NBA commissioner Adam Silver lands in hot water for suggesting fans priced out of subscriptions settle for highlights

Adam Silver lands in hot water for suggesting fans priced out of subscriptions settle for highlights. (Photo: IMAGN)
Adam Silver lands in hot water for suggesting fans priced out of subscriptions settle for highlights. (Photo: IMAGN)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver had an interesting answer that could have landed him in hot water regarding fans being priced out of watching games. With the new season set to start next month, some expressed concern about the cost of being a fan due to the number of subscriptions needed.

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During a press conference on Wednesday, Silver was asked about the average fan being unable to buy all the premium subscriptions to watch games. The commissioner pointed to all the free alternatives, like watching highlights on social media platforms.

"There's a huge amount of our content that people can essentially consume for free," Silver said. "This is very much a highlights-based sport. So, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, you name it, any service. … There's an enormous amount of content out there. YouTube is another example that is advertising-based that consumers can consume."
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While it's true that fans can just watch highlights of the games on free social media platforms like YouTube or Instagram, it's not a good answer from Adam Silver. It looked like the NBA commissioner said that a full game is not worth watching because they are a highlights-based sport.

Some fans indeed just watch highlights, especially in the regular season, and just tune in during the playoffs. A nationwide cable subscription is no longer needed, but multiple subscriptions to Peacock and Prime Video are required if fans want to watch the postseason.

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An ongoing problem is that games are also being shown on each local channel, which requires a different cable subscription or another streaming platform. NBA League Pass is also an option, but it's more expensive. There are free games on national TV, like ABC and NBC.


What other issues did Adam Silver speak about on Wednesday?

What other issues did Adam Silver speak about on Wednesday? (Photo: IMAGN)
What other issues did Adam Silver speak about on Wednesday? (Photo: IMAGN)

In addition to fan concerns about rising costs of watching games, Adam Silver discussed a variety of topics and issues. Silver commented on the investigation of the LA Clippers allegedly trying to circumvent the salary cap. He's waiting for the results of the investigation before handing out any sort of punishment.

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Silver also confirmed changes for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, as well as the introduction of the "Heave Rule." There will be a new Ryder Cup-style format for the All-Star Game, while last-second heaves will count as team shots rather than under a player's stat.

There's no update on possible expansion teams because recent sales and valuations of teams have created a problem in pricing franchises.

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Edited by Juan Paolo David
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