The All-Star Game of the NBA has been one of the league’s largest annual spectacles for a long time, with the best players playing a midseason showcase. However, recently, decreasing ratings and fan participation have prompted the NBA to change its strategy. The 2025 San Francisco All-Star Game was watched by only 4.7 million people, which was 13% fewer viewers than the last year, marking the second-lowest-watched All-Star Game in 25 years.
With the 2026 All-Star Game to be hosted in Los Angeles, the NBA is said to be considering drastic format modifications. Perhaps the most exciting proposal being tossed around is a four-team tournament-style competition to resuscitate the event and reclaim its luster.
The Proposed Four-Team Tournament Format
Based on Sports Business Journal reports, the NBA is seriously contemplating a four-team tournament, with special rosters that are designed to inject competitiveness into the tournament. The suggested teams are:
- International All-Stars – A squad of the NBA’s best international players, comprising Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, and Kyrie Irving.
- Two All-Star U.S.-Born Teams – Rather than Team USA, America’s superstars would be split into two distinct teams.
- The “All-Star Snubs” Team – A team consisting of talented players who narrowly missed being part of the actual All-Star team.
This format is designed to add new dynamics and heighten the level of competition, as one of the key criticisms of recent All-Star Games was that the game was not defensive in nature and overall competitive enough.
By providing under-the-radar players with a chance to go toe-to-toe with talented superstars, the league is hoping to generate more interest, providing the snubbed players with additional motivation to show their talent on a big stage.
Mixed Reactions from Fans and Players
While the concept of a four-team tournament has received wide acceptance, some are not particularly fond of the concept.
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker, one of the 2025 All-Star snubs, was brief in responding to the All-Star Snubs Team concept when he answered with a simple “Nah.”
Fans are also split. Some embrace the change, thinking that it has the potential to bring competitiveness and entertainment value back to the game. Others are skeptical, questioning whether a new format alone will be enough to bring the game back to its place as a television must-watch.
Other Possible Changes on the Table
In addition to the tournament format, the NBA is said to be considering other concepts to reinvigorate the All-Star Weekend:
- An Earlier Telecast Time – Shifting the broadcast time of the game to reach more prime-time viewers and bring more on board.
- One-Vs-One Events – Individual-to-individual matchup of star players against one another for a hefty stack of money that would end in moments going viral along with getting individuals to play at a higher frequency.
- Increased Fan Participation – Encouraging fans to engage more with the players before and during the game.
One of the biggest developments in 2026 will be NBC’s return as the official broadcaster of the All-Star Game. Back from its greater than two-decade absence from the coverage of the NBA, NBC will introduce a new production format that will hopefully be more engaging to viewers and enhance the viewing experience overall.
Will These Changes Succeed?
The NBA has tried various All-Star Game format alterations in the last several decades, such as the Elam Ending and the Team Captain Draft format. But no matter how hard the league has tried, the lack of effort on the part of players has continued to be an issue, resulting in dull and uninteresting games.
If the four-team format is handled well, it could restore the competitiveness and the thrill that made the All-Star Game a can’t-miss event in the past decades.
But final success with these innovations will be a function of whether or not the players are willing to play at a high level.
Conclusion
The NBA has decided to adopt a new approach to improve the viewership of the game and increase more participation of the fans. It will be interesting to see how fans respond to these and will these modifications bring more viewership to the game?
