The NBA is moving its marquee in-season tournament game out of Las Vegas and into one of college basketball's most storied buildings. The league announced Tuesday that the NBA Cup final will be held at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on December 11.
According to Yahoo Sports, the NBA had previously held the Cup semifinals and final at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas since the tournament began in 2023. The league's contract with the arena was structured on a year-to-year basis, which left the door open for a venue change.
Hinkle Fieldhouse seats 9,100, a significant reduction from T-Mobile Arena's capacity. But the building carries a reputation for atmosphere and history that the NBA appears to be betting on. The game will stream on Amazon Prime Video.
The decision to move the final to a college campus in an NBA city may have been partly practical. Holding the game on a college campus in December raised concerns about reduced attendance due to exams or winter break. By choosing Butler's facility in Indianapolis, which hosts an NBA team in the Indiana Pacers, the league placed the event in a market with an established basketball fan base.
Speculation before the announcement had centered on Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina as a possible destination, given the league's stated interest in finding a unique setting inside a historic basketball venue. The NBA ultimately landed on Hinkle Fieldhouse instead.
The NBA Cup is now entering its fourth season. The tournament was modeled after in-season competitions common in European soccer leagues, with the goal of making early-season games carry more weight. It faced skepticism when it launched but has built an audience over three seasons.
The Los Angeles Lakers won the first NBA Cup in 2023. The Milwaukee Bucks won in 2024. Last season, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the final, a result that ended up previewing the NBA Finals matchup and outcome later that same year. The semifinal locations for next season have not yet been announced.
