Sports
A Simple Plan to Fix the NBA Schedule Without Cutting Revenue
There’s no way the NBA is going to cut back on its number of games.
Going from 82 to 72 games, as Steve Kerr suggested this week, would create a 12% decrease in game-day revenue.
The billionaire owners – or shall we say, their ticket-buying fans – might be willing to absorb that, but no way the millionaire players go for it.
If only there were a way …
C’mon, you had to know I have a solution.
The key to solving this equation is understanding where the NBA’s money comes from. It’s the various television contracts.
The TV people have to be kept happy in any new arrangement.
They’re proud as peacocks now, so why change the presentation? The goal here is not to shorten the season, but rather to shrink the number of games.
As it stands now, the NBA campaign runs 173 days. Squeezing 82 games in there leaves just 91 days off. That’s 10 weeks with four games per team and 14 weeks with three.
And you thought the LA freeway was congested.
By cutting back to 72 games but keeping the 173-day schedule, you get exactly three games a week, with 10 additional days off, going from 91 to 101.
That sounds more reasonable from a players’ perspective … as long as they still get their money. Understood.
Here’s how that would work:
By keeping the schedule at 24 weeks, the big-money networks would still have the same number of telecast dates. No money lost. No reason to renegotiate any deals.
So, the TV people are happy and the players are happy. That just leaves the owners and those five home dates lost per team.
Alas, that’s not a problem, either.
First off, while nothing can be done about existing deals, owners would have the ability to cut back on future player contracts, right? The question is: How much?
That would depend upon a key transition the league is undergoing as early as next season.
The NBA has been snatching up local TV rights. This will soon become another major revenue source … one with no collective bargaining agreement that will guarantee the players anything.
So, while the owners might take a small hit short-term, they’ll be just fine, too.
But that’s not all. Greater breathing room in the schedule also creates the opportunity for a greater viewing product.
You’ve heard the complaints: We’re not watching because stars aren’t playing. And we don’t even know where to find the games in the first place.
Well, with no four-game weeks, there will be no need for back-to-backs. Take away back-to-backs and you greatly increase the possibility that your old men won’t need a night off.
Equally important is the difficulty in finding games. Spreading out the schedule could help fix that problem as well, as long as the league becomes a little more creative.
The NBA needs a “Basketball Night in America” – one game, marquee matchups, NBC, Shaq and the guys. It appears NBC wants that night to be Tuesday, so let’s keep it on Tuesday.
But let’s give everyone else the night off.
And with maximum potential exposure, let’s make it an attraction to more than just serious basketball fans.
Let’s create a 24-person Celebrity Shootout, to be contested at halftime of the game. Big names. REAL big names. Single-elimination, March Madness-style. One head-to-head per week.
I can already see Charles choreographing a “Gone Fishing” segment at the end of the night, complete with a live interview with the loser.
This could be your viewer-magnet Super Bowl halftime show. Only weekly.
Then let’s take our second-most important network, Peacock, and give them Sunday night. Again, just one game on the schedule. Others can play earlier in the day, but at 8 p.m. Eastern, all eyes are on two teams.
And I’d even give this game a side attraction – a Survivor Pool in which all Peacock subscribers are invited to pick the winner of the game. Afterward, we find out how many got it right, and thus earn the right to advance to pick again next week, and how many were eliminated.
Did I mention $1 million – it might have to be “paid” in Peacock gear to satisfy the various state gambling laws – to the eventual winner?
Just two big-splash showdowns each week would leave more glamorous matchups for the NBA to sell on its new local-television deal, which keeps the revenue streams flowing even while the players are getting more time off.
Everybody wins. Even the fans.
Imagine that.
Sports
Broncos sign GM George Paton to new 5-year deal
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Denver Broncos signed general manager George Paton to a new five-year contract Friday that runs through the 2030 season.
Paton, 56, joined Denver as the GM in 2021 after 14 seasons in the Minnesota Vikings’ front office (2007-20).
“We are pleased to announce a new five-year contract for George Paton that reflects our confidence in his leadership, vision and the overall direction of our team,” owner and CEO Greg Penner said. “As our general manager, George has demonstrated a strong commitment toward building a winning roster while forming a collaborative and supportive partnership with Sean Payton.
“I’ve enjoyed working with George over the last four seasons and appreciate the alignment we share in positioning the Broncos for sustained success.”
Since Paton brought in head coach Payton ahead of the 2023 season, the Broncos have averaged 11 wins per season with back-to-back playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Denver earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 14-3 record last season before losing to the New England Patriots in the conference championship game.
Paton has aggressively worked to improve the Broncos through all avenues during his tenure, including 36 trades, 45 draft selections, 55 unrestricted free agent signings and 13 contract extensions, according to the team.
Paton’s biggest draft hits include 2021 first-round cornerback Patrick Surtain II — the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year — and 2024 first-round choice and franchise quarterback Bo Nix.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum calls a timeout against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Ben McCollum is finalizing a deal with Iowa that would keep him as the Hawkeyes basketball coach for the next six years, ESPN reported Friday.
McCollum is coming off his first season at the helm in Iowa, when he took the Hawkeyes on their deepest NCAA tournament run in almost 40 years.
Compiling a 24-13 record, the Storm Lake, Iowa, native led the No. 9 Hawkeyes on a run to the Elite Eight that included a 73-72 second-round upset win over top-seeded Florida and another win over No. 4 Nebraska before being eliminated by Illinois in the regional final.
McCollum, 45, came to Iowa last spring after one season at Drake, which he led to the NCAA Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles in his first year with the program. Drake finished with a 31-4 record after falling to Texas Tech in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
He previously spent 15 seasons with NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University, helping his alma mater capture four national championships (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022).
During his 17-year coaching career, McCollum has amassed a record of 450-108.
McCollum was reportedly pursued by North Carolina in their search for a head coach to replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after five seasons. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was ultimately hired to coach the Tar Heels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (right) talks with Manny Pacquiao as celebrates after his welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to terms on an amended deal for a proposed boxing match on Sept. 25 in Las Vegas.
Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur told The Ring magazine on Friday that the sides reached terms to go ahead with the anticipated bout at T-Mobile Arena. The fight will stream live on Netflix.
The initial plan was for the bout to be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 19, however that fell through. The rock band The Eagles are performing on that date as part of their residency at the venue.
Mayweather could be rather busy given that he has exhibition bouts lined up against Mike Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis. The Tyson fight does not have a specific date or location, while the Zambidis bout is set for June 27 in Athens, Greece.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao initially fought in 2015 after years of buildup, with the former winning by unanimous decision. That bout wound up being the highest grossing boxing event of all time.
Pacquiao, 47, retired from boxing in September 2021 as the only eight-division world champion in boxing history before coming out of retirement last year for a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, which ended in a majority draw.
Mayweather, who has a perfect 50-0 career record and won 15 world titles, hasn’t fought competitively since his highly controversial boxing match against UFC legend Conor McGregor in August of 2017.
–Field Level Media
Broncos sign GM George Paton to new 5-year deal
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
