Rising Stars Vs. Futures Game
In the battle of the young players, the NBA has their Rising Stars Challenge and the MLB has a Futures Game. Both have the same concept of showcasing the best, young talent in all of their sport.
The Rising Stars Challenge features first and second-year players only. They play two, 20-minute halves as opposed to the typical four, 12-minute quarters that the NBA is used to. This format works out better than a regular NBA format.
Young players in the NBA divide into the USA team or the World team based on where they are from. They mostly play on the court in five-minute stints to allow for every player to get in the game.
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This game has no bearing on anything other than bragging rights for the players amongst one another. The game’s MVP often scores the most points in a game where there is little defense, if any at all.
This is where the MLB gets it right. The Futures Game is played like an actual baseball game under MLB rules. It’s a full, nine-inning game that is played out in it’s entirety.
Similarly to the NBA’s event, the MLB separates their players into a USA team and a World team. The difference is the players competing in the Futures Game haven’t made it into the MLB yet. It’s a game that showcases the young talent in the team’s minor league systems.
It is tougher to get players in the game for the MLB events in general. Position players will usually get one or two at-bats, while pitchers may only face one hitter.
In terms of entertainment value, the NBA wins this battle. Using young players in the NBA makes it relevant and worthwhile to all basketball fans, including college basketball fans that remember the big names. Only diehard fans will watch the Futures Game because it is played on the same day as MLB regular season games.
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