Amanda Knapp
Tanking in basketball is a highly debated topic. It is a strategy where teams purposely lose games in the short term to obtain higher draft picks that will help them win in the long term. While it can be argued that tanking helps small-market teams to be competitive, it is criticized for harming the integrity and financial health of basketball leagues. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has faced one of its most pressing problems due to tanking. Teams in the NBA and other American sports leagues are more susceptible to tanking because they operate in a closed system without promotion or relegation. While tanking is not explicitly illegal, it raises ethical and moral questions about the duty of teams to compete with intensity. Some argue that it is a breach of fiduciary duties and can be addressed through legal action, while others view it as a rational strategy for teams to improve their chances of winning.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | "Tanking" is when a team purposely loses in the short term to obtain higher draft picks that will help them win in the long term. |
| Teams that have tanked | The first team to tank was the 1983–84 Houston Rockets. Other teams include the Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz. |
| Strategies | Trading away older players for younger prospects and draft picks in future entry drafts. |
| Impact on the NBA | Tanking harms the integrity and financial health of the NBA. |
| Moral implications | Tanking goes against the NBA's principle of "competing with intensity." It may also be a breach of fiduciary duties owed by NBA teams to each other, as the NBA can be considered a partnership. |
| Criticism | Tanking has been criticized by sports writers and athletes such as Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, who called it "stupid." |
| Alternatives | Open sports leagues in other nations typically use a promotion and relegation system, which penalizes poor performers and makes tanking unfeasible. |
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What You'll Learn
Tanking's impact on the NBA's financial health
Tanking in basketball refers to when a team purposely loses games in the short term to obtain higher draft picks, which they believe will help them win in the long term. While it can be argued that this strategy increases fan investment, it is considered harmful to the integrity and financial health of the NBA.
The NBA's financial health is closely tied to the competitiveness of its teams. When teams engage in tanking, they are effectively reducing their competitiveness in the present with the hope of becoming more competitive in the future. This can lead to a decrease in ticket sales and merchandise revenue for the team that is tanking, as fans may be less inclined to spend money on a team that is not performing well. Additionally, tanking can result in a loss of sponsorship opportunities, as companies may be reluctant to partner with a team that is not performing well or does not align with their brand image.
Furthermore, tanking can have a negative impact on the league's broadcasting rights value. The NBA's media partners rely on competitive balance to attract viewers and sell advertising slots. When teams tank, it can create an uneven playing field, reducing the league's overall competitiveness and appeal to broadcasters. This can lead to a decrease in revenue from broadcasting rights, which is a significant source of income for the NBA.
Tanking can also affect the NBA's ability to attract top talent. When a team tanks, it signals to potential free agents that the team is not committed to immediate success. As a result, free agents may be less inclined to sign with a team that is tanking, opting instead for teams that are more competitive in the present. This can lead to an imbalance in the league, with certain teams hoarding top players while others struggle to attract the necessary talent to improve their performance.
In addition, tanking can impact the league's relationship with its fans. Fans invest their time, money, and emotional energy into supporting their favourite teams. When a team tanks, it can be seen as a betrayal of the fan's trust, leading to decreased engagement and attendance. This can have financial repercussions, as the league relies on fan support for ticket sales, merchandise sales, and sponsorship opportunities.
To mitigate the financial impact of tanking, the NBA has implemented a lottery system for the draft picks. This system aims to reduce the incentive for teams to lose intentionally by introducing an element of chance in the draft pick selection process. However, despite this effort, tanking remains a prevalent issue in the NBA, continuing to impact the league's financial health.
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Tanking as match fixing
Tanking is differentiated from match-fixing as it does not involve betting or achieving a predetermined result in a specific contest. Match-fixing violates the rules of the game and is illegal, whereas tanking is a strategy used by teams to lose games intentionally to obtain higher draft picks, which they hope will help them win in the future.
Tanking is a common practice in American sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL. While it may not be illegal, it is highly controversial and considered unethical by many. Some argue that it harms the integrity and financial health of the league.
One notable example of tanking in the NBA is "The Process," implemented by Sam Hinkie, the former GM of the Philadelphia 76ers. From 2013 to 2016, the 76ers intentionally lost games to gain valuable draft picks, which eventually helped them rebuild their team and become competitive again.
To address the issue of tanking, the NBA has made changes to its draft system, such as flattening the lottery odds and creating play-in games to incentivize teams to play through the end of the regular season. Some have suggested removing the draft entirely or allowing the lottery drawing to determine a larger number of top picks to disincentivize tanking.
While tanking may not be illegal, it is a significant issue in the NBA and other sports leagues, leading to strategies that prioritize losing over winning in the short term.
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Tanking as a breach of fiduciary duty
Tanking, or the act of losing games on purpose to gain higher draft picks, is a highly debated topic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). While some argue that tanking is indicative of fans becoming more invested in their favourite teams, others call it an "epidemic". The practice of tanking is seen as a breach of fiduciary duty, with some arguing that it harms the integrity and financial health of the NBA. According to an article in the Iowa Law Review, the NBA can be viewed as a partnership, with the teams as its members. As such, tanking teams may be sued by non-tanking teams, who can seek damages in court. This legal solution is proposed to deter teams from tanking and preserve the competitive nature of the league.
The NBA's mission statement includes the principle of "competing with intensity," which suggests that members of the association have a duty to compete vigorously. Tanking, therefore, may be considered a violation of this duty. Additionally, tanking can be detrimental to the league's financial health, as it may lead to a loss of revenue and difficulty in attracting top talent. This can result in a decline in the overall quality of the league and its appeal to fans and sponsors.
While tanking is a unique strategy in sports, it is essential to distinguish it from match-fixing or actions taken to influence the outcome of a specific contest for betting purposes, which is illegal. Tanking, on the other hand, is a strategy employed over an entire season or multiple seasons to gain a competitive advantage in the future.
Tanking has been a problem in the NBA for several years, with the 1983-84 Houston Rockets being one of the first teams to employ this strategy. The Rockets' tactics played a role in the NBA's decision to adopt a lottery system for the first overall pick starting in 1985. Despite this effort to mitigate the impact of tanking, the strategy persists, with teams like the Dallas Mavericks being accused of tanking during the 2023 NBA season.
In conclusion, tanking in the NBA can be considered a breach of fiduciary duty, as it violates the league's principles and harms its financial health. To preserve the integrity of the league and deter teams from tanking, legal solutions such as lawsuits and damages may be necessary.
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Teams accused of tanking
Tanking is a strategy employed by sports teams where they lose games on purpose in the short term to obtain higher draft picks, which they hope will help them win in the long term. While it is not clear if tanking is explicitly illegal, it is certainly unsportsmanlike and unethical. Tanking also harms the integrity and financial health of leagues like the NBA.
The 1983-84 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are considered one of the first teams to tank. After starting the season 20-26, they decided to give more playing time to their less talented players to finish with the worst record in the Western Conference. This ensured that they would be in a coin toss with the worst team in the Eastern Conference for the #1 overall pick in the 1984 draft. The Rockets won the coin toss and used their top pick to draft Hakeem Olajuwon, who became one of the greatest basketball centers of all time.
The Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers
These MLB teams have been accused of tanking by trading away their best players to cut costs and develop younger stars. While tanking is less effective in baseball due to the lower success rate of top MLB draft picks, it can still be detrimental to the league and its fans.
The Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were accused of tanking during the final games of the 2023 NBA season. They rested star players Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, along with many starters, for their penultimate game of the season against the Chicago Bulls, which they lost. This knocked them out of playoff contention and made them more likely to keep their draft pick, which was top-10 protected. The team was fined $750,000 for their actions.
The Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers were accused of tanking by popularizing the practice during the same era that Masai Ujiri was the Raptors' president of basketball operations. From 2014 to 2018, they drafted six times in the top 10, selecting cornerstone players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. However, the team has struggled in the playoffs since the tanking ended, never advancing past the Conference Semifinals.
The Raiders
The Raiders, an NFL team, were accused of tanking by their fans and the media when head coach Jon Gruden liquidated most of the team's talent before the 2018 season, including trading Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears for two first-round draft picks. The Raiders finished the 2018 season with only four wins, a significant drop-off from the previous season when they qualified for the playoffs.
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Tanking's moral implications
Tanking in basketball, or any sport for that matter, raises several moral questions. Firstly, it goes against the spirit of competition and fair play. Tanking involves teams deliberately losing games in the short term to gain a competitive advantage in the future, such as obtaining higher draft picks. This strategy undermines the integrity of the sport and calls into question the very nature of competition. If teams are intentionally losing, how can spectators, players, and coaches be sure that what they are witnessing is a true contest?
Secondly, tanking can harm the financial health of the league or association, in this case, the NBA. The NBA relies on its teams to compete with intensity and provide an attractive product for fans and sponsors. When teams tank, they are not competing with intensity and are instead prioritizing future success over present performance. This can lead to decreased revenue for the league and individual teams, as fans may lose interest, ticket sales may drop, and sponsorship opportunities may diminish.
Thirdly, tanking can be seen as a breach of fiduciary duty owed by teams to each other and the league. In a Kantian ethical framework, each team has a duty to compete with intensity and act in a way that benefits the league as a whole. Tanking can be seen as acting in one's self-interest at the expense of the collective good. This could lead to a breakdown of trust and cooperation among teams, damaging the league's stability and long-term success.
Additionally, tanking can be detrimental to the well-being of players and coaches. It can affect their morale, motivation, and confidence, especially if they are benched or traded to facilitate the tanking strategy. Tanking can also impact the development of younger players, who may not be given adequate playing time or guidance during a tanking season.
Finally, tanking can have a negative impact on the fan experience. Fans invest their time, energy, and emotions into supporting their favourite teams. When a team tanks, it can feel like a betrayal of that trust and loyalty. Fans may feel disheartened and lose interest in the team or the league altogether.
While some may argue that tanking is a legitimate strategy to build for the future, especially for small-market teams, it is essential to consider the moral implications outlined above. Tanking can harm the integrity of the sport, the financial health of the league, the well-being of those involved, and the fan experience.
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Frequently asked questions
Tanking is when a team purposely loses games in the short term to get higher draft picks, with the hope of winning in the long term.
Tanking is not illegal, but it does harm the integrity and financial health of the NBA. Teams are expected to "compete with intensity", and tanking goes against this principle. Some argue that tanking is a breach of fiduciary duties owed by NBA teams to each other.
Tanking is a shortcut to winning games. It is a strategy that can help teams be in the playoff mix. In the NBA, most teams need a superstar to win a championship, and tanking can help them get closer to winning titles.
