While We’re Young (Ideas) on the NBA Cup

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The NBA unveiled freshly designed basketball courts without a piece of parquet covering the playing surface at Boston’s TD Garden. There are brand new Wilson basketballs with a special bracket design bouncing around the courts. One thing that’s always apparent when there are changes to the norm and that’s the fact creatures of habit do NOT like too much change.

Last season, the NBA instituted it’s “In-Season” tournament, mimicking the many Futbol/Soccer tourneys staged within the long European soccer league season. There are national leagues (i.e. English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish LaLega, etc) combined with international play (UEFA Champions League) and playing for Cups, or in one case The Cup of Cups. In the USA, college basketball (and ESPN and the Basketball Hall of Fame) stage dozens of mini-tournaments at the start of the season such as the Maui Invitational, Vegas Showdown, Battle 4 Atlantis, Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship (Nov. 21-22 with St. John’s vs Baylor and Tennessee vs Virginia). There’s nothing wrong about that, at all.

The NBA’s “In-Season” tournament has evolved into the “Emirates NBA Cup” complete with all the bells and whistles. Despite criticism from the cynics, last season’s inaugural tournament made a mark as one of the better innovations in the league’s 77 year history. How?

1. It created additional awareness of NBA basketball early in the season when college and pro football rule the airwaves.
2. The court designs created much-needed buzz and acted as a differentiator from the regular season games. The buzz was both pro and con, but they spelled “NBA” accurately pre-Christmas (a day many believe the NBA season actually begins). That added to th awareness.
3. The competition gave emerging clubs, like the Magic, Pistons, Spurs, Rockets, Hawks, and Blazers a playoff-like chance to compete and entertains the fans. This year, all but the Spurs are winners in their Group Play match-ups thus far).
4. With a cool half-mil on the line, the players certainly embrace the competition.

In summation, the “In Season/Emirates NBA Cup” was an incredible success story and it proved the NBA – more than any other North American pro sports league – is willing to experiment, to innovate and to provide its fans with real added incentive to watch games. The intensity of those games were a notch higher than a typical November or December regular season game because the players are competitive, whether it be for pride or money – and with the NBA Cup – it was a bit of both.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Coming soon but not to a golf course near you, is another pro golf property, but instead of a traveling tour format, all the matches will be played at Palm Beach State College in Florida. As a reminder, TGL, presented by SoFi, is a new golf league, combining advanced technology with teams of top players from the PGA TOUR matching up for two-hour weekly competitions in primetime on ESPN or ESPN2 in the USA. … Six (call them the Original Six) TGL teams representing six different cities will go head-to-head in a season-long competition at the new SoFi Center, a first-of-its-kind venue built specifically for TGL. The venue is located on the campus of Palm Beach State College. The league was set to begin last year but a storm damaged the venue and its roof thus delaying the first tee-off until this January 7. … Boston is represented by the Boston Common Golf with a star-studded roster of Rory McIloy, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama and New England’s very own, Keegan Bradley. Tyrrell Hatton was originally on the Boston roster but vacated his spot when he joined LIV Golf. Hideki Matsuyama was chosen by TGL – the parent company of this tour – to replace the outgoing Hatton. No LIV golfers are participating. … McIlroy has an ownership stake in the league and the team while Fenway Sports Group has an ownership stake in the team. Solo artist and singer-songwriter Niall Horan and his investment group Greenbridge Ventures purchased an ownership stake in Boston Common Golf, joining Fenway Sports Group and McIlroy’s Symphony Ventures. In addition to his investment in the team, Horan will serve as an ambassador for Boston Common Golf. Boston’s first match is against the Jupiter Links, headlined by Tiger Woods, Max Homa, Kevin Kisner and Tom Kim. The Links will be playing their second match when they face Boston, a distinct advantage.

BOSTON MARATHON IMPACT: If you live in Boston or the neighboring towns and villages playing host to the annual Boston Marathon, you can see the impact. To prove it in dollars and “sense,” the Boston Athletic Association and Meet Boston sought out the UMass Donahue Institute – Economic and Public Policy Research to measure the entire economic impact of the event. They calculated everything from travel and lodging to tourist habits and per person spending. The grand total is estimated to be a $509m impact.

“The Boston Marathon is more than just a race – it’s a powerful driver that shines a spotlight on the Greater Boston area, attracting visitors and showcasing our city’s rich history, vibrant culture, and diverse communities,” said Martha J. Sheridan, President & CEO of Meet Boston in a prepared statement. “Each year, it brings people together from across the globe, expanding the impact of tourism and enhancing our competitiveness. This iconic race fosters a sense of unity and purpose for all the domestic and international visitors that come to spectate or participate.”

According to the news release, Boston Marathon weekend includes more than the race on Patriots’ Day. The B.A.A. hosts the Boston 5K presented by Point32Health with 10,000 participants, an invitational mile for both students and professional runners, the Bank of America Boston Marathon Expo – a shoppers’ delight, Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, and the Boston Marathon Post-Race Party presented by Samuel Adams. Additionally, sponsors and other affiliated brands provide activations throughout Greater Boston.

The 2024 Marathon event had 30,000 participants across the Boston 5K, B.A.A. Invitational Mile, B.A.A. Relay Challenge and the Boston Marathon. Participants had an average party size of two, with 77% of spectators who attended indicating they are there to support a family member or friend running. 51% of the participants reside outside of New England, with the median weekend spend of $500. 68% of participants stayed in a Boston area hotel, according to the B.A.A. in its report.

Included in the report is the fact the B.A.A. has 39 full-time employees who earned $5.5 million in total compensation, which includes wages and salaries, taxes, and benefits. These values exclude those who are not actual employees of the Association. Other paid labor and outside contractors are discussed in the next section. To support these employees and other operational costs, the B.A.A. reported revenues of $36.4 million.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH: The NFL concluded its International Series with a close but uninspiring 20-17 Carolina victory over the New York Giants. While it’s tough to pinpoint the absolute worst team in the NFL, surely the Panthers and Giants are on the list of Top 5. While the International Series may not be providing its European fans with the best match-ups, it has established a very viable 9:30am ET game window for the NFL in the USA.

Commissioner Roger Goodell told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe that the league is looking to play upwards of eight games outside of the United States of America in 2025, including a first-timer in Ireland.

“We are definitely going to Spain, we announced that,” Goodell said from Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, before ho-hum Giants-vs-Panthers game. “We expect to return to Mexico City. We expect to return to Brazil. We will certainly be back in the U.K. And we’re also looking at the potential of another game in the U.K. area in Ireland, possibly. That’s a possibility. And we’ll certainly be back here in Germany. So if that total’s eight, that’s what we’re shooting for.”

Fiji Island might not make the cut.

While the NFL used to play in Japan in preseason, they’ve yet to crack the code to play a game in China. NFL China was established in Beijing in October of 2007 a year after announcing the league would play a preseason game between New England and Seattle. But that game never materialized. In 2009, there was talk of a rescheduled game but it was never played.

The league was focusing on a potential regular season game in Beijing but some 16 years have passed and there’s nothing on the NFL docket, unless Goodell is playing his media availabilities with a poker face.

TIDBITS: Roki Sasaki will be the next ace pitcher to transfer from the Japanese baseball circuit to Major League Baseball. Sasaki’s teammates are tipping their hands that they believe the star free agent is most likely to land at Chavez Ravine and play for the 2024 MLB champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Dollars point to the Dodgers as they – and the Baltimore Orioles – have some $2m in cash awaiting within their international signing bonus pool, according to the Associated Press. Expect a decision to come down soon as MLB’s international signing window closes on December 15, 2024. … Remember, too, the Dodgers have SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and best player on the planet Shohei Ohtani on their roster to welcome their countryman. … Congrats to former NBA and St. John’s beat writer turned broadcaster Dave Sims on his new gig as the play-by-play man for the New York Yankees, alongside the great Suzyn Waldman. Sims was calling Seattle Mariners games until the NYY offer came along. Can’t wait to see both Sims and Waldman when the Evil Empire visits Fenway Park next season. … Condolences to Harvard Coach and Duke alum Tommy Amaker on the passing of his father, Harold Amaker of Columbia, South Carolina. Harold earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, followed by a Ph.D. from LaSalle University in Philadelphia. His academic pursuits set a foundation for what would be a lifetime of advocacy and leadership in education, particularly in supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s). … Condolences to the great Hubie Brown and his family as Hubie’s son, Brendan (1970-2024), passed away at the age of 54. Brendan’s wife, Kate, announced Brendan’s passing on Facebook, noting, “He cared deeply for his friends and family and we’re going to miss him so much,” In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

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LAS VEGAS – Anthony Davis recorded 41 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 123-109 on Saturday night in the NBA in-season tournament championship game.

Austin Reaves scored 28 points off the bench and LeBron James added 24 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles. D’Angelo Russell had 13 points and seven assists for the Lakers, who outrebounded the Pacers 55-32.

Tyrese Haliburton registered 20 points and 11 assists and Bennedict Mathurin also had 20 points for Indiana.

Aaron Nesmith added 15 points, Obi Toppin scored 13 and Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson had 10 points apiece for the Pacers.

The stats in this contest don’t count, but Davis would have posted his fifth career 40-point, 20-rebound effort. The game also doesn’t count in the regular-season standings.

James was named the in-season tournament MVP.

“Records will be broken but one thing that will never be broken is being the first to do something. We’re the first champions of the in-season tournament and nobody can ever top that,” James said. “It’s great to be able to do it with such a historical franchise and even better to do it with a great, great cast of funny, engaged, competitive men over here.”

The Lakers went 7-0 in the inaugural in-season tournament and the Pacers finished 6-1. Each team went 4-0 in group play and posted two knockout-round wins to reach the title game.

“I will remember the togetherness, the pride that they took in what they were accomplishing along the way and the excitement,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of his team and its journey to the title game.

Each player on Los Angeles earns $500,000, while the players on Indiana will each receive $200,000.

“First to do it, first team to win it,” Davis said. “We know it’s not the real thing but we keep taking steps in the right direction. … Our energy and focus were off the charts (Saturday). First to do it, we’ll take it.”

Los Angeles shot 53.4 percent from the field while hitting just 2 of 13 shots from 3-point range.

Indiana connected on 36.8 percent of its shots and was 10 of 41 from 3-point range.

Mathurin made two baskets early in the fourth quarter as the Pacers crept within 92-89. Indiana again was within three after a trey by Turner with 6:11 left before Los Angeles delivered the knockout punch with a 13-0 burst.

Cam Reddish knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 105-99 and Davis followed with 10 straight points to make it 115-99 with 3:11 left. The Pacers were unable to move closer than 12 down the stretch.

Reaves scored 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Davis had 17 points and 11 rebounds as Los Angeles led 65-60 at the break. Nesmith had 11 points in the first half for Indiana.

Davis tallied 13 points in the first quarter as the Lakers led 34-29. Reaves scored 15 in the second quarter for Los Angeles.

Los Angeles started the third quarter with a 7-1 run to take a 72-61 lead.

Mathurin made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to leave Indiana trailing 90-82 entering the final stanza.

“We’re sick. We got outplayed (Saturday) from the start of the game to the end of the game,” Haliburton said. “They just outplayed us.”

–Field Level Media

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