This is how successful '14 was for the NBA: Even when things turned south, the league and its franchises ended up looking like gold. And that is why the NBA took home honors for Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Awards, for executing a year-long winning streak on major fronts time and again. But Commissioner Adam Silver does not see it as a streak, just one day after another when the league, its players and employees kept doing the right thing. “Every day is a new day, and I think I learned that from David Stern,” he said. "Just when things are going well, you never know what’s going to be around the corner, so I tend to keep looking forward, not back.” Most notably, the NBA signed a new nine-year, $24B media deal with Turner and ESPN/ABC that nearly tripled the value of the current rights deal. But also consider the saga of the Clippers, who stood at the center of a scandal when recordings emerged of Owner Donald Sterling’s racist remarks. It ended with the team being sold to Steve Ballmer for $2B, a record franchise deal that raised the tide for all teams. Silver knows it cannot last. “I’ve been at the NBA now for almost 23 years, so I’ve seen plenty of bad days over the years, and I think I’m as well prepared for them as anybody,” Silver said moments before collecting his personal trophy for Sports Executive of the Year. Visit Resource Guide LIVE to see the NBA's sponsorships, media rights and key contacts.
