SBJ Unpacks: Silver Confident, But Realistic, On NBA Restart

It might not count in the standings, but it was refreshing to see the NBA return to the hardwood this afternoon for exhibitions. We’re a little over a week away from basketball and hockey returning to play inside their own separate bubbles, while the NWSL is in the final stages of its Utah-based tournament. MLS enters the knockout round later Saturday. 

MLS in particular has had four consecutive reports of zero positive COVID-19 tests in Orlando where they’ve tested over 1,000 individuals in each cycle. The NBA has had similar news in recent days, proving that the bubble concept can potentially work. 

Meanwhile, the second installment of SBJ: The Road Ahead virtual series continued today, with Adam Silver and Don Garber addressing their leagues' return to play, with Garber optimistically saying that teams will return to their home markets post-MLS is Back. Fingers crossed. … 

Be kind to one another.

-- Mark J. Burns

SILVER PROMISES TO "STAY HUMBLE" SHOULD OUTBREAK OCCUR

• As the NBA begins team scrimmages at Disney, Commissioner Adam Silver today was typically open and direct in offering his perspective on the upcoming July 30 season restart, writes SBJ's John Lombardo. Silver, speaking at the SBJ: The Road Ahead virtual series, stressed that while owners and players were determined to find a way to continue the season, it “wasn’t as if we were determined to play no matter what.”
  
  
• Silver continued his message that despite testing protocols that so far have been effective, a virus outbreak on the Disney campus could halt the season that isn’t scheduled to end until mid-October. “Obviously we're hoping that time doesn't come, but we learn things all the time. We learn how this virus spreads in ways we might not have understood. On a relative basis, to me, there's no doubt it's safer on the campus than off.  And one thing we've learned with this virus is to stay humble.”
  
  
• Silver plans to arrive at Disney in time for the July 30 tip-off, though he acknowledges that the more people that enter the bubble, the greater the risk of an outbreak. Silver: “There are other people who enter the campus, they get tested, but not at the same extensive protocol as the players who are on campus. And I'm one of those examples. ... I'll in essence be in a section in the arena far from the court in contact with anybody where I could infect them. But the more sort of outside elements you introduce onto this campus, the greater risks you take. And we bring in food, we bring in packages. So as I said, it's not sealed. It's still a living campus with people who go on and off, including, incidentally, players."
  
  
• Social justice will be a major platform around the restart, with the league and the players union nearing an effort to create a foundation "focused on ultimately empowerment in the black community." Silver: "We are taking a bit of time to make sure we get it right. Not months away, weeks away, but we wanted to ensure that we put an infrastructure together so that we could set clear targets, have measurable results and I think we can really make an impact in that particular area.”
  
  
• See more from Silver in tonight's issue of SBJ Media.

MLB CLUB PRESIDENTS ON THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

• MLB will begin its regular season tomorrow night in D.C., and the pandemic has brought health and safety to the forefront of the league's concerns like never before. D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall during today’s SBJ: The Road Ahead virtual series said, “We're not playing in a bubble, of course, as an industry, but I think we've done a nice job of creating 30 bubbles for ourselves. And I can tell you, our players have never felt as safe as they do when they're together playing, because they know that everyone around them is also being tested frequently. It's every other day for our players.”
  
  
• Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy admitted that despite his optimism that the 60-game regular season will be completed, there is a level of anxiety. The pandemic has created a situation where much is unknown, which runs counter to the experiences of front-office executives. Kennedy: “Our job in these roles is to see around corners and see what's coming. And usually we feel like we have a good grip on what we need to do, but this is unlike any challenge that anyone has ever seen, whether it's elected officials, or leaders of institutions, schools, hospitals, sports teams, whatever. It's uncharted territory.”
  
  
• While social justice has been an issue MLB and its players have mostly steered clear of in years past, players and managers have taken the initiative to use their platform by taking a knee during the National Anthem prior to exhibition games this week. 
  
  
• Pirates President Travis Williams said, “From our perspective, obviously when George Floyd was killed, we debated internally on how to respond and how to be that agent of change, if you will. We were obviously outraged and appalled by what happened, but we didn't want to make just an empty statement. We wanted to have a plan of action that came behind that, and like all good plans that we develop in our businesses, we wanted to start with listening to our employees, and really our partners in our community, and learning from them more about the issues surrounding both his killing and, in particular, the systemic racism that came out from that.” Hall added, “The end goal is the same, I think, for all of us. We want more diversity on the field. We want more diversity in the front office. And it can't just be lip service. It has to be real.”

CHARLOTTE FC LOOKS TO DRIVE ENGAGEMENT IN HOME MARKET

• Tepper Sports & Entertainment CMO Meredith Starkey said it has been a journey getting to today, which saw her organization unveil the name, crest and colors for Charlotte FC, the expansion MLS club that will begin play in 2022. Speaking during today’s SBJ: The Road Ahead virtual series, Starkey said: “It's not often in one's career that we get to introduce or be a part of introducing a new-to-world brand in sports. That's the opportunity we've been given here, and one in which we've taken with a lot of care."
  
  
• That process for the MLS club centered largely around "taking fan input, studying the history of Charlotte and also where Charlotte is headed," noted Starkey. The team had hoped originally to make its grand unveiling earlier in the year, but as with many things, the pandemic pushed that date back. The pandemic also pushed the team’s inaugural season from 2021 to 2022. Starkey: “In the end, it will give our fans an opportunity to be a part of firsts and milestones fully as they deserve and give us more time to prepare.” 
  
  
• Charlotte FC will share Bank of America Stadium with the Panthers, and that played a role in deciding the team’s color scheme. “We play in a stadium that obviously has a lot of blue in it. So, I think that was something we had to really take a hard look at. We also wanted to look at how the two brands could complement one another." The team was helped by N.Y.-based Doubleday & Cartwright during the branding process.
  
  
• Starkey has also been tasked with the job of finding ways to keep Panthers fans excited for the season amid the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, which already forced the cancellation of the team's annual fan fest event. Starkey: “We need to think about how we create opportunity for our partners who potentially are losing opportunity there, and how do we create opportunity for fans and the fan experience at home?”
  
  
• SBJ's Bret McCormick will have the behind-the-scenes story of Charlotte's 15-month road to becoming an MLS city in Monday's print edition of SBJ.

SOURCES: INDYCAR LOOKING INTO ADDITIONAL DOUBLEHEADERS

• IndyCar is looking into hosting additional doubleheaders at some of its upcoming event weekends, sources tell SBJ's Adam Stern, as the remaining West Coast races in 2020 are in question amid the coronavirus pandemic. 
  
  
• The open-wheel racing series, which just wrapped a doubleheader in Iowa this past weekend, has two event weekends left on the West Coast this season -- one race at Portland and a doubleheader at Laguna Seca in California. However, U.S.-based racing series have largely had to cancel races this year in that region of the country due to strict coronavirus protocols, and IndyCar’s ability to pull off those events this year remain in doubt. 
  
  
• As a result, sources say that IndyCar has been talking with other upcoming venues about possibly hosting a doubleheader if it needs to make up for newly canceled races. Upcoming tracks that the series will visit include Mid-Ohio and World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. The series has yet to comment.

HBO'S "REAL SPORTS" GOES DEEP ON LEAGUES' RETURN

• On HBO’s “Real Sports” last night, host Bryant Gumbel welcomed SI's Tom Verducci, The Athletic’s David Aldridge and NBC Sports’ Peter King for a virtual round-table on the return of sports.

• With COVID infection numbers still climbing in so many states, Gumbel questioned whether leagues like MLB, the NBA and NFL will be able to finish their respective seasons.
  
  
  • Verducci on MLB: “They have some of the most rigorous testing protocols in place of any population of employees in the country. Now, that's working fine, if you will, right now while teams have been training in their individual ballparks. The next phase is going to be more difficult, though. I call it the mobility phase. They are playing a season that's based on regional rivalries so there’s less travel, but there is travel. So once teams start moving, then I think the challenges get even greater.” 
    
    
  • Aldridge on the NBA: "The problem to me is not going to be this initial phase because they've only had a couple of positive tests. The problem’s going to be when you start allowing families in, frankly, and the problem’s going to be what happens a month from now when guys are bored and when guys want to bring friends in proximity to or inside the bubble itself, and I think that's where the rubber’s going to meet the road.” 
    
    
  • King on the NFL: "I've got a lot of skepticism. In football you’ve got so many more people … and we’re talking about a five-month period. ... Whether the NFL can play a season or not is going to be totally dependent on the maturity of 20-something-year-old people."

OUTSIDE CONTRIBUTORS: EMBRACING AT-HOME FANDOMS

• Tonight's op-ed contribution is from streaming platform Kiswe President & CEO Michael Schabel, who writes under the header, "What Live Sports Can Learn From Esports About Fandom."
• "The vast majority of audiences experience live sports at home, just like esports audiences. However, unlike esports, which deeply engage and embrace at-home fandoms, at-home fans of live sports are largely invisible to the players, leagues and broadcasters."
• To read the full contribution, click here.

SPEED READS

• One nugget that stood out from MLS Commissioner Don Garber's interview at today's SBJ: The Road Ahead virtual series: a bullish attitude towards returning to the league's home markets this summer. Garber: "Oh, no doubt. We will be back in our home markets. We're working through those protocols now, working through the schedule now, working through that start date. But without doubt, we will be playing games in our home markets sometime later in the summer. If not, the end of August." Read more from Garber here.
  
  

• An ESPN roundtable asked its MLB experts whether they were surprised by the Dodgers extending Mookie Betts for 13 years at more than $380 million. Sam Miller: "At this stage of the pandemic, I'm surprised when I see somebody manage to get a decent haircut, so, yeah, I'm surprised to see human achievement. From the Dodgers' perspective, this is a bet that they're going to be able to sell 3 million tickets next year. I think that's probably likely, but it's a bet on something that is even bigger and even more out of their control than the typical stuff -- player health, aging curves, etc."
  
  
• It appears that one of MLB’s media partners will not be carrying games this season. Sources tell SBJ's John Ourand that DAZN will not produce its whiparound show “ChangeUp” for the shortened season after the two sides butted heads over rights fees. A blog called The Streamable was the first with this news this afternoon. See more in SBJ Media.
  
  
• NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy today confirmed via Twitter that in "stadiums where fans are allowed to attend games in 2020, they will be required to wear face masks." The news is "not surprising, given that the country is still grappling with the coronavirus." The NFL "does plan to allow fans to attend games, though attendance will be based on local authorities" in each market.
  
  
• There were nearly 87,000 Twitter posts featuring the combined terms “Fauci” and “Nationals” this past Monday, the day the announcement was made that Dr. Anthony Fauci would be throwing out the first pitch at tomorrow night’s game at Nationals Park, according to Block Six Analytics. The firm analyzed the 7,697 original Twitter posts featuring “Fauci” and “Nationals” to determine the sentiment of fans, media, and sponsors on the team’s decision. Per SBJ's David Broughton, an increase in sentiment scores means that the probability of revenue growth rises. “Teams generate an average range of sentiment scores in the 10-20% range and Fauci-related Nationals’ conversation is at the upper edge of that range,” according to Block Six CEO & Founder Adam Grossman. Overall, the original posts generated 18.4 million impressions with a sentiment score of 19.86%.
  
  
• Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf today officially "rejected the idea" of the Blue Jays playing their home games at PNC Park, ruling that the team "would not be allowed to play here because of the coronavirus pandemic." Logistics had been coordinated to allow the Blue Jays to play in Pittsburgh, including a setup where the Pirates "would turn the left-field lounge into a clubhouse" and the Blue Jays "would potentially rent out one of two hotels across the street." Nevertheless, Wolf "shut down the plan," meaning the Blue Jays "will have to look at other options."
  
  
• USA Fencing has announced a new three-day celebration to coincide with the one-year countdown to the Tokyo Games, reports SBJ’s Chris Smith. Virtual panels and interviews with past Olympic medalists will highlight a digital series across the NGB's social platforms, beginning tomorrow, as part of an effort that will also celebrate USA Fencing’s 125th anniversary.
  
  

NEWS YOU NEED FROM SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY

• During this crisis impacting the sports business, we want everyone to be up-to-date on the latest news and information. Select stories from Sports Business Daily are free, outside the paywall, for the foreseeable future. Below are today's headlines:
   
  
  • Player Safety Main Reason Behind Cutting Preseason, Trimming Roster
  • Glen Taylor Open To Selling T'Wolves If Team Kept In Minnesota
  • NBA Launching New Campaign To Promote Season Restart
  • SEC's Greg Sankey Gets Into Tense Discussion About Sports' Return

SBJ UNPACKS -- THE ROAD AHEAD

• Check out the most recent editions of our "SBJ Unpacks" podcasts around COVID-19:
  
  
  • SBJ's Eric Prisbell joins Bill King to discuss the start of the MLB season.
    
    
  • Dodgers President Stan Kasten on the unique conditions around the upcoming MLB season.
    
    
  • Calm app Chief Medical Officer Omar Dawood on his company’s deal with LeBron James and other mental health dynamics amid the pandemic.
    
    

2020 SBJ THOUGHT LEADERS RETREAT (VIRTUAL)

• Aug. 13, 2:00-7:00pm ET (by invitation only)
  
  
• The road ahead has never been more challenging -- and it has never been more important for executive leadership to pause, learn, reflect and relax in order to prepare themselves to step up and navigate what the future holds. This year, we are continuing the tradition of Thought Leaders, creating the industry’s most intimate, senior-level event with a virtual program.
  
  
• Content will include:
  
  
  • Mindful Leadership with Pandit Dasa
  • The C-Suite Imperative: Corporate Responsibility & Social Impact
  • The New Fan Experience: A 360-degree approach; a 365-day Journey
  • Reinvented: A Conversation with Agent Leigh Steinberg
  • Supporting Social Justice Reform: Backing Words with Action
  • Navigating the Road Ahead: Fundamental Shifts We Can Expect in the Sports Business (group discussions)
    
    
• In addition to the compelling content, we will have plenty of time for some of the best virtual networking activities of the year, including:
  
  
  • Jack Daniel’s whiskey tasting
    • Aquimo golf (live challenge)
    • Aquimo cornhole (live challenge)
    • Cooking demo with "Iron Chef" Marc Forgione
    • A private set from John Popper and Brian Wilson of Blues Traveler
    
    
• For more information please visit, www.Thought-Leaders-Retreat.com.

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