The NBA and commissioner Adam Silver are reportedly nearing an agreement on a contract extension which will keep him at his post through 2030. What does that mean for the future?
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Silver will focus on “major objectives,” including potential NBA expansion and a new media-rights deal.
Regarding a media-rights deal, the league is allegedly looking to double its payout, per Mike McCarthy of Front Office Sports. Its current contract with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports nets $24 billion through the 2024-2025 campaign. Furthermore, much like the NFL, the NBA is also considering buying a piece of ESPN.
During the 2023 NBA Finals, Silver said in an interview with NBA TV that a new media-rights deal was the first step toward expansion.
When asked about potentially adding to the league’s 30 teams, Silver said, “It’s a possibility,” but only after the league strikes an agreement on a rights deal. At the time, he said negotiations could wrap up around the spring of 2024.
“We don’t have anything specific in mind right now, but I think it makes sense over time — if you’re a successful organization — to continue to grow,” Silver said. “There’s no doubt there are a lot of great cities we’re interested in having in the NBA.”
Seattle and Las Vegas immediately come to mind as options for new NBA cities. Recently, long-time sports executive George Daniel told the New York Post that the league has made it clear they want to “take care of Seattle” while calling Las Vegas a very close runner-up in the pecking order.
Ultimately, a lot still has to happen to make room for new blood in the league. With Silver now locked in for the long term, though, it seems the NBA is on the fast track to expanding its billion-dollar enterprise in more ways than one.
