The NBA All-Star Game has been a fan-favorite tradition for decades. But let’s face it—recent games haven’t exactly been nail-biters. After last year’s All-Star matchup turned into a high-scoring, low-energy affair (hello, 211-186 final score!), fans and players agreed it was time for a change. Adam Silver has heard the feedback loud and clear, and they’re introducing a bold new format this time around.

Here’s the scoop: Instead of the classic East vs. West showdown, Commissioner Silver & Co. are planning to switch to a tournament-style format with four teams. Three of these teams will be made up of All-Stars, with eight players on each squad. And the fourth?

It’s a wildcard—the winner of the Rising Stars game, which features some of the league’s top young talent.

Shocked? So are we.

Shams Charania dropped the bomb on his Instagram. “New, four-team tournament for the 2025 All-Star game would consist of three teams of eight All-Stars each and the winner of the Rising Stars game, sources said. League officials discussed the concepts in a Competition Committee meeting on Friday.”

Charania divulged further details of this meeting in his ESPN article. According to the Senior NBA Insider, the tournament will be played in a quick, high-stakes series. Teams will face off in matchups like “Team 1 vs. Team 3” and “Team 2 vs. Team 4,” and the winners of those games will meet in the final round to battle for All-Star glory.

This fresh format has been months in the making, with league officials, players, and coaches working to inject new life into the All-Star stage. With San Francisco’s Chase Center hosting the event, Stephen Curry has also played a key role in bringing this vision to life, as the Splash Bro’s been in “direct conversations” with Adam Silver for months! But the innovations don’t stop there.

There is a buzz about a special NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest featuring stars like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Sabrina Ionescu, and Caitlin Clark—a potential highlight of All-Star Weekend. After all, Steph and Sabrina were already making plans for it, right after their shootout last time. Adam Silver, for his part, acknowledged that despite all the tech add-ons, the All-Star Game missed the mark.

“I think there’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans,” the NBA Commissioner said.

While that’s well and good, this news has many already scratching their heads.

“[I don’t know] how to feel about this”: Fans skeptic about the All-Star Game’s not-so-traditional new format

Although the NBA Commissioner’s heart is undeniably in the right place, it seems the fans of the sport aren’t too enthusiastic about the sudden change. “Idk [I don’t know] how to feel about this. Fans just want a competitive east vs. west game imo [in my opinion],” wrote one user, echoing pretty much the majority sentiment that of wanting a traditional, competitive matchup.

Another individual made sure to tag both the NBA and Adam Silver before making his case. In fact, he went as far as breaking it down into a simple equation. “What we fans really want to see = best players in the world + effort. Format doesn’t really matter to us.”

According to the comment, the point here is that fans value ‘competitive play’ over gimmicks or changes to the format, a direct critique of the NBA’s modern focus on changing the All-Star Game formats.

Yet another guy kept it casual, as he wrote, “Bruh just keep it east vs west wassup with all the switch up ??, some things don’t need changing like fr [for real],” followed by a pair of laughing with tears emojis. While not as direct as our friend above, this fan also has the same mindset. The user casually suggests sticking to the traditional format, questioning the need for any changes at all. Moreover, the informal and humorous tone suggests that he isn’t overly critical but still feels quite nostalgic for the classic All-Star Game format.

This next fan, though, did not hold back in the least. Tagging the league, he commented, “This is lame!!!! Read the room and the comments. We don’t want this. Just tell your employees to work harder. Thats what you pay them millions for right?” Given the direct and confrontational tone, it’s clear that the man is frustrated with the NBA’s brand-new shiny approach to All-Star Game.

And finally, this user kept it simple. Well, simpler than the above ones, for sure, but no less frustrated- “Can we just have 2000-2010 NBA back? wtf if all this production crap.” This fan cuts straight to the point, expressing frustration by longing for the NBA of the 2000s and early 2010s.

A time that was defined by intense rivalries, physical gameplay, and a more straightforward presentation, with All-Star Games focusing on East vs. West matchups featuring passionate competition and minimal theatrics. But this individual feels that these new formats might very well overcomplicate things. It also underscores a common belief in sticking to what worked in the past.

As the NBA introduces this new format, it’s clear that change is inevitable. But they might need to find a balance between innovation and honoring traditions that made the All-Star Game a favorite. That said, the revamped All-Star Game is set for February 16, 2025.