2017 NBA GO: Resting Players v Reducing Games

Back in 2012, the San Antonio Spurs was fined $250,000 for resting their stars in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as well as Danny Green. The league reasoned that the Spurs failed to notify the front office in advance about the planned rest day for their ‘Big 3' in the final game of their 6-game road trip.

Gregg Popovich is well-known for resting and shuffling his men to avoid the regular season burnout and in preparation for the PlayOffs. Great strategy. Not only for the players’ productivity but it also prolongs their careers.

Well, while resting players are good for teams, it is not so with the league as it affects viewership and consequently, its business partners. After all, fans come out in droves to watch their favorite stars in action; thus, not seeing them on game day would obviously be disappointing and even cause a temporary ‘boycott’ on watching live at the arena.

Not good for business. You lose on tickets. And you eventually lose leverage on sponsors.

Then how about reducing regular season games? This subject has hit the controversy button even ahead of the ‘resting of players’ issue. Remember the 1998-1999 NBA season? We’re not talking about their CBA issue that time but the number of games that season. That was just 50 games. Yet the NBA still had a successful season, still had good business!

Since teams do rest their players every now and then on an 82-game regular season schedule, shortening the number of games would not really affect the legitimacy of PlayOff qualifiers -- ‘cause it’s the same banana. Many stars do not really play all 82 games, anyway. Regardless of the eventual outcome. Besides, the NBA doesn’t really need all of 82 games to know who could qualify for the post-season. Regardless of the 8^th spots that are currently being contested this season.

See. Even before the start of a season, we already have an idea of who would be the eventual qualifiers, at least the Top 5 or 6; while the remaining 2-3 spots does shape up after 60 games or so.

With that, how about a nicely spaced 60-65 regular season game schedule? And no resting of players this time unless they are really hurt, or has a legitimate reason.

What, sponsors? Partners? But you’re milking the cow too much -- the reason for the league’s existence! Anyway and in the current schedule, we know that not all game days are reeeeally profitable. Bottom line is you’d still earn and keep the fans even more engaged with reduced game days. So.

Say what you?