The NBA may soon see significant adjustments to its calendar as the league reportedly engages in “active discussions” with Amazon about moving the mid-season tournament to a later date. The proposed shift aims to align the tournament with the conclusion of the NFL season, potentially giving basketball more visibility during a less crowded sports calendar.
During a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, the NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley shared his thoughts on how the league could better position itself to compete with other major sports. Barkley suggested a bold change: delaying the start of the NBA regular season by a couple of months.
"I think we need to seriously consider starting on Christmas because listen you're wasting your time going up against the NFL and College Football, they own the weekends now… We'd have the entire calendar to ourself."
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 18, 2024
-Charles Barkley on changing the start to the #NBA season pic.twitter.com/uJasfWlO3D
“I think we need to seriously consider starting on Christmas because, listen, you’re wasting your time going up against the NFL and college football; they own the weekends now. We’d have the entire calendar to ourselves,” Barkley said.
Charles Barkley Takes Aim At The NBA’s Entertainment Problem
The modern NBA has become overly reliant on three-point shooting and free throws. The league’s shift toward a perimeter-oriented game has been a hot topic.
Charles Barkley expressed his frustration with the current state of basketball, calling for changes to make the game more engaging for fans during his interview on the Dan Patrick Show. Barkley expressed frustration with how games often devolve into what he described as “a three-point shooting contest and a free-throw contest.”
“I think we have to figure out something because the most important part of the game is the fans. If they’re not watching, you can’t keep your head in the sand—you gotta say, ‘What are we doing wrong?’” Barkley said.
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“It’s frustrating for me because all the games are now a three-point shooting contest and a free-throw contest, and I don’t like it. They can get mad, but I don’t want to see a three-point shooting contest every night. That ain’t no fun,” he added.
For now, Barkley’s remarks serve as a wake-up call to NBA executives. The challenge lies in finding a way to ensure that the league remains engaging while staying true to its roots.
