Recovered revenue, improved product
The NBA has also already discussed an in-season tournament whether play can resume this summer, which Silver described requiring more dialogue, but added would be implemented at some point.
One NBA executive said that this is the chance to explore the concept for at least one year, in what might be spectator-free arenas.
The executive, who said on condition of autonomy as an individual who is not authorized to talk about the issue, suggested opening a new season through a tournament on Christmas.
One top-ranking league official said that the league has explored concepts of concluding final matches in Las Vegas, since the tournament would emulate famous overseas basketball cups such as the Copa del Rey in Spain.
The executive said, in Las Vegas, the NBA has already built-in business relationships as well as could recover some of the lost revenue by sponsorships and gambling dollars associated with a tournament and added a proposed sponsorship slogan for the one-and-done format.
The individual added that the NBA Cup is the place where every game is a Game 7.
Moreover, broadcast partners would almost certainly have increased prices for advertisements sold around a tournament, which will help to recover the projected $800 million addition to lost revenue with NBA games currently postponed.
Pilson added the on-the-court product of the NBA may improve if the number of games is decreased with any new start date. Teams would have more practice chance, and more importantly, additional recovery time for players.
“The NBA is so solid across its schedule, that candidly, I don’t think [a reduction in games] would have a big impact anywhere except that the players would have less fatigue, and you can argue, would be playing in more games,” said Pilson, who is also a professor at Columbia University. “You get a better product, and there is real value to that.”