Monumental Sports & Entertainment founder & CEO Ted Leonsis and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver “preached the need for constant innovation” during a joint appearance Friday as the Univ. of Maryland’s Merrill School of Journalism held its annual Povich Symposium. Much of the conversation revolved around Leonsis’ “core belief” in the “unifying power of sports in a perpetually divided world.” Both Leonsis and Silver pointed to a “higher calling” and pegged “increased globalization of basketball as core to the game and the business.” Leonsis, who chairs the NBA’s Media Committee, said that there is “no stasis in business -- you are either growing or losing.” Silver said that he considers one of the NBA’s “core strengths” to be the “permanence of its brand, tied with a willingness to welcome change in distribution and improvements in the game itself.” From a business perspective, Leonsis said that the NBA is a “digital-first data company.” He added that the “escalating franchise values” are “recognition of this power” (MEDIUM, 11/18).
