The NBA has attracted the attention of an ever-growing number of spectators throughout the world as the most popular basketball league. The NBA season is known for being too long since matches are played almost every day. Even though it is one of the most prominent sports competitions, it has a reputation for being too long.

Why is the NBA season so long? The regular season spans from October through April and consists of 82 matches. Following that, we will begin playoffs that end in June, for an overall NBA schedule of 8 months. 

An NBA season as long as this has frequently drawn criticism from coaches and players alike. Concerns have been raised about injuries, fatigue, and overall performance. In this article, we explore the reasons behind the long season and its repercussions.

Too many games 

A common complaint of NBA players is the length of their seasons. A regular-season consists of 82 games, which is too many for teams. Since the season consists of 82 matches, it lasts for almost six months! A recent exception to the rule was the 2020/21 season when each team had to play 72 matches due to a widespread Coronavirus outbreak.

In addition to starting late, the season ended late. It has also been suggested to hold 72 matches in future seasons, but no commitment has yet been made. During the 2011/2012 NBA season, a lockout also prevented the regular season from starting on time but a reduced number of games meant that the season would end normally.

Viewership 

As a result of the high number of matches in the NBA, the viewership is at an all-time high. Matches are regularly watched by spectators from Europe and the United States. Watching as many matches as you can is usually a good idea from a spectator’s perspective, but sometimes players get injured or fatigue prevents them from performing well. 

The NBA has suffered some decline in viewership in recent years. Although Covid-19 roaming contributed to the NBA being halted for almost 6 months, the NBA recovered completely and was able to get back on track within a very short period of time. 

Post-season period 

We proceed into the playoffs after the regular season has ended, where eight teams from each conference compete in a best of seven tournament. To win the series, a team must win four matches. If all 7 matches are played, the playoffs can become protracted, which further prolongs the season. 

As part of the 2020/2021 season, a play-in tournament was introduced. As an alternative to the eight teams that directly qualify for a playoff spot, the teams who placed 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th in each of the two conferences played against each other. A format like this attracted lots of support and is almost certain to be adopted for future seasons. 

After the winner is decided and the playoffs are over, the players have almost 4 months of break before the next season begins. As a result, they are able to recuperate during the off-season. When national tournaments occur such as the Olympics, World Cup, or other domestic tournaments, players may have even less rest as they are called into their national teams. 

Every team faces a lot of implications over such an extended season that lasts almost eight months. Below we will examine some of them.

Injuries & Fatigue 

A player who plays 40 minutes or more in a single match will be under more strain. More matches mean more load for each player. In the midst of so many matches, it is common for players to become injured, resulting in long-term absences from the court. In order to avoid injuries, players who are prone to them are rested for several games. Leonard, who had some medical history, was rested for 20 games so as to preserve his playoff performance. Unfortunately, Leonard was still injured in the playoffs, so the Clippers’ playoff hopes were destroyed.

As a result of playing almost every other day, players’ performances suffer. Eventually, they are simply exhausted during the playoffs given their fatigue, waning stamina, and lack of energy. It has already been mentioned that for a fan having more matches to watch is better for entertainment purposes, but unfortunately, athletes become fatigued way too soon, meaning that they cannot perform at their best in the playoffs.

72 games – a solution to the problem? 

In theory, a reduction in matches can improve performance, and it can give players the chance to rest. During the 2020/2021 regular season, there was a proposal to cut the NBA regular season to 72 games because of the Coronavirus outbreak. Hopefully, the NBA will incorporate a similar program in the future. This will allow the NBA to avoid the cases of players intentionally sitting out of games. Shortening the season will, however, result in less revenue, which is probably not something teams want to deal with. 

Do other American sports also have long periods of play? 

In comparison with MLB, another really popular sport in the United States, the NBA season is short. The number of games is far higher than that of basketball, which is over 2000. Like its NBA counterpart, NHL games also last about the same amount of time and have 82 games as well. 

In the NFL, the season lasts 18 weeks and consists of 272 games. September 9th is the traditional kickoff date.