Should the BBL have a play in tournament?

[spacejammer]

Hi guys I caught a bit of the NBA yesterday and seeing how the NBA have introduced this new play in tournament in the past few seasons.

Would the BBL ever consider doing the same one day?

I suppose teams like Surrey this season it would keep open the window of opportunity for the playoffs.

Your thoughts?

[A tall man]

If we had a 14 team league then yeah, bottom 2 shouldn't make playoffs tho

[milehigh]

I'd suggest that with a ten team league, having 8 sides go into the play offs is too many.
How about having a NBL & WBBL final four weekend with semi finals on the Saturday and the two finals on the Sunday afternoon, to be playd a single, large arena, venue.

In terms of travel and catchment area, the NIA in Birmingham would be ideal, and easier for more people to get to than a venue in South East London.

[mac]

Apr 15, 2022 14:21:23 GMT milehigh said:

I'd suggest that with a ten team league, having 8 sides go into the play offs is too many.
How about having a NBL & WBBL final four weekend with semi finals on the Saturday and the two finals on the Sunday afternoon, to be playd a single, large arena, venue.

In terms of travel and catchment area, the NIA in Birmingham would be ideal, and easier for more people to get to than a venue in South East London.

Agree, even more so if the rumours are true and Giants fold. What do you think of the formula used in cricket. First v second, winner straight to final. Third v fourth, winner to play loser of first v second. Winner of this plays in final. Took me a while to get my head around it but it seems to work. You also get an extra game but this would make it difficult for a weekend with one finalist playing three times.

[SamH]

Possibly with 10 teams you could do top 2 qualify and then 3-6 do a play in to go to a semi finals and final weekend - but that's almost the same as what we have now, just dropping the 1-8 and 2-7 matches. I think really for a play in to work you do need more teams.

The NBA introduced it to help combat tanking for lottery picks as well, which isn't an issue in the BBL!

[milehigh]

!v 4 & 2 v 3 semi finals then the final the following day

I'd suggest WBBL semi's at 1pm & 3pm BBL Semi's 6 & 8 pm Saturday
Wbbl Final 2pm followed by BBL Final at 4pm Sunday.

The idea is to generate the maximum media coverage for the event, while providing a good experience for spectators and TV coverage.

Also,  the venue needs to be somewhere that supporters from all of the country can get to easily, by car, train or air, so not in London, ideally a large venue in the Midlands.

[bullets92]

Is this just an NBA thing or do they have it across Europe aswell?

[spacejammer]

I think the closest I seen to this was many seasons ago when London Lions played Manchester Giants on Sky Sports at the end of the season and the winner of that game was going to clinch the last spot in the playoffs.

I like the idea of a Final 4 Weekend like the Euroleague which I believe the BBL used to do for the Semi Final and Finals.

The idea of top 2 teams are byed to the Semis and then 3v6 battle it out in round one is the playoff style they do in the Egyptian league.
Or atleast that was how it was described in the book Gadaffis Point Guard by Ex BBL Player Alex Owuni.

Both sound like interesting ideas.
I mean last year Sky decided to Jazz things up with the May Madness which was the same playoff format except all 5he teams are brought together in different venues.