
NBA Finals 2017: Warriors could lose more than $22M by sweeping Cavaliers - douche
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-finals-2017-warriors-could-lose-more-than-22-million-by-sweeping-cavaliers/
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DrScump
The _team_ (players and coaches) haven't been motivated by home attendance
profits at any point, given that they've played the fewest possible home games
in all rounds.

Players and coaches don't have incentives to extend series to manufacture
additional games... and that's a _good_ thing for the integrity of the game.

Given that the team has gained about a half- _billion_ dollars in valuation in
just a few years, shed no tears for ownership.

~~~
douche
The players and coaches almost certainly have more to gain by becoming the
first team to fulfill Moses Malone's promise of "Fo, Fo, Fo" and becoming the
first ever team to sweep the entire playoffs, in endorsement deals, future
contracts, and reduced wear-and-tear on their bodies. I believe at one point,
NBA players did earn additional per-game salary for the post-season, but the
league has now switched to a system where the teams are awarded fixed
performance bonuses based on various milestones[1] (which, before they are
sliced up amongst the various players, are on the order of a bench-riding
veteran's salary), so there is no incentive for them to drag it out.

For the teams, the league, and perhaps most importantly, the broadcast
networks, extending series is a big potential for additional revenue. One
estimate I've seen claims that ABC missed out on as much as $45 million
because the 2015 Finals didn't go to seven games[2]. If David Stern, who was
notorious for appearing to put his thumb on the scales, were still
commissioner of the league, I'd be watching the officiating of the next two
games very closely.

[1] [http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/06/02/nba-
playoff-b...](http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/06/02/nba-playoff-
bonuses-warriors-cavs-in-line-for-payday.html)

[2] [http://time.com/money/4373400/nba-finals-rigged-money-abc-
ad...](http://time.com/money/4373400/nba-finals-rigged-money-abc-ad-revenues/)

