Adam Silver Talks About NBA Team Sales, Expansion, Sports Networks

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a press conference Tuesday to discuss this week’s meeting of league’s board of governors. While they covered many topics, here were a few key highlights. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote about Silver’s topics, and includes some details not covered here, such as his viewpoint on the state of sports gambling and possibly building connections to European leagues.

Blazers Not Currently In A Sale Process

This isn’t a surprise to regular readers, but Silver described two teams as currently in the process of a sale: The Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. While there have been sale offers and speculation, Silver’s statement is the most clear reminder that the Blazers are not actively in the process of being sold, though it could change at any time.

Expansion Talk Still Happening Eventually

Often speculated for Seattle and Las Vegas, expansion was not a topic in the recent meeting, but that does not mean the idea is shelved. Per Bontemps:

“There was not a lot of discussion in this meeting about expansion, but only largely not for lack of interest, it was that we had said to them that we’re not quite ready,” Silver said at his news conference at the conclusion of the meetings Tuesday afternoon at a luxury midtown Manhattan hotel.

“It was something that we told our board we plan to address this season, and we’re not quite ready yet. But I think there’s certainly interest in the process, and I think that we’re not there yet in terms of having made any specific decisions about markets or even frankly to expand.”

Regional Sports Networks Are Faltering

With teams like the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans and (just this past week) the Dallas Mavericks moving to over-the-air broadcasts, and the struggles of Bally Sports, Silver acknowledged that the longstanding RSN system is declining in the US.

“If you look back, sort of just graph it over the last few years in terms of both decline in number of homes covered by those RSNs and decline in revenue, that is the reality in that aspect of our business,” Silver shared.

Silver says the league will continue to investigate the best ways to provide games to fans. This is days after the NFL Commissioner said streaming is the future because “you have to go where the fans are”.

The Portland Trail Blazers are caught in the midst of this transition, after losing their broadcast partner ROOT Sports this summer. They are currently investigating their over-the-air options, and an announcement is expected from the team prior to the season.