Not even a month into his role as NBA Commissioner and Adam Silver has already made some lofty goals be known.
On his first road trip of his Commissioner tenure, Silver stopped by the Sacramento Kings broadcast team on Wednesday to explain his vision on the NBA.
“As much as we talk about international […] I still think there’s an enormous opportunity in the United States. […] I think this game should be a rival to football. In the United States, it’s the No. 1 participatory sport. We’ve all played it. I want to focus on the game. The business is going well, but this is a beautiful game.”
“I think this game should be a rival to football.”
You’d expect the Commissioner of a sport to explain why his sport should be most popular, but still pretty bold move by Silver so soon. And of course, it’s a statement that’s easier said than done, with only 6% of sports fans in a Harris poll claiming the NBA as their favorite–35% chose the NFL. And with the NFL taking in $6 billion more in annual revenue than the NBA, but tomato, tomahto.
Keep in mind, the NBA isn’t even at MLB’s level…yet alone the NFL.
It’s gonna take a lot to get the NBA on the NFL’s level, but his mentor and teacher David Stern helped get the NBA at least in the possible discussion for even coming close.