The NBA Cup final is moving out of Las Vegas for the first time in the midseason event’s young history.
The finale to the NBA’s 2026-27 in-season tournament will take place on Dec. 11 at the 9,100-seat Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University in Indianapolis, the league announced Tuesday. The NBA has held the Cup final in Las Vegas since the event’s inception in 2023.
“Hinkle Fieldhouse offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship,” NBA head of global events Kelly Flatow said in a statement. “Playing the Championship in an iconic basketball environment like this will further establish it as a signature moment on the NBA calendar.”
The first three years of the event saw the semifinals and championship game held in Las Vegas. The four teams qualified through Cup games played at NBA home arenas ahead of the knockout round at the neutral site each season.
The average announced attendance of the two 2025 NBA Cup semifinals and championship game played in December at T-Mobile Arena was 17,942.
The in-season tournament has picked up steam during the first three seasons. Players have bought into the format largely because of the $500,000 bonus per player on the Cup-winning team.
The NBA announced last year that the 2026 NBA Cup would only see the championship game played at a neutral site, with all other games being played at home arenas.
The Los Angeles Lakers (2023), Milwaukee Bucks (2024) and New York Knicks (2025) were crowned NBA Cup champions in the first three years of the event.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
