The new season in the NBA starts this year on December 22. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) approved a plan on Thursday (local time) to start the basketball league before Christmas. With 72 matches, slightly fewer matches will be played than usual.
“Additional details are still to be negotiated, but the NBPA is confident that the parties will reach agreement on these remaining issues that are relevant for the upcoming season,” the NBPA said.
The past season was only completed in October after a delay of several months due to the corona crisis. The teams finished the season at Disney World in Orlando, where Los Angeles Lakers took the title at the expense of the Miami Heat.
If the new season did not start in December before Christmas, an additional loss of revenue of up to $ 1 billion (nearly $ 844 million) would have been threatened, the NBA said.
Starting before Christmas yields many television viewers and thus income. The players’ union initially ruled that the players deserved more rest and preferred a season that starts in mid-January.
The draft – attracting new players – has been moved from October 16 to November 18, with most preparations starting in early December.