The NBA is reportedly considering moving the NBA Cup championship game from Las Vegas

On Dec 16, 2025

LAS VEGAS— The NBA Cup will return next season. It’s a big reason why Amazon Prime Video paid so much money for broadcast rights, as it became the home of the league’s early-season tournament — and ratings are up 90% this year, according to the league.

However, the NBA Cup championship game may not return to Las Vegas next year.

Announcement

The league is considering moving the championship game to next year, a story told by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and confirmed by other reports. The decision had already been made to move next year’s semifinals – played this year on a Saturday in Las Vegas – to the home market of the higher-seeded team. While the league remains committed to having a final at a neutral site, it may not be in Las Vegas.

In a city all about big, lively events, like the recent F1 race that took over the Strip, talk to the locals and there’s very little buzz about the NBA Cup. Whatever the announced attendance at the games, there are sections of the upper bowl that are empty during the semifinals, and there has been concern that empty seats and a more neutral crowd (most fans don’t travel to these games; the building is packed with locals) might feel like too low energy in the broadcast. To be fair, there was a better crowd and energy for Saturday’s second semifinal – perhaps because it featured Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or perhaps the 6pm local start time was better than the 2.30pm start time for the Knicks game.

T-Mobile Arena was packed and loud in the tournament’s first year, 2023, but that’s because the Lakers were there: Las Vegas is a Lakers city, plus it’s a short trip for Lakers fans in Southern California to get out for a day or two and see a game. Since then the atmosphere has been different, even with an international brand with a large fan base like The New York Knicks will play in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday.