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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Do Pro Leagues Benefit From Super Teams Like Warriors?

Durant's decision to join the Warriors two years ago is still a hot debate in NBA circlesNBAE/getty images

The NBA might "prefer greater distribution of star players," but it "understands a lesson of history, both ancient and recent, that applies across the sports spectrum: Leagues are often at their healthiest when one dominant team is lording over all the others, even if popular opinion makes it seem otherwise," according to Adam Kilgore of the WASHINGTON POST. The emergence of a super team like the Warriors that "causes such reaction" is a "popular draw." The NBA believes those teams "capture the imagination of casual fans" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/5). In Boston, Steve Bulpett writes the strength of the Warriors grew even more this week after signing C DeMarcus Cousins, but it is not "bad for the game." People "won't turn away." Bulpett: "Just ask the PGA Tour if they were upset when Tiger Woods was regularly taking away his opponents’ will to live in the final round of tournaments." Each sport says that it "covets parity, but what’s better for interest, and, thus, business, is the drama that comes from the quest to best a behemoth" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/5). CBSSN's Adam Schein said Cousins signing with the Warriors "didn't break the NBA" but instead "increased the fevered pitch, which was already sky high" ("Time To Schein," CBSSN, 7/3).

NOTHING NEW: In Chicago, K.C. Johnson wrote, "The NBA will survive. And, dare we say, thrive?" The league "long has featured dynasties" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/4). FS1's Chris Broussard said, "Dynasties aren’t bad for the NBA, that’s been proven. Do I have to run through the Lakers, the Celtics in the ‘80s, Jordan’s Bulls, Shaq and Kobe? Dynasties sell in the NBA” ("Speak For Yourself," FS1, 7/3). In Detroit, Shawn Windsor writes what is happening now in the NBA is "no different than how things have always been -- more or less." The only difference is "how teams are put together." Kevin Durant's move to the Warriors in '16 made the NBA "better, because the Warriors are redefining basketball excellence, leaving the league no choice but to try and catch them" (FREEP.com, 7/5). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour wrote the Warriors are "not going to be the ruin of the NBA." The Warriors' "'super team' won't be the downfall of the NBA." They might "not even end up winning the title next year" (USA TODAY, 7/4).

HEAD OUT WEST: In N.Y., Michael Powell wrote LeBron James’ decision to join the Lakers "puts an exclamation mark on a two-decade-long migration of highly talented players toward the West Coast." Western Conference teams have "won 12 of the last 18 championships." Every player on the last four All-NBA first teams "now plays on a Western Conference team" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/4). In Indianapolis, Gregg Doyel wrote, "It’s a bunch of lemmings out West, these guys who can’t bear the thought of competing for an NBA championship without the odds being stacked just so" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/4).

PUT IN CONTEXT: USA TODAY's Dan Wolken notes the NBA is a "business that sells an entertainment product in 30 cities across eight months." If the "entire point of that enterprise was about a 14 1/2-pound trophy, we could probably contract 20 of the 30 teams right now and the list of future champions wouldn’t look much different." Instead of thinking about the NBA "solely within the context of pursuing a title, think about it more like a concert tour or a Broadway show." What "fundamentally drives people to do that is simple: They want to be entertained, and they’ll pay to watch exceptionally talented people perform" (USA TODAY, 7/5).

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