Report: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Passed on Inquiries From NFL Owners to Switch Leagues
Commissioner Adam Silver isn't considering leaving his job with the NBA despite inquiries from NFL owners about his willingness to switch leagues and become commissioner of the NFL, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported on Thursday.
According to Shelburne, Silver has been approached by several NFL owners who have tried to persuade him to run their league within the past five years that he has served the NBA's commissioner. In August 2017, one NFL owner's confidant reached out to Silver to gauge whether he would be interested in switching to the NFL. Silver immediately said no.
"I'll just say I have not given it any thought," Silver told ESPN. "I feel very fortunate to be in this position. As a longtime fan, as a longtime league employee, the opportunity to become the commissioner of this league was beyond anything I even ever dreamed of as a kid."
"I've loved every day I've been in this job, and I think there's nothing but enormous opportunity ahead for this league," Silver added. "And ultimately, I realize I'm just passing through like every player who's gone through this league and ultimately like every owner, and I feel an enormous obligation to the fans and to this greater NBA family to do my best and try my hardest every day. But that's where 100 percent of my focus is."
Under Silver's lead, the NBA's revenues have increased from $4.8 billion to a projected $9.1 billion. Team valuations have also increased from an average of $509 million in 2013 to $1.9 billion in that time, a 267% increase.
Silver, who will be celebrating his five-year anniversary as commissioner at the All-Star Game, signed a five-year extension with the NBA in June that runs through the 2023-2024 season.
