Commissioner Adam Silver skims over NBA betting concerns on CNN appearance while lamenting lack of live viewership

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been a busy man this 2023-24 season promoting the game of basketball. At the same time, he has addressed issues that have been controversial about the game. Adapting to the changes is one of the tasks the league's front office has to avoid being left behind in the ever-progressing world.

With social media being a huge factor in how fans want to consume their basketball fix, the NBA has been thinking of ways to be progressive in helping fans get a good experience from the league's games.

However, Adam Silver still feels that no matter how much social media has evolved, it will never replace the experience of watching the games live in their respective venues.

"As we are looking out the next decade, we have to think about how we are going to produce and present our games in a way that they are going to be accessible," said Silver in an interview with CNN. "They feast on social media, and our players are incredibly popular there but it's not a substitute for live games."

Betting has also been an issue that fans have long debated if it affects the league, but Silver sees it as dependent on the consuming audience if they want to participate in betting.

"Frankly, for the people who want to bet, you can do that. If you want nothing to do with that, that's fine," Silver said.

Adam Silver feels that the NBA is ready to host a USA vs International game

With the 2024 NBA All-Star Game getting rotten reviews from fans on how the matchup between the East and West All-Stars was not taken seriously, the league commissioner feels it is time for fans to experience a USA vs International matchup.

The number of international players has increased in the league over the past decades and has also been dominating the NBA. More so, a huge chunk of the basketball games watched are coming from international borders.

With the way the 2024 NBA All-Star Game turned out in Indiana, Adam Silver may be forced to call a major change in the mid-season festivity.

[00:04:46] "We thought about that," Silver said. ... "Had I not seen what happened this year, I think we are ready to do USA vs International."

There is no word confirmation yet if the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, California, will be such as everyone awaits Silver on his next move.