NBA: Tanking teams should have to check a box
“Once an organization opts out of pushing for the playoffs and decides to start sacrificing wins it should have to notify the NBA and the fans about it. These teams can then be categorized appropriately and be compelled to cut their ticket and concession prices.”
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Newly-minted NBA commissioner Adam Silver was a keynote speaker at an event in Boston yesterday. He addressed the topic of “tanking”, referring to it instead as “rebuilding”. He stopped short of admitting that NBA teams lose on purpose but he did admit that sometimes younger players are given deference and older players are traded away by teams that have made a determination to turn an eye to the future rather than attempt to win games on a nightly basis.
The Philadelphia 76’ers are a prime example of a team that the commish would say is “rebuilding”. The Sixers may not win another game this season. They are currently sitting on a seventeen loss streak and are woeful. The Milwaukee Bucks are another lousy team that doesn’t even seem to trying.
Your Denver Nuggets aren’t necessarily mentioned in the same breath as these bottom feeders but they’re pretty terrible. As the season grinds toward a close the Nuggets may begin to extend the minutes of lesser players and rest ones like Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler. I have no issue with that so long as the Nuggets and any other NBA team thinking about playing for tomorrow rather than tonight “check a box”. What box? The tanking box.
Once an organization opts out of pushing for the playoffs and decides to start sacrificing wins it should have to notify the NBA and the fans about it. These teams can then be categorized appropriately and be compelled to cut their ticket and concession prices.
I am happy to go see the Nuggets get smoked by the Thunder at home as long as I am getting a deal. Why should I pay $60 for a seat, $15 to park, $8 for a beer and $12 for nachos when the team I came to see isn’t even trying to make sure I go home happy? I will support them through their “rebuilding” process but they need to offer me a bargain. After all, am I not doing them a favor by showing up?
It’s a simple plan. At whatever point in the season a squad stops trying aggressively to win and win now – to give their home fans the hope of seeing them win – they file a document of some sort with the league, make an announcement in the media, call a spade a spade and make it affordable to go see them play for the remainder of the season.
It’s a win / win.
More fans may be compelled to go see the team play and the team doesn’t have to fake it anymore to fill the arena. Everybody’s cards are on the table. Then, when Jan Vesely plays 30 minutes everyone will understand why and nobody will grumble since their too busy choking down half-priced mmmmmmini donuts.
