The NBA's deal with MGM to become the league's official gaming partner shows it remains "at the forefront of attempting to take advantage of the new frontier" of sports betting, according to Tim Bontemps of the WASHINGTON POST. By striking this deal, the NBA can "set a precedent that it should be compensated for having a product on which people can wager" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/1). SI.com's Michael McCann writes while the deal is "relatively 'small dollars,' it could prove far more consequential from a conceptual standpoint." The league will "disclose real-time official NBA data, which is faster and more accurate than third party statistics," with a sports betting operator (SI.com, 8/1). ESPN.com's Purdum wrote under the header, "What You Need To Know About The NBA's New Gambling Partnership" (ESPN.com, 7/31). ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said what he believes is “significant” in the NBA-MGM deal is that it is an “information partnership as much as anything.” Van Pelt: “This is symbolic. It is a forward-thinking league in cahoots with a casino which years ago would have been unthinkable. But it has been inevitable for a while now and now it’s here. The NBA: First in line, everybody else will join them. It’s just a matter of time” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 8/1). ESPN's Mike Golic said the NBA-MGM deal is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver "again being progressive." ESPN's Mike Golic Jr.: "Las Vegas had existed for a long time without giving leagues a cut so if you're the NBA, you're trying to figure out how to make yourself valuable" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 8/1).
HOOP DREAMS: In Las Vegas, Ron Kantowski writes the NBA-MGM deal will mean that Silver will "look like a star when the rest of the pro leagues fall in line and publicly embrace the connection between sports and legal betting after doing it behind the scenes for years." It also "means that Las Vegas has moved a giant step closer to landing an NBA franchise" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/1). Also in Las Vegas, Alan Snel asked, "When will this cozy relationship between the NBA and MGM yield a bouncing baby NBA team for T-Mobile Arena?" It is "no secret" that Murren "covets an NBA team." Surely this partnership is "another step toward a closer relationship between the NBA and MGM Resorts" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 7/31).
SOLID MOVE: On social media, many observers praised the NBA and Silver for being proactive in signing a betting partnership before other U.S. leagues. Former NFLer Geoff Schwartz: "So the NBA partners with the MGM while the NFL still thinks gambling is bad and will hurt the integrity of the game. ... In theory much easier to fix basketball than football." Fox News' Britt McHenry: "Whether it was getting out in front of the anthem issue to avoid protest controversy and now incorporating gambling, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has done a tremendous job. Proactive instead of reactive, unlike the NFL." Bloomberg News' Scott Soshnick: "Both Adam Silver and Jim Murren see sports betting mushrooming -- so will the $."
BEING PREPARED: During the press conference for the deal, Silver also was asked about whether he was aware of MGM's plans to sue the victims as part of the Las Vegas mass shooting and whether he had any qualms in forming a partnership with such a company. Silver responded, "I didn't have preexisting knowledge of their plans. I, of course, read in the media when that lawsuit took place. Jim and I discussed it. I dealt with Jim, frankly, the very day after the shootings took place last fall. I would just say I can't imagine a company that could have responded in a more appropriate and heartfelt way, and Jim did personally, to those shootings. As someone who is a lawyer -- I haven't practiced in a long time, but I recognize sometimes a legal strategy does not always lend to the best communication strategy. I think when people actually step back and understand what that lawsuit was about, which is essentially whether folks should be suing under state or federal law, that his lawyers -- I don't know the details; I'll let Jim speak to this -- felt that was necessary on behalf of the company to sue and bring all those lawsuits into a common form. I would say as a lawyer, I understood it. Again, I've only been sympathetic to both the employees of MGM and the hundreds if not thousands of lives that were impacted by that shooting. So, no, my reaction wasn't, This is not a company we want to do business with. In fact, as I said, just from dealing with Jim throughout that crisis, I don't know how he could have responded in a better way. I saw the toll it took on him personally" (THE DAILY). ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted of Silver's response, "Every top executive & person in PR should read how Silver responded. Shows the importance of preparation for every question." But the Washington Post's Bontemps tweeted Silver was "dancing around the question without criticizing the CEO of MGM, who is sitting next to him."
