NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts said players and owners need to "be able to enjoy some of that revenue" should sports betting become legal in the U.S. The NBA has asked for 1% of all sportsbooks' wagers, and Roberts on Thursday's "The Dan Le Batard Show" said, "We haven't yet aligned ourselves with this, but I certainly don’t disagree that this is a conversation worth pursuing." Roberts added the NBA and union "both know what we’re both doing and need to do to prepare for what we expect to be the inevitability of gambling being permitted." Roberts: "It’s a conversation that may be difficult but one that we’ll have and I suspect that we’ll walk away feeling satisfied with what we come up with." She added, "It is a lot of money and we would be insane to ignore it. ... Clearly it’s being generated in connection with our sport, so it’s gotten my attention and it’s certainly gotten the commissioner’s." Roberts: "Everyone sees that there’s money that’s going to be made. If it’s going to happen ... then obviously I think the consensus (of union members) will probably be that we need to enjoy some of the proceeds." She added, "I’m sure there are people that are fearful of the potential negative impact gambling might have on the sport. We’re all watching with what’s happened outside of the United States. These forces may overcome us and we won’t have the ability to stop the train and if that’s the case, then I think we’re all operating on the same platform that if it’s going to happen, then we need to make sure we get our fair share" (“The Dan Le Batard Show,” ESPN Radio, 3/1).
BREAKING BARRIERS: In Atlanta, Jill Vejnoska profiles Roberts as part of a series for Women's History Month and notes Roberts is the "first and only woman to head a players union in one of the four major U.S. pro sports." A new CBA reached late in '16 "increased the income pool for players and created a less physically grueling game schedule while also assuring labor peace for seven years." Roberts "won high marks for her role in those negotiations" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 3/2).
