NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Admits New All-Star Format Was A Huge Miss

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver struggles to reignite interest in his product, particularly the league's All-Star Weekend festivities, which have faded into irrelevance in recent years. 

What was once must-see TV has lost its luster, hurting the league’s appeal.

This year’s All-Star Game even posted the second-lowest ratings ever for the so-called ‘marquee’ event. 

READ: NBA All-Star Game Ratings Tank, Second-Lowest On Record

The NBA's 2025 All-Star Game drew a meager 4.7 million viewers, marking a 13 percent drop from the previous year and ranking as the second-lowest rated in league history.

Days of iconic NBA All-Star Games — like Michael Jordan torching the West for 40 in ’88 — cast today’s lackluster, low-effort exhibitions in a harsh light.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis (L) and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (R) speak during a press conference to announce the NBA's ongoing quest to further align with FIBA and expand its role in European basketball, in New York, on March 27, 2025. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

The athletes may be flashier nowadays, but the NBA is losing its soul. It’s all trending downhill, with Silver and the players largely to blame. 

Tasked with reviving these events, the commissioner is displaying glaring incompetence.

Speaking at the league meetings in New York this week, Silver admitted the NBA’s attempt to boost interest with a tournament-style All-Star Game was a complete flop. "I thought we made almost an immeasurable amount of progress — sitting there, I thought this was a little better — but it was a miss," Silver said on Thursday.

Instead of sticking to the classic East versus West showdown, the league opted for a four-team tournament format. Silver dumped that