You know we’re nearing peak NBA midseason slog when groups resort to parlor tips to draw followers and viewers. Case and level: The San Antonio Spurs hosted a recreation on the Alamodome on Friday that broke the NBA attendance document.
Altogether 68,323 followers confirmed as much as watch the house group get blasted, 144-113, by the Golden State Warriors. There’s little question in my thoughts that somebody on the league workplace despatched a memo to Steve Kerr about load administration with the showcase nationally televised.
At least these in attendance bought to see the Splash Bros. in motion. Yeah, they solely performed 23 minutes a bit and neither scored greater than 16 factors, but it surely’s higher than nothing.
Between the court docket colorway and the stadium gimmick, the ploy emitted sturdy Jackie Moon/Semi-Pro vibes. The solely factor lacking was Gregg Popovich wrestling a bear at halftime.
That stated, perhaps they’re onto one thing. Not solely did the celebs and followers come out, however the TV companion bought slightly nugget for SportsCenter after the buzzer. Shit, ought to the NBA play each primetime recreation at a soccer stadium? Can the NBA play each primetime recreation at a soccer stadium?
If you’ll it, dude, it’s no dream
Let’s get a Portland Trail Blazers-Los Angeles Lakers recreation at Autzen Stadium. I’m critical. Whatever works in order that the League Pass subscription I’m paying for is definitely helpful. It’s miserable turning on what can be an ideal matchup solely to see the explanations you’re watching the sport additionally watching the sport — solely with higher seats.
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There was a fascinating column by Yahoo’s Ben Rohrbach on Friday about ticket prices and cargo administration with some nice numbers about stars lacking nationally televised video games that needed to be tedious to trace, since you positively gained’t discover them on Second Spectrum.
“By my count, of the 70 games aired on ABC, ESPN, or TNT this season, at least one front-line player did not play in 58 of them.”
From a sports activities blogger I-watch-so-much-sports-that-I-really-consume-none standpoint, I’d say that tracks. It’s a evident weak spot in a league brimming with recognizable stars.
He continued in regards to the scheduling quirk when groups go to a metropolis and play the group twice in a row. (Los Angeles and New York however.)
“Of the 28 instances in which a road team has played two straight games in the same city, one or more star-level players missed a game on 21 occasions.”
So, principally, if I don’t make the Friday exhibiting, don’t trouble going to the weekend matinee as a result of they introduced within the B-team from off-Broadway? Fucking candy.
Rohrback finally got here to the conclusion that the season needs to be shortened to assist the gamers keep wholesome, and the followers, who paid a half month’s lease to see the celebs in individual. Of course, he admitted it is going to by no means occur because of the cash, and also you at the least gotta acknowledge the reality.
We’re going to be yelling about this till the tip of the Earth
When I lived in Miami for an eight-month span in the course of the Heatles run, I went to a few video games at the newly renamed The Arena, and Dwyane Wade didn’t swimsuit up for any of them. That was virtually a decade in the past, and it’s most likely getting worse simply because that’s what NBA writers complain about throughout mid-January after seeing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram in road garments for the umpteenth time.
The San Antonio charade wasn’t the most effective search for the Association. (It was superior for that fanbase although.)
“Hey, Adam Silver, what’s on the Friday docket?”
“We’ve got a 31-point blowout at the Alamodome, followed by Nuggets-Clippers sans Nikola Jokic and Paul George.”
Which is definitely what occurred within the second recreation of ESPN’s doubleheader. What, Steve Balmer couldn’t e-book Sofi?