NBA Weighs Moving In-Season Cup Final Out of Las Vegas
nba-weighs-moving-in-season-cup-final-out-of-las-vegas
The NBA is evaluating alternative locations for next season’s NBA Cup championship game, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
League executives have grown dissatisfied with staging the semifinals and final at a neutral site in Las Vegas, believing the setting has failed to deliver the excitement they anticipated, sources told Bontemps. The change under consideration would end the current format after this season.
When the league introduced the tournament in September 2023, it designated Las Vegas as the host for both the semifinals and title game through the 2025-26 campaign. Although eight tournament games have been held at T-Mobile Arena during the past three seasons, most have played to crowds below full capacity, and officials feel the atmosphere has fallen short of the energy seen during quarterfinal matchups held in home arenas.
Apart from the venue issue, the in-season competition is viewed internally as a success. The NBA believes the tournament has boosted interest during the early regular-season schedule, and players have generally embraced the event.
This season’s championship contest, featuring the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, is scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Source: Hoops Rumors
