Alan Snel, veteran journalist and LVSportsBiz.com publisher. ASnel@LVSportsBiz.com.
LVSPORTSBIZ.COM, launched June 2017: We are a digital magazine providing market-leading news, intelligence, enterprise and breaking news on Las Vegas’ sports/stadium industry. Our stories are quoted nationally and we set the sportsbiz news agenda in Las Vegas. Publisher Alan Snel has reported on the business of sports and stadiums in Denver, South Florida, New York, Seattle and Tampa besides Las Vegas and is considered a national authority on the topic. And like the Vegas Golden Knights, LVSportsBiz.com is celebrating its tenth birthday in 2027.
LVSportsBiz.com’s Written Word Series: Our storytelling focuses on original story lines.
June 2024: A father’s connection
June 2026: Baseball and the radio
April 2018: NHL team born in the desert
March 2020: Gratitude for being alive
June 2017: Birth of a website
August 2026: Team president does it all
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BRIEFS
A’s stadium premium club sold out: Athletics say their new stadium’s exclusive club called the Athletic Club behind home plate is sold out, with 76 percent of the buyers from Southern Nevada. The A’s plan on opening their domed $2.1 billion stadium on the Strip in 2028.
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LVSportsBiz.com coverage of Athletics stadium project on Strip in Las Vegas.
A’s owner John Fisher in Las Vegas
LVCVA spends $8.25 million on A’s sponsorship
Big League Sports With Small Town Politics
Man of Many Hats
Athletics’ long, strange journey for new ballpark
How Deal Was Made For A’s Ballpark On Strip
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May 10 is the first hurdle to avoid a cancelled NBA season. I had the great pleasure of covering this topic for media outlets across the country headlined by national segments for ESPN, CBS and FOX Sports.
And now, Lakers superstar LeBron James is weighing in.
Reports have started to circulate that there’s mounting pressure from teams and agents to cancel. In response, James took to Twitter.
“Saw some reports about execs and agents wanting to cancel season??? That’s absolutely not true. Nobody I know saying anything like that. As soon as it’s safe we would like to finish our season. I’m ready and our team is ready. Nobody should be canceling anything.”
Even though James is one of the most powerful voices in the NBA, he doesn’t have the unilateral ability to save the season. That is because, per the NBA’s Force Majeure clause, the call on whether to cancel the season lies with owners, not the players.
Under this clause, the “Doomsday Provision,” owners have until May 10th (60 days from the NBA’s suspension) to cancel and void remaining payment owed to players. The season could be cancelled later on, but players would argue that they need to be paid in full since owners would have missed this deadline.
With the calendar having turned from April to May, we must be mindful of this upcoming major obstacle to resume. The topic is relevant for Las Vegas because the market has been mentioned as a potential hub for the NBA to use to possibly play out the season. It’s just been talk for now and there have been no official comments from the NBA.
Note: If they cancel after May 10 they can try to void payments to players but the NBPA would argue that they missed their window to do so per the CBA. Meanwhile, the 25 percent decrease gives the NBA a path to further delay, but would be rendered moot if the owners opt to trigger Force Majuere.
Also, to trigger Force Majeure means ripping up the CBA and forcing both sides to come to terms on a new deal. I have to think the NBA wants to avoid that, but still can’t rule it out entirely.