In recent years, fans of the NFL and NBA have watched the quality of their respective All Star games (whatever they may be named) fall off a cliff. Both sports have played around with different formats, and both have arguably been worse than their predecessors. In lieu of the NBA's most recent crack at it, we will talk about if and how these events can improve.
For years, both leagues had a combination of fan, media, and player votes, that resulted in pitting the best players in each of the conferences against each other. It was practical, easy to carry out, not too serious, and enjoyed by fans and players alike. Somewhere along the way, though, commissioners Adam Silver and Roger Goodell had the idea to change things up. For Goodell, I get it, the player selection process by fans led to questionable selections of players such as backup QB Tyler Huntley. That is not the part that he decided to change, however, opting to go with a flag football game in an attempt to sap some extra effort out of players. Would you be surprised to learn that this hasn't worked?
One fundamental issue with the player voting is the questionable involvement of fans. Most recently, LaMelo Ball -- who ranked first in the fan votes for the Eastern conference -- was excluded from the all star game in place of Jalen Brunson. Ball led Brunson in every single major statistical category up until the All Star Break.
In an event that is advertised as fan friendly, it is imperative that fan favorites, especially those that are well deserving, get their chance to play in the event. The NFL hasn't had too much trouble with fan favorites, as they tend to air on the side of caution with including ran choices in their events. It could also be easier given that more players are on the field at a time.
One thing that both games do well is their inclusion of multiple events, whether it's the 3 point contest and team events, or the pro bowl skills showdown, both leagues employ extra days of activities that include larger numbers of players.
All in all, there is no singular fix for Goodell and Silver, and you can't force players to try their hardest in what is essentially a consolation game. My "solution" would be to advertise it less, and maybe even scale down. I guess it's not really a fix, but it is the most cost efficient and logical for both Silver and Goodell.
There's only two ways you can go -- more or less expensive -- and it seems irresponsible to throw money on an event that has been slipping away for years. There's really not much more to do, and simplifying to a singular game (with the addition of things like the skills showdown and team games). Eliminating tournaments and flag football games restores the most success they have had, and would be a safe bet to go back to.
They're tasked with a tough job, and Roger Goodell and Adam Silver will have to make a change fast if they want any chance of saving their respective all star games.
Eli Knight
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All Star games have outlived their usefulness. The NBA should worry about makining their regular games worth the money.