A "Copa del Rey" in the NBA?
The NBA is a model for the rest of the Leagues of the world when it comes to reinventing itself. Matches in other countries, norms to favor the offensive game, salary limits, a "draft" for the selection of the best players coming from the university ... The last idea born in the headquarters of the League in New York has to do with the stalemate suffered by the All-Star. The Weekend of the Stars is not what it used to be. "The All-Star is not working," acknowledged NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The competitions (triples, mates and skills) do not interest the players; Friday's game, United States-Rest of the world, is a circus and the end of the party, with the match of the majors, lacks any attraction beyond a cataract of triples sprinkled with some mate contest. The NBA is considering creating a tournament at the beginning or mid-season similar to the Copa del Rey in Spain or the NCAA university tournament.
One of the capos of the League, Mark Tatum, recognized him as "Marca" last year: "We are talking about the possibility of creating a tournament in the middle of the season or at the end of it. We are evaluating how to put it into practice ». The format of the Cup, which many countries in Europe have already adapted, would mean a reduction in the number of matches in the first phase. Of the current 82 could go to a figure close to 70 and the new tournament could even be played in another continent.
The other possible format is the NCAA tournament. The «March Madness», the definitive eliminations of the month of March that end in the «Final Four», are the great celebration of American basketball. Overcrowded pavilions, television broadcasts at the state level, life and death matches and three days of colophon. The day in which the Final is disputed is the only basketball game that day is played throughout the United States. The NBA does not talk about deadlines, but the "All-Star" with the current format has the days numbered. The future is a "Copa del Rey" or a "March Madness" with the Warriors, the Raptors, the Bucks, the Nuggets ...
