yahoo
The city of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Bucks have once again fallen short in their pursuit of hosting an NBA All-Star Game, as the league has finalized Miami as the host city for the 2028 exhibition, according to reports.
The Bucks, who traded superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat during the offseason, and the city of Milwaukee submitted a bid for the 2028 event back in 2024. ESPN was the first to report the league's intention to select Miami.
When Fiserv Forum opened in 2018, NBA commissioner Adam Silver did not provide a timeline for a Milwaukee All-Star Game but told WTMJ, "Certainly, an All-Star game is on the horizon." However, in early 2024, The Oklahoman, a USA TODAY NETWORK property, reported that the NBA had revised its requirements for host cities, mandating: 7,250 hotel rooms, at least three five-star hotels, a convention center with no less than 650,000 square feet of space, and an airport with at least 75 domestic nonstop flights and 20 international flights.
At the time of the 2025 All-Star Game, Milwaukee did not meet those requirements. But the Sports Business Journal reported that the league would not exclude Milwaukee or other small markets based solely on those categories. According to the Sports Business Journal report, the league would consider small markets if the following criteria were satisfied: centralized multi-use entertainment properties to create an NBA campus that can host music, fashion shows, the NBA Crossover fan fest, and NBAcon; an undisclosed number of seats and suites in the primary and secondary arena venues; and a volume of rideshare capabilities so the league can create a modern transportation infrastructure.
The Baird Center renovation was completed in October 2024 and totals 1.3 million square feet. In 2026, the 4,500-seat Landmark Credit Union Live concert venue opened next to Fiserv Forum. According to Visit Milwaukee, the city has just over 7,080 hotel rooms within a half mile of the convention center. A new hotel is being developed in the Deer District and is planned to have 156 rooms.
Key Analysis
Milwaukee's latest unsuccessful bid highlights the challenges smaller markets face in meeting the NBA's extensive requirements for hosting an All-Star Game. Despite recent infrastructure improvements, including the Baird Center expansion and the new live entertainment venue, the city still falls short in certain areas such as hotel capacity and luxury accommodations. The league's willingness to consider small markets with alternative criteria offers some hope, but the competition remains fierce, as evidenced by Miami's selection. The Bucks' trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat adds an intriguing subplot, but it did not influence the league's decision on the host city.
Originally reported by yahoo.