it if they are losing money for no real reason other than you wanting to see the two best teams play in the Finals instead of the conference finals or what have you.

This

[NY_Kn1cks]

What is the point of the sky being blue

Because a red sky would freak everyone out.

i was almost sorry i read the thread until this

[Heat3]

Honestly the biggest reason that Divisions and East vs. West makes a lot of sense is locations, travel lengths, and time zones.

It just doesn't make sense to have a 1st and a 16th seed have to travel cross country for a 7 game series or to force a team to play another in a similar fashion (multiple games) during the regular season.

OK, so during the regular season that wouldn't be an issue as the teams are playing each other twice anyway on each others home court.

So it comes down the playoffs? What kind of travel are we talking about? Serious question as I'm not familiar with flight times within the US. For example say OKC had to play NYK in the 1st round. How long is that flight compared to NYK going to MIA?

Is it really that big of a deal when you're playing the 2-2-1-1-1 format? Would it be beneficial to go back to 2-3-2 format?

I just didnt think it was that big of a deal if they fly in and get a day or more rest *shrugs*

A flight from Miami to LA is like 6 hours. Miami to Portland is probably around 7hrs non-stop. I've done Miami to Chicago several times, that's about 3-3.5hrs. Some of the longer flights have layovers for team planes too. It'll be pretty grueling to potentially do that for every series in the playoffs.

When teams go on the road they usually play teams near each other so they aren't flying back and forth across the country. A team like Chicago or New Orleans would have a geographic advantage because the longest they have to fly is probably 3.5hrs. The time zone changes aren't so pronounced either.

[Sixerscan]

Average season attendance in the NBA in 2010-2011 was 708,923, or about 17,290 a game.

If we did 17290 as the average over a 58 game season, the total attendance would be 501,433.

That's a difference of 207,490.

The average NBA ticket cost $47.67 in 2010-2011.

$47.67 times 207,490 equals $9.98 million. Times 30 is $297 million

So just looking at ticket sales would lower revenue the NBA and its arena partners by $300 million a year, to say nothing of concessions, parking, TV deals and ads, all of which would probably add up to over a half billion dollars in lost revenue A YEAR.

Now, obviously there are some variables at play here (Attendance would go up some with fewer games, maybe even with higher ticket prices, there would be less costs, etc etc etc). Still, any idea to shorten the NBA by season by one game, let alone 26, is a total non starter unless you can figure out a way to make up that revenue difference. The obvious answer is to pay the players less, but you can't shorten the season without their approval, and they won't agree to it if they are losing money for no real reason other than you wanting to see the two best teams play in the Finals instead of the conference finals or what have you.

OK, so if they arent going to shorten the season, let them extend it by 5 games. Every team plays the other 29 teams 3 times = 87

This doesn't decrease revenue, and it makes it easy to determine the winner of a series in the case that 2 teams finish with identical records

The 58 games was a secondary argument/thought. My main focus was the top 16 records making it through to the playoffs, and I felt in order to have those games evaluated fairly they would need to be playing the same teams an even amount of times. So whether it's twice for 58 games or three times for 87 games....i just felt/feel that many games is too much for a regular season

Making everyone play each other 3 times instead of twice ruins the balance of the schedule (heck that's not even an equal amount of home games for everyone) Given the imbalance your schedule has now caused, you can't guarantee that the two "best" teams would get the top two seeds. Heck, in your example this year, the thunder and spurs would be the 2nd and 3rd seed, dooming them to the conference finals again. Even if you reseed after each round, the only reason probably it would work out this year is because Rose had a fluke injury.

Personally, I am a fan of conferences. Playing the same teams year after year builds rivalries and fan interest. Plus if your team is still in it it's fun to watch the matchup across from yours to "scout" your potential opponents in the next round. Additionally we can talk about how constant cross country travel during the playoffs would kill teams for future rounds, and the season would last even longer than it already does. I don't think all of that is worth giving up for the benefits you talk about. Who is to really say who the "best" teams are until they play each other in a 7 game series?

[Josephpaul]

Other than the heat . The east playoffs have be lack luster .

[FlashKing]

Thanks for your contribution, it has nothing to do with this thread...

The same contribution this thread has to the board.

Having a bad day? Did your girlfriend cheat on you?

[deanwoof]

Simple answer $$$

correct! $$$, and stories, and this sense of rivalries.

[BJ43]

I'm surprised so many people are against it, anyway. I got my answer, thanks to those who replied and had something constructive to add