It Appears Some NBA Teams Are Avoiding Trump Branded Hotels
(ESPN) – At least three NBA teams have stopped staying at Donald Trump-branded hotels this season in part to avoid any implied association with the new president-elect, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks have moved away from Trump hotels in New York City and Chicago, which bear Donald Trump’s name through a licensing agreement.
Sources say that another Eastern Conference team contracted to stay at the Trump SoHo in New York this season has likewise already decided to switch to a different property in Manhattan when its current contract expires at season’s end and that the Trump association is among the factors for the switch.
Of the four major sports, the NBA is probably the most progressive. How they handle social issues, and more importantly the internet, makes the reaction of Trump winning interesting. I haven’t heard many coaches in the other leagues come out and make comments like this
Whether you agree with what they say or not, that’s not my point. My point is this is a league that is not shy about making their voice heard. We also have guys like Jalen Rose and Lebron talking about how players are probably going to boycott the White House after winning a championship. The fact that absolutely nobody knows what we are in for is what makes this so interesting. Imagine if these White House visits just straight up stop? That would be weird as hell.
Here’s the thing with this specific story though. Both the Bucks and the Mavericks are owned by guys who are big Hillary supporters. I would say no shit Marc Cuban is pulling his team from staying at a Trump Hotel. There is only so much you can do as an owner, so at the very least Cuban is putting his money where his mouth is.
Between the shit going down with the All Star Game, and now this election Adam Silver certainly has his hands full. The league can’t force a team to stay at a specific place, but this has to be a tough situation for him. All eyes are on his league as things in this country get crazier by the day, and political preferences aside, we should commend the NBA world for being brave enough to speak out and not just say silent.