NBA Vegas Summer League Sets Attendance Record, Draws Praise
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| NBA Execs Laud Summer League In Las Vegas |
The NBA Summer League, held July 11-20 at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, produced "an attendance record of 40,368, beating last year's estimated 32,000," according to Steve Carp of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, who attended two days of the event, said, "Without question it's been the most successful summer league Vegas has ever had and it's turned into a week of festivities. We're doing golf tournaments, clinics, NBA Cares events, a charity dinner. We have 21 teams participating and in some ways it resembles the baseball winter meetings in terms of trade activity, media interest, discussions, both on and off the record. It's an incredibly vibrant place to be." NBA Senior VP/Events & Attractions Gail Hunter, who is serving as the unofficial commissioner of the league, said that there will be "more of the same next year." Hunter: "This is a great place for this type of event. The fans are having a good time. The teams are enjoying themselves." The NBA last year "decided to join forces" with Summer League Dir Warren LeGarie and his staff, "putting its collective brand and marketing muscle behind the event." The partnership last year resulted in the Summer League expanding to two courts, and further tournament improvements "could mean expanding beyond 21 teams." LeGarie said that with the "availability of both the Cox [Pavilion] and the Thomas & Mack, its possible to play more games." However, LeGarie added, "I think 24 teams is the max to maintain the quality of the league." Carp noted, in addition to summer leagues in Orlando and Salt Lake City, "there is also talk of Houston starting a summer league," which could serve to "impact the number of teams that ultimately decide to play in Las Vegas in 2009" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 7/21).
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