Jennifer Hudson’s stirring pregame performance of “For All We Know” honored Lakers legend Kobe Bryant at the All-Star Game.getty images
The NBA’s idea to create an in-season tournament is advancing, but it’s more of a set play than a fast break.
Originally, the hope was to get the new initiative finalized for next season, the NBA’s 75th anniversary. While there’s strong interest in the new format from all quarters, no vote is expected by the April board of governors meeting.
One source familiar with the effort said a key issue to be resolved is how to compensate teams for the loss of revenue, should the new format be adopted and the league decide to reduce the number of games in the current 82-game season.
“Everybody likes the idea of trying something new and creating new interest,” a source said. “What has not been answered is how do we replace the lost revenue from what would be two home games.”
Discussions are also focused on a timetable for the tournament. One idea is to hold the event around late December or early January in order to make early-season games count not only for the regular-season standings, but also to determine pool play for the in-season tournament.
■ DISCOUNT DOUBLE-CHECK? NBA teams are in full-season-ticket renewal mode for next season, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling out an aggressive new offer of a 50% discount on food, beverage and merchandise to full-season ticket holders purchasing those items through the team’s app.
The Timberwolves’ discount offer follows the San Francisco 49ers’ new plan for their season-ticket holders: unlimited F&B (excluding beer and other alcoholic beverages), while raising season-ticket prices an average of $20.
Minnesota’s offer comes as the team looks to capitalize from its recent blockbuster trade with the Golden State Warriors for D’Angelo Russell. The Timberwolves’ average attendance of 14,755 per game is last in the league.
The Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets have offered limited concession discounting, but not to the level of the Timberwolves.
Amy Brooks, president of the NBA’s team marketing and business operations division, said she was not yet sure on how many other teams will follow the Timberwolves’ deep discount offer.
“Our teams are looking for creative solutions to maintain fans, and this is very creative,” she said. “At the same time, the most important thing is a great product and creating hope that a team can win a championship. It’s important to provide a value-driven experience but teams do that outside of discounting as well.”
■ STILL UNLICENSED: While there was a smattering of unlicensed Kobe Bryant memorial merchandise in and around the All-Star Game, the league’s licensees are still in the dark about whether or even if they will be permitted by the league and the estate of the late Lakers legend to sell licensed memorial product.
Unlicensed Kobe Bryant merchandise was available around the All-Star Game.
Licensees definitely have interest, and some have even done preliminary product designs. For the foreseeable future, the league has the brakes on. Longtime Bryant commercial affiliate Nike has postponed issuing a new Bryant sneaker originally scheduled to hit retail this month. Sources said both the league and Nike will revisit the situation when appropriate.
■ L.A. STORY: The addition of arguably the league’s best player in Kawhi Leonard, along with All-Star Paul George, helped the L.A. Clippers hit the All-Star break with 37 wins, five more than at that point the prior season. Off-court, the results have been even more dramatic.
Chief Global Partnerships Officer Scott Sonnenberg said that Clippers sponsorship revenue is up 35%, with the team adding 31 new partners, including selling naming rights to the team’s practice facility in Playa Vista to tech company Honey. Other new sponsors include Verizon and a trio of nonexclusive beer sponsors. The team added four additional salespeople before the season.
“We started a lot of conversations before free agency and once that hit, we started closing deals,” Sonnenberg said.
■ PLAYING WITH A DIFFERENT BALL: It’s been a season of change for Sashi Brown, the former Cleveland Browns executive who last summer was hired as chief planning and operations officer for the newly created Monumental Basketball, which oversees the NBA, WNBA and G League Washington, D.C., teams owned by Ted Leonsis. Brown is adjusting to the stark difference in rhythms between the NFL, where a team’s success is defined by 16 Sundays, compared to the grinding 82-game NBA schedule.
Brown
“There is more fluidity to the NBA season; it is not as climactic as the NFL, with one game a week, and the highs and lows,” Brown said between panels at the NBA Technology Summit on All-Star Friday. “If we lose a game today, we may be playing tomorrow night, so there needs to be a great focus.”
At the same time, Brown sees similarities between the NBA and the NFL.
“The way a team comes together and the way you lead all translates. We are trying to create an environment where the athletes have the best possible chance to win. We want to be a team that is about something in sports and in business.”
Brown said his biggest priority is to build up Monumental Basketball’s platform.
“From technology, to how we operate our building and schedule our teams, we can bring an elite level of service across all of our teams,” he said.
