$123.22, that is the price the average NBA fan will pay for a single game. The fans pay to see the likes of Lebron James or Kyrie Irving, but these players, and many more are choosing to rest their bodies for the playoffs. Coaches, former NBA greats, and the commissioner have all chimed in about the growing problem. Charles Barkley escalated the situation when he suggested that the fans to boycott attending games. The NBA is at the point now where the regular seasons game for teams and players are telling the league and its fans that the regular season does not matter. If that is the case, then why as a fan would you spend $123.22 for a 50/50 chance to see your favorite star play? Sounds to me like a direct slap in the face to the NBA fans who pay to see these athletes at the games that they anxiously attend.
Lebron on Resting Player
Lebron thinks the only reason this has become such a big issue is because he is involved. In an interview last Tuesday, James said “I just know the conversation gets a little bit more talked about when I'm a part of it.” This coming off the heals of James and the “Big Three” sitting out a nationally televised game over the previous weekend and the NBA voicing its displeasure last Monday. James did have a rebuttal to all the rest talk saying “listen Popovich has been doing this for 10, 12, 15 years now, and everyone was like you know what……? That's the smartest thing Pop has ever done.” James continued “he gives his guy a couple of games off and just like that they win 5 championships, but in our league Pop has a stature that not all coaches have, our head coach doesn't have that and he gets killed for it.” The shame of the matter is Lebron just does not see it as a non-issue, but also has stated that the season should be shorter. When that is how the face of the league feels, there is an obvious problem and the NBA acknowledges that issue.
Charles Barkley Sounds Off
Never one to keep quiet, Charles Barkley has sounded off on the issue stating, “the league needs to look into this “resting” players, I don't remember back in my day players needing rest late in the season.” He added “I know I'm an old guy hating on the young guys but if you have bad teams in the league today that aren't going to make the playoffs resting guys, For What!” Barkley pointed out that not only is it a slap in the face to the fans, but also to the TV partners who are making it possible for these players to make 10, 20, 30 million dollars. He called on the fans to boycott attending and watching NBA games to send the players a message. He pointed out players like Tim Duncan and Michael Jordan played in college and then had long NBA careers without breaks. Jordan's team the Hornets with Jordan philosophy on the breaks coach Steve Clifford said, “…it's easy for me not to do it, I have an owner who just doesn't believe in it, and associate coach (Patrick Ewining) that would kill me if I started doing it.” It's easy to see where the former generation of NBA stars feels about this new age NBA basketball. How do you feel about it?
NBA Commissioners Thoughts
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo out to the league last Monday addressing the situation that he called a ‘significant issue’ to let teams know where the league stands on the practice. Here is what he had to say, “Decisions of this kind ... can affect fans and business partners, impact our reputation and damage the perception of our game.” Silver wrote in the memo, according to a release by The Associated Press “With so much at stake, it is simply not acceptable for governors to be uninvolved or to defer decision-making authority on these matters to others in their organizations.” “Please also be reminded that under current league rules teams are required to provide notice to the league office, their opponent and the media immediately upon a determination that a player will not participate in a game due to rest,” Silver continued. “Failure to abide by these rules will result in significant penalties.” The league has to do something, for the amount that they charge for a game and the money the TV networks are paying to broadcast these games, it is at the point a watered down product that owes it to the fans to put the stars on the floor every night.
Written by
Carlo Guadagnino
Edited by
Daniel Bishop M.A.
References
https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-says-players-resting-is-significant-issue/amp/
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/charles-barkley-nba-rest-041816
https://nbalead.com/2017/03/21/charles-barkley-tells-fans-to-boycott-games-to-combat-nba-players-resting/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/charlotteobserver.relaymedia.com/amp/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article140395273.html
https://www.google.com/amp/www.sportingnews.com/amp/nba/news/lebron-james-admits-nba-rest-issue-is-significant-because-hes-involved/12bx6oysbhxgq17i05j14b7yn4
I definitely understand both sides of it. From a fan perspective that would suck to have tickets and not be able to see your favorite players. It would be no different than if Lebron rolled his ankle the night before. It's just bad luck. They also need to look at the teams schedule late in the season. There really isn't any need for your superstar player to play against lower end teams.
ReplyDeleteA good compromise would be having the superstars play at least a quarter or half. Sure they need time off every now and again, but the whole business is to make money. You can't do that without people getting to see what they want.
From a coaching and player perspective, they need all the rest they can get. It's a long season and no team goes into the post season without some bumps and bruises. You need your team at it's highest level. With the top teams stacking up their rosters with Cavs big three or golden states all star team, you have to be fresh to play them. Those teams are to deep in talent for others to come into a playoff series banged up. You won't be able to beat them. It's something that needs addressed of course, but if Lebron James has been to the finals six consecutive years I'd be letting him do whatever he want. It's clearly working.