It’s that time of year again. It’s tanking season. And it’s bigger and better than ever. There are seemingly more teams tanking than ever before, and they are doing it earlier and bolder and in more innovative ways. Everybody is talking about it, so why not Fear The Sword? There have been lots of crazy proposals to fix tanking thrown around. Even odds. Rookie free agency. The Wheel.
Here’s one more: Let’s try just forcing teams to win games.
I know this sounds crazy, but I believe basketball is the most fun to watch when teams are trying to win. And I also believe that the answer to what is wrong with basketball is usually more basketball.
That’s it. That’s the whole idea. Play basketball. Win. Get rewarded.
Why is this a good idea? Let’s break it down.
So that’s it. That’s the pitch. Structure everything so that in order to accomplish your goals, you have to win basketball games. Always.
And if you like that, just let me know. Because we can keep going with this concept. More tournaments, all with critical team-construction rewards. The rewards are the key. If the tournament helps a team build and helps a player get paid, everybody cares. Teams, GMs, players, fans. That adds value. That drives interest. That drives revenue. And that, ultimately, is the only way we ever get to shorten the regular season, which is what the sport truly needs. But that’s a story for another day.