Taking inspiration from European soccer, Adam Silver finally received the approval for a fascinating project. The league integrated the NBA Cup or the In-Season tournament. The competition was planned to exemplify viewership and revenue during the NBA’s most depressing stage. Two days a week from November to the first week of December, regular season games hold higher gravitas. A feisty reward entices players to take these games with great seriousness.

Last year, in its first edition, the Los Angeles Lakers hoisted the In-Season trophy, with LeBron James winning the MVP. Since it’s been that long, let’s revisit just what makes this competition a tempting fixture for audiences as well as the players. It starts with the prize system. It’s not accolades, but rather a large sum that paves the way for unestablished players to get a great payday.

After the group stage, where every team plays four games, these prizes become guaranteed. For teams that reach the quarterfinals, every player is awarded $50,000. Those who lose in the semifinals get $100,000. The trend of doubling the cash prize continues for the runner-ups, where each player receives $200,000. And finally, the ultimate winner gets each player a cheque of half a million.

Another incentive for the four teams that qualify for the final two rounds is the sight of the ‘Sin City.’ The semifinal and Finals are hosted in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena. But does winning the competition provide any boost later in the year when the playoffs are on the horizon?

Does the winner of the NBA Cup get an upper hand in the playoffs?

The In-Season tournament is exclusively meant for the regular season. Every game apart from the Championship game accounts for the tally of regular season games. Those who don’t qualify further have their games adjusted at a later date. So as far as the implication for the postseason goes, winning naturally improves seeding and indirectly accentuates the chances of making the postseason.

However, there isn’t any spot on hold for the winners of the NBA Cup. According to Tim Bontemps’ research for ESPN, insider talks about incorporating a guaranteed playoff berth for the team that wins. But in the end, the NBA decided against it since the pure motive behind introducing the NBA Cup was to drive excitement and engagement during a dull time in the NBA.

Did it successfully do so?

According to Forbes, tournament games averaged 1.5 million viewers. Viewership increased 26% from the games played during a similar time period last year. Local broadcasts also saw a dramatic uptick. However, the Championship Game managed to trump records that went past ordinary comparisons.

There was something about the storyline that played a part in it. The Lakers, with LeBron James at the helm, played phenomenal basketball. On the other hand, the underdogs Indiana Pacers ran through supreme competition to be on the pedestal. The contest grabbed 5.68 million viewers at its peak, the most for any non-Christmas regular season game since February 2018.

The guidelines laid out did manage to provide positive results for the league. The unique court designs and MVP honors make the competition a spectacle to watch. Now, with a lot more data to work with, the league could improve its product significantly this season when the tournament kicks off in November.

What do you think of the NBA Cup? Let us know your views in the comments below.