The application of a conference system in sports leagues has been a talking point recently.
Many called for the NFL to get rid of conferences after the 7-9 Carolina Panthers managed to qualify for the play offs, SANZAR rugby nations argue about how the conference system favour certain countries, and NRL fans have discussed moving the league into Sydney and non-Sydney conferences.
The NBA is also be rethinking the use of its conference system, mainly due to the continued statistical domination of the West since the turn of the millennium.
Not once since 2000 has the East won more than 50 per cent of games against the west. As we stand, at the annual All Star break the 28-25 Oklahoma City and 27-26 New Orleans are both in line to miss the play offs while in the East, the 22-30 Charlotte and Miami will make the post season. Proponents say that the margin would be even worse if the East teams had to play their West opponents more often.
With an 82-game season the NBA has less reason to keep the league in divisions and conferences than the 16 game NFL, which can’t offer the possibility of every team playing each other. The fairest system would see the 30 teams play each other home and away but there is little chance the owners would shorten the season to 58 games. Perhaps the schedule could remain the same but the top 16 teams by wins make the play offs rather than eight from each conference.
Keeping the conference system has definite advantages in that it fosters more local rivalries, avoids broadcasting problems due to the three-hour difference between coasts and potential drop offs in interest in the two eastern time zones (which represents 80 per cent of the population) if they are not involved in the finals. A weak division still keeps interest in a sector of the country because teams in that area are guaranteed play-off action.
Besides a fairer competition, the removal of conferences may allow for a revamp of the All Star game. This weekend’s game, as per usual, featured high scores (West won 163-158 ) and very little defence. Nothing is really on the line and most players don’t take the game seriously . There was that little defence that it took nine minutes for the first foul to be called.
The All star weekend kicked off on Friday night with the Rising Stars Challenge which for the first time featured a rest of the world team playing the USA. The Rising Stars Challenge was restricted to rookies and second-year players and featured Australian Matthew Dellavedova. The World team won the match 121-112, with Canadian number one draft pick Andrew Wiggins starring.
Since the 1992 Dream Team at the Barcelona Olympics, when only 21 players in the NBA were from outside the USA, the number of international players has grown steadily and hit 100 for the first time this year. This includes a record seven Australians, two of whom are on the roster of the champion San Antonio Spurs (a team which features a record nine internationals). The NBA has become, outside of football, the largest global sporting league in the world.
Without conferences, the All Star game could become even bigger, with a World Team taking on the best of the USA. Team USA would still start favourite, but a team consisting of the likes of Tony Parker, Luol Deng, Manu Ginobli, Dirk Nowitzki, Goran Dragic, Joachim Noah and the Gasol Brothers could make for an enthralling contest could match the USA for the first time.
There could be some meaning and passion in the game and American fans would be intrigued by a team that could challenge them. It would be a lot more interesting than the current format, which is more of an exhibition than a contest.
With the ongoing globalisation of the NBA and an ever-increasing international presence in the league, it may be wise for the NBA to change the All Star game to appeal even more to its global audience.
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