Mike Vokunov interviews Evan Wasch, EVP of Basketball Strategy & Analytics at the NBA, about creating the NBA schedule and the challenges of the In Season Tournament. They discuss the considerations involved in scheduling tournament and regular season games, the collaboration within the league, and the metrics used for scheduling. The podcast also features advertisements for NBA 2k mobile and Factor sponsor. They also delve into prioritizing factors in creating NBA schedules and discuss opponent matrices, in-season tournament scheduling, and financial implications of hosting tournament games.
Creating the NBA Schedule involves considering factors like rest, back-to-back games, and travel miles.
The scheduling team aims to maximize competitive opportunities and minimize travel patterns in the new in-season tournament.
Deep dives
Introduction of NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV
NFL Sunday Ticket is now available on YouTube and YouTube TV, making it more accessible for NFL fans, even if they live far from their preferred team's territory. This development allows fans to easily tune in to their out-of-market teams by simply using their remote control.
Interview with Evan Wash, Executive Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Analytics at NBA
Mike Vorknoff interviews Evan Wash, the Executive Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Analytics at the NBA. They discuss the recently released 2023-24 NBA schedule and the challenges of scheduling the in-season tournament. Evan explains how the scheduling team works to ensure that all teams have their game schedules finalized while taking into account factors like rest, back-to-back games, and travel miles.
In-Season Tournament Schedule
Evan Wash explains the schedule for the new in-season tournament. He discusses the group play stage, where four selected matchups will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays in November, designated as tournament nights. Each team will play four games during this stage. He emphasizes that careful consideration was taken to maximize competitive opportunities and minimize travel patterns during this exciting new competition.
Challenges and Considerations in the Schedule
Evan Wash highlights the challenges faced in scheduling the in-season tournament and how they were addressed. He mentions the need to protect high-profile games, mitigate travel patterns, and ensure fairness for teams with different game schedules. He also discusses the collaboration with network partners and the importance of balancing various factors, such as player availability, rivalries, and prime-time games.
Mike Vokunov brings on Evan Wasch Executive Vice President, Basketball Strategy & Analytics at National Basketball Association, about creating the NBA Schedule, the challenge of the In Season Tournament, and much more