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The NBA announced on Tuesday that there will be no games scheduled on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. All 30 teams will play the previous day for what they are referring to as “a civil engagement night.”
“The scheduling decision came out of the NBA family’s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement and encouraging fans to make a plan to vote during midterm elections,” the league said.
This is part of the league’s ongoing efforts to promote the importance of voting. Two years ago, 23 NBA arenas and facilities were turned into polling and voting centers during the 2020 presidential election. A number of players also helped with get-out-the-vote initiatives. NBA star LeBron James was one of the leaders for More Than A Vote, a voting rights advocacy group.
During the weeks before this year’s election, teams will be encouraged but the league to share key election information and dates, such as registration deadlines, with their fan bases. This November, all 435 U.S. House seats will be up for grabs, as well as more than 30 U.S. Senate seats and some gubernatorial races.
Previously, Election Day was a day like any other day when it comes to scheduling in the NBA. Here are the most recent Election Days and how many games were played:
Nov. 6, 2018 – four gamesNov. 8, 2016 – six gamesNo. 4, 2014 – eight gamesNov. 6, 2012 – three games
“We don’t usually change the schedule for external events, but voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy,” James Cadogan, the first Executive Director of the NBA Social Justice Coalition, told MSNBC this week.
Last season, the regular season did not include games on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, the All-Star Break (6 days), and the Men’s NCAA Championship game. Those have become standard days that the NBA does not play regular season games in recent league scheduling practice.
The NBA is set to release the complete 2022-23 schedule on Wednesday, Aug. 17.
