Before the real games resume, a look back at a lost weekend & how it can be rescued

NBA All-Star Weekend is behind us and it’s officially back to the hardwood for a slate of 12 games this evening. Still, what we witnessed in Indianapolis is hard to ignore. The experience brought friend of the site Vivek Dadhania out of his 18-month writer’s block to rant about the weekend with Zach Blatter.

Vivek: Perhaps I clamor for nostalgia. I still have vivid memories of when Vince Carter temporarily revitalized the Slam Dunk Contest after a two-year hiatus. I remember Shaquille O’Neal’s 360 dunk that same weekend. I remember when Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury led the underdog East to a momentous comeback in 2001. I remember Philadelphia fans booed hometown kid Kobe Bryant in 2002. I remember when Pharrell & friends introduced the All-Star starters in 2013. Without sounding old, I enjoyed N.E.R.D. performing at the 2018 game in Los Angeles when team captains chose their teams. Even 2020’s Elam Ending was legendary, in the wake of Kobe’s tragic death.

This last All-Star Weekend felt soulless. While the NBA has plenty of stakeholders, fan experience must remain an essential tenet of the league. For once, the festivities felt like something in the background when they should have been in the foreground. However, there are glimmers of hope and perhaps maybe a few tweaks may reinvigorate a lifeless weekend. 

Zach: Vivek, I’m thrilled that you’ve summoned me to opine on the flavorless festivities. I too clamor for All-Star nostalgia, but to a different extent than you – I was just 15 when N.E.R.D. brought the house down in Los Angeles. 

Vivek: I’m clearly dating myself here.

Friday night lights – or blights?

Vivek: There are a few problems with the Friday festivities, but it is hard to ignore that the Celebrity Game & Rising Stars Game are on two different networks: ESPN and TNT. The obvious issue is with so many cable-cutters, you get a split audience for both games. The Celebrity Game had its worst ratings (1.1) and viewership (1.7 million) since 2007 and 2008, respectively. It’s also embarrassing that the NBA and TNT failed to capitalize on Victor Wembanyama’s ratings boom. TNT pulled an abysmal 0.7 rating with 1.2 million viewers, down significantly from last year and the worst set of ratings in more than a decade.

Zach: I think you hit the nail on the head. Splitting the games across two different networks doesn’t make sense, especially when sports-centric ESPN has the less serious Celebrity Game while TNT is gets the basketball junkie-favorite Rising Stars Game. If we have to split Friday across two networks, it should at least be ESPN getting the hoop head product while TNT gets the drama-centric Celebrity Game. After all, TNT’s streaming website URL is tntdrama.com. Drama’s in the name!

Vivek: The Celebrity Game has never exceeded a 1.8 rating. However, a 1.1 makes me wonder if the Celebrity Game is truly worth the investment. Is the loss incurred during the game offset by the contributions of various celebrities across the regular season and playoffs? That’s a hard question to answer. Instead, I’d look to move the Rising Stars to a more palatable time, either 7:30 or 8 p.m EST. Playing the game after 9 pm seems foolish for those on the East Coast, but also for those overseas tuning in to see Wemby play.

Remember: barring injuries, Wembanyama is All-Star Friday box office at least through next season. The NBA should do whatever it can to reconfigure the schedule to ensure the maximum number of viewers can watch Wemby. The tournament style is interesting, but the multitude of changes the past few seasons left a lot of people confused, in addition to oversaturating the game.

Zach: You make a good point regarding Wembanyama, as he’ll be the biggest youth draw in the NBA until Cooper Flagg puts on his draft cap in 2025. The NBA needs to do everything it can to showcase Wemby as their crown jewel of young talent until then, and diluting Rising Stars into a complex tournament that doesn’t tip off until the East Coast’s waning hours didn’t do the fans any favors. There was one detail you left out when discussing the Celebrity Game, however: that big, bright LED court that took center stage at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

The court was an immediate and massive shock generator; I’m sure numerous fans (including myself) turned to their older parents and yelled “Look at this wild court!” Unfortunately, my excitement took a dip after that initial shock, and the NBA’s latest splashy investment was rendered a pointless distraction for the rest of the broadcast. The LED court maintained a static wood texture for a majority of the Celebrity Game, except for a few brief “Crunch Time” periods where the court turned bright blue and red to reflect all points counting double – a unique gimmick, but an obvious plug for Ruffles that didn’t garner a reaction from me beyond “I guess.” 

Vivek: Part of the beauty behind visuals is that they captivate the viewer and perhaps complete the visual experience when watching a certain action. “Less is more” can truly apply here.

Zach: All of this ties back to your earlier word choice: “soulless.” Back in the day (not long ago, lol), the NBA would go above & beyond when establishing a unique visual identity for each All-Star Weekend. The hardwood court designs were a core piece of this identity, often featuring nods to the host city and its rich history. These courts were paired with uniforms, apparel, swag, digital assets and much more to establish a top-down “soul” for that weekend. Not only has the league taken a significant step back in establishing these identities, but having all of Saturday night’s events take place on a constantly-changing LED screen is the soul being ripped away and sold off right in front of our eyes. 

Saturday night massacre – or fever?

Zach: Things took a turn for the worse when the LED court sported sponsor-dependent colors for the Skills, 3-Point and Dunk Contests. During the Skills Challenge, the court often featured arrows and indicators for what the players needed to follow on the course. While this was a good idea on paper and probably helped a few fans navigate the course from home, the visuals made for an overstimulating, gimmicky experience, rather than something that elevated the skills on display or provided clarity for viewers.

Vivek: Good point. I didn’t think the Skills Challenge needed any visuals. The bigger issue is that no one actually knew the rules. Maybe it was just me, but I totally forgot that there were three stages in the competition. Did anyone on TNT even remotely explain the rules for the passing game? I was totally lost and confused with what was going on. I think the visuals confused the players, too, as we saw multiple rules violations in the game (thanks, Scottie Barnes!). I think the event was just too long and needs to be shortened – again.

Zach: It feels like the Skills Challenge rules change every other year, and this year’s formula didn’t work. LED court-wise, similar issues occurred during the 3-Point Contest: the floor turned an extremely saturated green, with some accents for brand activation and challenge indicators, but didn’t provide any clarity or elevation for an already-successful contest structure. If anything, the court reduced the soul of the event from promoting the pinnacle of perimeter precision to a tacky challenge that felt like a 45-minute Starry commercial.

Vivek: This is the main primetime event, not the Dunk Contest. Move the 3-Point Contest back to 8:30. Also, I’d look to repeat the Steph Curry/Sabrina Ionescu competition, perhaps having the winner of the NBA 3-Point Contest face the winner of Steph/Sabrina. I’d even look to have some 3-point legends participate – Steve Kerr & Run TMC would be fun when the All Star Weekend returns to the Bay Area next year.

Zach:  Speaking of the Dunk Contest, I think the novelty of the LED court peaked during that event, where some contestants tried to utilize the court to elevate their dunks. While I appreciate the effort, and Jaylen Brown’s Terrence Clarke tribute was great, no one really used the court to create a true advantage. Brown’s Dee Brown/Kai Cenat/Jayson Tatum fusion ended with the court flashing to TD Garden’s iconic parquet, providing nothing beyond a cheap-shock reaction. The same could be applied to Jaime Jacquez Jr.’s on-floor nod to his Mexican background, which was a step up from Brown’s attempt but could’ve been accomplished by his custom “El Heat Cultura” jersey all on its own. It felt like both dunkers were told to incorporate the court and that it wasn’t part of their original idea.

Vivek: I truly wonder how aware the players are of the LED Court. We’re not there in-person, but players have a totally different vantage point and can’t take advantage of seeing an aerial view of the court. The issue with Brown’s dunks was that I had no idea what he was doing. For example, I’d have more respect for the Dee Brown dunk had I known he was doing it in homage to him. However, Jaylen didn’t wear a Dee Brown jersey, nor did he have Dee Brown out there with him (Editor’s note: Also, he botched the dunk: you’re supposed to cover your eyes while dunking, not after). Because of that, the TNT camera crew weren’t ready for the moment, missing the dunk entirely and leaving the viewers confused. Put on Dee’s #7 jersey and the viewers would have been ready for the dunk.

You hit the nail with Jaquez Jr., though. My issue with that is that the restriction of the contest to just halfcourt impeded the viewers from actually knowing about his Mexican tribute. If you look at the camera angle, it only covers the restricted area. It’s expensive to cover the entire halfcourt, but either do that or have TNT tilt their camera angles to show the viewers what this is instead of having it in the background. Either he has to dance some bamba, wear a flag or bring out a Mexican or Mexican-American basketball player, like Eduardo Nájera or Juan Toscano-Anderson. We need some showmanship.  

Of course, we can’t talk about the Dunk Contest without talking about the judges. Unfortunately they continue to be the center of attention in this contest, rather than the contestants. Until that changes, nothing will. The contest honestly feels like a once-every-few-years event. I think people are sick and tired of it. If we really need it, it should be a daytime event and not the nightcap.

Zach: As much of an advocate for change as I usually am, I have to offer some pushback on some of these ideas. I think the NBA is married to the Friday/Saturday/Sunday night structure, and that tradition has been in place too long to issue a total overhaul. I do think, however, that we should issue a total overhaul of the Saturday night festivities on their own.

Saturday night can’t kick off with an hour-long Skills Challenge. The event gets worse and worse every year, and Anthony Edwards deciding to shoot lefty during this year’s contest appeared to me as the final nail in its coffin. That event should be replaced with something new, and I’m open to any & all suggestions: 1-on-1 tournament, King of The Court, 21, HORSE – anything is better than what I watched last weekend. 

You’re right about rearranging the order of events. Maybe tip off with the dunk contest, followed by whatever replaces the Skills Challenge, and conclude with the new-age main event: the 3-Point Contest. We can keep the broadcast fresh by mixing in live interviews, award announcements, musical performances, backstage segments and all sorts of fun stuff. Maybe I’ve been watching too much WWE, but a broadcast with a mixed bag of high-paced segments is certainly more engaging than what exists currently. 

Vivek: They used to have a performance in the middle of the Saturday events. I think it may be time to bring that back. Love that point.


Sunday Night All-Star Tournament?

Vivek: There are a few interconnected issues with the All-Star Game itself that aren't just related to a lack of defense. Players are playing with a total lack of passion because they may be tired out from off-court events. Additionally, it seems not a lot of attention is spent on every single All-Star. We get wound up on the scoring, but less time is actually spent on the accomplishments of each player, especially reserves, and what they did to warrant selection in the first place. To reinvigorate Sunday night, the All-Star game should be replaced with a 3-on-3 tournament. This serves multiple purposes. 

It will create bursts of excitement for individual players while also giving them something to look forward to. Maybe choose teams randomly; that would be fun!. Alternatively, the league can determine a method of selecting eight different captains who then select players based on various criteria. Keep the games to a best of 11 or 21 and I think players and fans would be happy with that.

I am a fan of integrating the G-League & WNBA in all areas possible. Maybe the teams can be expanded to include one G-League and one WNBA player. The tournament can be spread out across a few days or throughout the day on Sunday. Let the bigwigs at the NBA determine the best approach for scheduling. 

Zach: I love your enthusiasm and creativity with these ideas, but I have to be a party pooper and provide some ideas that are grounded further in reality. I just can’t see the NBA scrapping the All-Star Game entirely, and a 3-on-3 tournament with G-Leaguers and WNBAers feels like a concept that could be better applied during the Saturday festivities . . . or NBA2K.

I think the obvious solution to fostering a more competitive All-Star Game, as spineless as it sounds, is a stronger financial incentive for the players & coaches, A handful of players have already made it clear to the media that they would compete harder if given an extra monetary prize, and we’ve already got a case study to prove that true with the intensity of the In-Season Tournament. 

Beyond that, a few deeper cuts that I think are plausible enough for Mr. Silver to make the call. First: whatever happened to the Elam Ending? It was such a big hit in 2020 I thought it’d become a permanent All-Star fixture; it might not solve quarters one through three, but it’ll certainly provide for a better fourth. Maybe we go further and do an Elam Ending for every quarter: the first team to 50 wins the first, and then we keep adding +24 for each quarter? Just spitballing. 

If we aren’t going to bring back the Elam Ending, we should certainly bring back the charity incentive. If you don’t remember, Team LeBron and Team Giannis were each playing for their own charities, both of which were represented in numbers with seats in the lower bowl. Judging by the effort in 2020, charity money seemed to carry more weight than bragging rights in the eyes of the players, so it feels like a no-brainer to bring back. 

And finally, what if we trimmed the All-Star Game quarter length to 10 minutes, or switched to two 20-minute halves? It doesn’t need to be a full 48 minutes, and if we’re in the business of upping the competitive level while keeping players healthy maybe trim the length by a few minutes. The more basketball the better, generally, but I felt this idea was still worth sharing. 

Vivek: There has to be a certain floor where money is a determining factor in incentivizing All-Star game performance. Players do indeed get a game check for participating, but a bigger pool of money may be needed to sway competition. I just don’t know how much it will take. It may be something of note in the next CBA negotiation, but until then it will be tough.

I love the Elam Ending for each quarter. That would be a radical, but fun idea. Same with shortening the game or at least having a running clock. As for the charity money, I know each team represented a certain charity, so there was a nominal donation. Maybe it can be tied to a charity gala on Friday/Saturday and have those proceeds tied to the result of the game.

Will anything change?

Vivek:  Truth be told, All-Star Weekend means something different for the league than it once did. For almost a dozen years, the game aired on NBC. Viewership hovered around 15-16M during Michael Jordan’s peak, with a high of 22.9M during the 1992-93 season. Of course, viewership declined after Jordan’s first and second retirements, with only a modest bounceback of 13 million and 11 million during the 2002 and 2003 showcases. 

Jordan’s ultimate retirement coincided with the game moving from local TV to cable and TNT. Viewership obviously declined to 7-9 million for about a 15 years, until a more precipitous drop after 2020. The Saturday Night events have been no better, though it’s worth noting that the Curry/Ionescu showdown brought a decent uptick in viewership to around 5.4 million.

All-Star Weekend is also more than just the game. Parties, brunches and volunteer events take up a bulk of the time for the players and league stakeholders. Fans are simply not the primary and exclusive stakeholders for this weekend. Kristi Dosh of Forbes even reported a few days ago how the impact of All-Star Weekend will net the city of Indianapolis a windfall of $320 million. That’s no joke.

Asking the players to cater to corporate stakeholders and expend extra energy during a normally fun, easygoing exhibition weekend may just be akin to an accountant providing serious tax advice to beachgoers in the Caribbean with a Mai Tai in one hand. I guess money talks. Or perhaps I clamor for nostalgia.