NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sat down for a 30-minute conversation with former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers on Tuesday, touching on several key issues facing the league.
One of the most pressing topics, according to Silver, is the ongoing struggle many NBA teams are facing with their local television partners and regional sports networks (RSNs).
Silver didn’t hold back in acknowledging the seriousness of the situation.
“I … hate to make it so negative, but [local game broadcasts] are caught in legacy media, which is rapidly declining,” he said, highlighting the challenges posed by shifting media consumption habits.
He noted that while the term “cord-cutters” was once a common reference, today’s younger fans increasingly fall into a new category: “cord-nevers” – people who never subscribed to traditional cable in the first place.
“It’s not part of their lives to buy cable… And so the local situation by definition will then get even worse,” he added.
This shift has left teams in difficult positions as fewer fans have access to local broadcasts.
In response, Silver suggested the league may need to reimagine how it delivers content to fans. One possibility he floated is the creation of customizable viewing packages that would allow consumers to pay for the specific content they want.
“I actually think we’re undervaluing live sports right now and the specialness around it,” Silver said, underscoring his belief that live games still hold significant value in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
In addition to media issues, Silver also touched on the subject of NBA expansion. While expansion has been widely speculated in recent years, the commissioner clarified that no decisions have been made yet.
“It’s not a foregone conclusion,” he said, adding that his focus is just as much on the league’s international ambitions.
“I want to plant flags all over the world,” he said, referencing the NBA’s commitment to global growth and its various international initiatives.
Adam Silver Says Solving RSN Issues Is His Most Significant Focus Right Now https://t.co/YAGapaGXAI
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 23, 2025
