The NBA is set to debut a new in-season tournament during the 2023-24 season, the league announced on July 8. The tournament, which will be called the NBA Cup, will feature all 30 teams and will be played during the first two months of the regular season. This marks the first time in the league’s 77-year history that a mid-season tournament will take place.
“This is a concept that has been rumbling around the league office for around 15 years,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
The tournament will be divided into two stages: group play and knockout rounds. In the group stage, the 30 teams will be randomly drawn into six groups consisting of five teams each. Positions in the drawing are based on the team’s record from the prior season.
Each team will play four games against the other teams in its group, for a total of 16 games. Games are currently scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays.
The top four teams in each group will advance to the single-elimination (or knockout) rounds.
The knockout rounds will consist of quarterfinals, semifinals and a final. The quarterfinals will be played in a single-elimination format, with the top two teams from each group hosting a game. The semifinals and final will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
The NBA Cup will be played in addition to the regular season, and the games will count toward the regular season standings. Each player on the winning NBA Cup team will receive a $1 million prize.
The NBA is hoping that the in-season tournament will generate more excitement and interest in the regular season. The league has seen declining ratings in recent years, and the tournament may attract new fans while keeping existing fans engaged.
The NBA Cup is scheduled to begin on November 3, and the final game is scheduled to be played on Dec. 9.
2016 NBA Champion and entertainment personality Richard Jefferson is excited about the NBA Cup tournament.
“The NBA in-season tournament is going to be a can’t miss, must-see, high-stakes, high-level competition,” Jefferson said.
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