In today’s episode, economist Tom Smith and I talk about the upcoming NBA season. Specifically, we discuss the trends towards “super” teams comprised of multiple all stars. The conversation covers everything from Tom’s love of musical theater to how the collective bargaining agreement (the max salary provision) leads to the concentration of all stars in just a few cities.
The NBA has long been more of a star powered league than MLB or the NFL. It’s an interesting strategy because it means that the NBA often has players that are true popular culture icons. This provides tremendous marketing benefits. On the other hand, relying on stars to drive fan interest means that the league is always looking for the next big thing.
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