The National Football League is not the only sports entity that is looking at a potential later date for its draft. USA Today is reporting that that the NBA is also thinking about pushing its entry draft to July 1. Now what does this mean?
It means that the NBA is hoping to make more room in between the Finals and the Draft so it can better promote the event. And to top it off, the NBA wants to package the entry draft with an all-new season-ending awards show. In addition, the league hopes to extend the sport further into the summer.
The whole thing would impact free agency so the league would most likely want that period to end by the end of July. If it can do that, plus negotiate a deal with its TV partners to move the draft, it can be done. However, with the current TV deal set to expire after the 2015-16 season, the league might be willing to wait until a new contract is in place.
In addition, both Fox and NBC are expected to bid on the NBA, but USA Today reports that the league hopes to reach a deal with current partners ESPN and Turner Sports, but the NBA is impressed on how NBC televises the NHL.
There are many “T’s” to cross and “I’s” to dot before the NBA can move the draft to July. But having a season-ending awards show would give the league a night to shine and take the spotlight in a period when sports is slow. Baseball is ramping towards the All-Star Game, Wimbledon would be in its second week, NASCAR and IndyCar are in the midst of their schedules and there is the oft chance that the draft/awards show would run opposite the World Cup, but that is every four years, so fans would get the opportunity to get used to having those events well into the summer.
We will see if the NBA decides to dip its proverbial toe into a later draft and get into the awards show business.
