NBA commissioner Adam Silver has received a five-year contract extension that will keep him at his post through the 2024 Finals. Unlike the people who share his job title in the other three major sports—NFL, NHL, and MLB—Silver is liked by players and owners throughout the league.
In 2014, Silver announced a nine-year, $24 billion television contract with ESPN and Turner Sports in his first year as commissioner. The record-breaking deal meant that the money trickled down to teams. Two years later, Silver helped negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players Association which raised the salaries of players across the board, as well as established the framework that would determine those worthy of receiving a max contract and the superstars that are eligible for the "super max." According to ESPN, the value of each team has gone up fivefold, "from an estimated $12 billion when Silver took over to $60 billion now."
Financial matters aside, Silver has also navigated through the tough seas that are the national anthem protests. As the NFL continues to try and prevent players from kneeling during the playing of the anthem, Silver kept a long-standing rule in place that required players to stand. "It's been a different dialogue in the NBA than it's been in the NFL," Silver previously said.
The financial terms of his new deal are unknown.
