Commissioner Silver Flexes NBA's Muscle to Support Social Causes

Adam Silver is becoming a key social advocate, flexing the NBA's muscle to support the LGBT community and dealing a blow to Charlotte, N.C.'s economy.
By Tony Owusu ,

Adam Silver is quickly staking his claim as the most socially active major sports commissioner in recent memory.

That socially active approach continued Thursday when the NBA Commissioner announced that the league was pulling its annual All-Star Game festivities from Charlotte, N.C. in response to the state passing House Bill 2, which has been widely criticized as being discriminatory against the LGBT community.

"The NBA has decided to relocate the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte with the hope of rescheduling for 2019. Since March, when North Carolina enacted HB2 and the issue of legal protections for the LGBT community in Charlotte became prominent, the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets have been working diligently to foster constructive dialogue and try to effect positive change," the NBA said in a statement released yesterday.

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory was unequivocal in his criticism of Silver's decision, telling a Charlotte radio program Friday, "I'm disappointed. I strongly disagree with their decision. To put it bluntly it's total P.C. BS. It's an insult to our city and an insult to our state."

The NBA decided to move the game to New Orleans this season, with Charlotte being eligible for the 2019 game, if the law is changed.

The economic impact of Charlotte losing the weekend-long All-Star Game festivities is expected to be about $100 million, according to the city's visitors authority. Charlotte had been expecting tourists to spend as much as $60 million and rent hotel rooms for a total of 27,000 nights during the weekend. Additionally, the city expected the influx of outside spending to spur Charlotte area residences and businesses to spend another $40 million that weekend.

Basketball great Michael Jordan, who grew up in North Carolina and once reportedly said "Republicans buy shoes, too" when asked to endorse a black Democrat candidate running for a Senate seat in the state, could be hurt the most financially from the NBA's decision. Jordan owns the Hornets, whose arena would have hosted many of the events. The weekend was also an opportunity for the Hall of Famer and Nike (NKE) - Get Report to showcase his Jordan brand shoes and apparel during the league's annual crown jewel event.

But even Jordan has recently become more socially active, following the lead of people such as Silver and current NBA superstar LeBron James. On Monday, Jordan donated $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as well as another $1 million to the International Association of Chiefs of Police's newly established Institute for Community-Police Relations.

In an op-ed on ESPN's black-issues blog The Undefeated, Jordan wrote, "I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late. I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent."

Over the weekend, other NBA stars shared their opinions on Silver's decision.

Charlotte native and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry was quoted by ESPN as saying, "Obviously, I understand Adam Silver's decision. It's obviously an unfortunate situation for the city... I know how much it would have meant to the city to host... at the end of the day I love my city. I really wanted to see them celebrate the game."

The passage of the law earlier this year was in response to an ordinance passed by the city of Charlotte that prohibited discrimination of citizens based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public accommodations -- such as public bathrooms.

In response to the passage of the bill, the state's House of Representatives held a special session and passed HB2, which voided the Charlotte ordinance and restricted the access transgender citizens had to use the bathroom of their choosing.

Following the passage of the law on March 23, Silver expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the vote and the Governor's signing of the bill into law. But his decision to take the game away from the city is not necessarily unprecedented.

In 1990, then NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue decided to move the Super Bowl from Arizona due to the state's decision to not recognize Martin Luther King Day as an official state holiday. Following a voter referendum that rejected the holiday in November 1990, Tagliabue said, "I do not believe playing Super Bowl XXVII in Arizona is in the best interest of the National Football League. Arizona can continue its political debate without the Super Bowl as a factor."

Amid an increasingly contentious social climate NBA players have been increasingly vocal. This may be a sign of Silver's activism trickling down to the league's rank and file, or it may be a result of social media allowing players to talk directly to the public without the filter of the media. Whatever the case, with this latest move, Silver has confirmed that the NBA will no longer be politically agnostic on issues that he deems important. Whether that hurts the brand's bottom line still remains to be seen, but for now, Silver is putting his conscience ahead of profits.

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