Every year the NBA features a full slate of Christmas day games on ESPN and ABC that usually feature the biggest stars and the best teams. Not every player, coach, referee or network employee celebrates Christmas but making those who do be away from their family for the majority of perhaps the biggest holiday of the year is unnecessary and against the spirit of the holiday season and Christmas itself. I think that it is time for the NBA to get rid of these Christmas day games for the sake of all those in the association that celebrate Christmas.
I know what many of you are thinking. The NBA is a business whose purpose is to make money. Yet almost every other business in the country has the same goal while still having either very limited hours or are just closed for Christmas day. That means doing this would not be something completely unheard of in business. The NBA season spans over 8 months long. During those 8 months there are games essentially every day, and when players and coaches do not have games they practice pretty much every chance they get so as to be as good as they can and work toward their ultimate goal of a championship. It seems only fair that they should all be given a break for one day during the holiday season so as to not have to worry about basketball and just be with their loved ones and celebrate a holiday that is important to many of them. For those who celebrate Christmas it is all about family being together and giving.
Many players and coaches love what they do and can not imagine doing anything else. However just because they are doing something they love does not mean they do not want a day during the season that they can spend away from the game. Getting rid of Christmas day games would do this for many players and would give them time to appreciate things in their life other than basketball, for instance their family. Giving them this short break could also lead to players and coaches coming back invigorated and more motivated after spending time with those who they feel motivated to play for.
Finally, some may think that the NBA should and will not do this because it would cost them money, but with such a long season and 82 games played by 30 different teams, having one day of no basketball at all is not too much to ask for.
So I say to the NBA for the sake of all the players and coaches please get rid of Christmas day games. Us fans can go a day without watching the most athletic millionaires in the world play a game and you can go a day without making your money off them.
