NBA may take show on road

[McDwyane]

Building off the interest and excitement of holding the All-Star Game in Las Vegas last month, the NBA has discussed a historic move of taking its midseason showcase overseas in a merger of its international base and powerful marketing, The Bee has learned.

The talks have been preliminary, without so much as a target city or timeline, according to senior executives who have been involved in the discussions. But the league is clearly open to the concept, even with the accompanying logistical issues that likely would include expanding the All-Star break from the current window of four days to compensate for jet lag and travel time.

"The fact that we played the game in Las Vegas showed that we are open to any possibility," said one league official, who did not want to be identified because he's unauthorized to speak on behalf of the NBA on the matter. "Our primary goal is to make sure all of our teams are taken care of first. But after that, anything is open for discussion."
Indeed, an international destination would be unlikely if an NBA team pushed to host, and there never has been a shortage of cities with new arenas wanting the exposure and financial windfall of the social event that passes for sports.

That priority could become a greater stumbling block than distance.

The only current commitment, though, is New Orleans in 2008. Phoenix and Dallas have indicated some future interest -- the Mavericks' bid would include playing the game in the unnamed Cowboys stadium scheduled to open in 2009 -- but neither has applied.

Considering an overseas move for the popular All-Star Weekend is a logical, if bold, next step for the NBA, which has been at the forefront of international marketing among U.S. pro sports leagues.

That exposure is destined to continue to grow, with German Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks and Canadian Steve Nash of the Suns the leading candidates for MVP, Italian Andrea Bargnani enjoying a successful season with the Raptors after being the No. 1 draft pick and the announcement that four teams will hold a portion of training camp and play exhibition games in Europe next season. Two other clubs, likely the Magic and Cavaliers, are expected to make preseason appearances in China.

Although playing outside North America has become common, all the way to regular-season games on rare occasions, the NBA has not received an overseas bid for All-Star Weekend. That would be a necessary first step and is one of the reasons the concept has yet to advance beyond the discussion stage at the league's New York headquarters.

London would be the clear leading candidate, with the desired mix of hotel rooms, nonstop travel options from U.S. and Canadian gateways to minimize travel concerns, and a new arena scheduled to open in July. The Timberwolves and Celtics are scheduled for an exhibition game in October at the new arena, which has been described in early reviews from the league office as an NBA-level building that will be run by a company with extensive dealings in American sports and facilities.

"That preseason game will tell us a lot about that building and the future," the league official said.

The arena, located along the banks of the Thames River, gives London a considerable advantage over Paris in speculation for the first overseas city to host an All-Star Weekend. The French capital, ordinarily another obvious option, has an older, smaller building that works for exhibition games but is considered undesirable for this showcase. And it's that primary reason -- an old and small arena -- that the NBA won't return to Las Vegas without at least a renovation for the Thomas & Mack Center.

The field abroad would thin dramatically from there with the hesitation of heading away from Western Europe and adding to the travel from North America, essentially making well-regarded arenas in Cologne, Germany, and Athens, Greece, logistically impossible.

The potential wild card is San Juan, Puerto Rico, which has a three-year-old building that has hosted exhibition games the past two seasons to positive reviews and would be a compromise between new locations and relatively reasonable travel-wise.

[dada]

I would hate it if it went overseas. The AllStar Weekend is one of the main highlights of an NBA season and it should be enjoyed by the number of fans in the US and Canada who come out every game to support their teams locally. Yes some of the wealthier fans will be able to go overseas but for the average Joe its a great financial burden.

[Raps13]

I would hate it if it went overseas. The AllStar Weekend is one of the main highlights of an NBA season and it should be enjoyed by the number of fans in the US and Canada who come out every game to support their teams locally. Yes some of the wealthier fans will be able to go overseas but for the average Joe its a great financial burden.

For the average Joe its a great financial burden already if said Joe wanted to go to the game. How often does the game come to your city? Once every 30 years? Maybe more if your lucky.

That said, I'm not in favour of taking the game overseas. Although I like the idea of having the game in a city that does not have a NBA team as such could be the case in New Orleans next year. The game should stay within North America or a lot of the stars will not attend

[Andrew]

I have to admit I'd be thrilled if the NBA ever decided to hold an event like All-Star Weekend in Australia - and yes, I'm fully aware Australia isn't exactly first in line for an event of that magnitude - but looking at it more objectively, I too feel it would be better off remaining on the North American continent, mostly being held in NBA cities but with the occasional Weekend taking place in another market. I'm all for more International tournaments and exhibitions though.