Following the conclusion of the NBA’s annual summer BOG meeting yesterday in Las Vegas, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver quashed any speculation that the Bucks would relocate to the city should the team fail to win financing approval for a new downtown arena in Milwaukee. “I would say that is not realistic in the short term,” he said. “I would say we are hopeful that the vote will go in favor of the Milwaukee Bucks, and that team will stay there for a long time. So while we love the Las Vegas market, and, as I said earlier, I think we've become a large part of the summer economy here, my hope is that that team is not going to relocate.” Do not look for the NBA to expand to Las Vegas or anywhere else any time soon. “The ultimate issue, whether it's Las Vegas, Seattle or any other community interested in an expansion team, we, unlike the NHL, are not in an expansion mode right now,” he said. “Even coming out of our owners meeting, we're very focused on the health of 30 franchises and continue to build our fan base outside of the United States. It doesn't mean expansion will never be in our future, but it's just not at the moment” (John Lombardo, Staff Writer).
SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMER TIME: In Phoenix, Paul Coro notes after NBA Summer League attendance “boomed to 71,942 last year,” the upper bowl of Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas “was opened this year.” The three-day start to this year's 11-day league “drew 32,612 fans with a projection that the total will exceed 100,000 this year.” Opening day “sold 12,422 tickets.” Coro: “The word is out for fans who might not be able to afford a regular-season game. For a $25 adult general admission ticket or a $15 youth ticket, fans can watch six to eight games per day at neighboring venues with a shared concourse that often features players, most of whom are just trying to crack an NBA training camp.” Games “already have been on NBA TV for years,” but next season, they “will be on ESPN.” Summer League Founder & Exec Dir Warren LeGarie said, “The one thing we've been building this toward for a number of years is to create the people's league” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/15).
