Load Management strict new policy. Is it good for the game or just for the business? #NewsComment
The NBA Board of Governors approved a new “Player Participation Policy” (PPP) on Wednesday in order to combat the rise of ‘load management’ and ensure that basketball’s biggest names are on the court throughout the season.
What is load management in NBA terms?
Load management is when a healthy player is held out of playing in a game for rest or precautionary reasons. This is done for the purpose of avoiding long-term fatigue and injuries.
The new rules, which have replaced the Player Resting Policy (PRP) introduced in 2017, are “intended to promote player participation in the NBA’s full 82-game regular season” and prevent teams from resting more than one “star” player on any given night, often referred to as load management.
The PPP defines a star player as any individual who has been named to the All-NBA or All-Star teams in any of the previous three seasons. This means that the Boston Celtics, for example, are required to make at least one of their elite duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown available for every game across the regular season, providing neither are injured.
Forty-nine players are defined as stars by these new provisions across 26 different teams. However, only the 15 teams with multiple star players will be affected by this rule in particular.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the new regulations at a press conference on Wednesday.
“This is ultimately about the fans, and that we’ve taken this too far,” Silver said. “This is an acknowledgment that it has gotten away from us a bit.
“That doesn’t mean we’re turning the clock back, that players are expected to play through injuries or that players never need rest. But there’s a statement of a principle in this league that, if you’re a healthy player, you’re going to play.”
The NBA also put into its new collective bargaining agreement a clause that requires players to play at least 65 games to qualify for MVP and All-NBA honors. This is to incentivize players who can trigger escalators in contracts by winning those awards to appear in as many games as possible.
This might sound good for the fans who pays a ticket, or for humongous TV Corporation like ESPN, a company that currently has a $24 billion deal with the NBA to broadcast the games.
But, what about the players? They are the main actors, 82 games, just in the regular season is exhausting for the players. The teams pay the salaries of these starts, they are doing everything they can to protect their players from injuries so they can be healthy toward playoffs.
Load Management is implemented to give the players the rest they need, and save the players so that they are physically better for the important moments.
https://theathletic.com/4863737/2023/09/19/nba-load-management-new-rules/
2:57 pm - 9-21-2023
This is more summary than needed, Diego. Just the
basics, then discuss how the story is written.
This is a relevant story for fans who pay high prices
for tickets and expect to see the star players. When
they don’t the league looks bad and no one is happy.