Stern told vegas they can pitch for an NBA team if ...

[pedro803]

....

Watching CNBC this morning and they are talking about the all-star game in vegas and they had a little piece saying David Stern had told the Vegas mayor they could make a presentation to the league for a team.

then they show the mayor saying he is surprised, and didn't expect to have this opportunity, then they add (as if it were just a little afterthought) that Stern stipulated they would have to remove all NBA games from Vegas sports books in order to get a team.

I'm guessing that would be a deal breaker right there, but I can understand where the NBA is coming from - can't risk having point shaving scandals and so on.

Maybe its the pro sports leagues that are lobbying to keep sports betting illegal almost everywhere?

[EdwardHaney]

I just heard on ESPN that the sportsbooks would not be able to post any lines involving the LV team, but all other games would still be available for action.

[pedro803]

the piece I saw definitely said it was all NBA games, they even named the number of games on a full season, it was something like 2400.

It went on to show a comment from Stern on Gambling, he said he is not bothered by gambling in general as "that horse has already left the barn" but according to the tv announcer Stern's problem is with sports gambling

[Silver & Black]

Stern is too much of an idiot to realize that the only reason anyone watches his "unwatchable" sport "IS" to place a bet on it!! And, only about 4% of the total dollars wagered are actually in Vegas.

[NittanyLions94]

Interesting ESPN Insider article I read today by Chris Sheridan. And I find it odd because I already see a line out at Caesars for the game?:


Back when he was a college student, David Stern was a bit of a gambler.

Poker was his game, and he played it with a passion.

"I was known in high-low, seven-card high-low, although now it's called Spit in the Ocean or whatever it's called, but I enjoyed poker," Stern told me Wednesday morning as we stood on the Strip outside the MGM Grand Hotel and discussed one of the hot-button issues -- gambling on NBA basketball -- that has moved into the spotlight as the NBA descends on Las Vegas for All-Star Weekend.

There will be no gambling on Sunday's game in this town's casinos and sports books, as Stern won an agreement from local lawmakers when he awarded the game to Las Vegas to have the All-Star game taken off the betting lines.

Stern has also said in the past (he has softened his stance somewhat recently) that he would not allow an NBA team to relocate to Las Vegas as long as gambling on NBA games was permitted, giving many the impression that the commish is somewhat of an antigambling zealot. But that assumption couldn't be further from the truth, as I found out.

"It is not inherently evil," Stern said. "One of the reasons I was happy to come to Las Vegas is because there's this lingering notion that gambling is bad. I mean, whatever you might think about that as a historical matter, gambling is every legislature's answer to a budget deficit. You know, bet the grocery money on the lottery to help education."

In search of a spicy slice of life from the world of sports betting, I ditched the Strip at midafternoon and drove five miles to downtown Vegas (I don't want to be too harsh on this city's traffic problems, but Vegas makes Atlanta seem like Daytona) with the plan being to watch Wednesday night's 13 NBA games at Binion's, the former home of the World Series of Poker. Unlike the large, airy sports books at the resort hotels on the strip, the scene downtown is decidedly more, how shall we say, down-market (you can get a 99-cent shrimp cocktail there). But since Binion's sports book consisted of only two TVs and a couple of chairs, I took a quick peak at the Poker Hall of Fame (Wild Bill Hickok is a member) and then ditched Binion's, heading across Fremont Street to the Golden Nugget and the relative glory of its 60 or so screens.

There was a rowdy bunch of guys with University of Wisconsin sweatshirts loudly cheering the Badgers against Minnesota, but there wasn't a whole lot of excitement generated by the NBA games. When Andrea Bargnani knocked down a 3 with eight seconds left to give the Raptors a cover of the 9½-point spread against New Jersey, nobody stirred. (And no, in case you're wondering, I did not have action on any of the games. That would be an ethical no-no. Like Stern back in the day, my game is poker.)

The folks at the Nugget said I would have been better off people-watching at the big sports books at the Bellagio or the Hilton. But what I saw Wednesday night downtown, and at the MGM Grand sports book, too, during this visit was not a whole lot of interest in gambling on NBA games. Based on what I've seen and heard, I think there's a hard-core niche of folks who play the NBA betting lines, but I think it's very small as a percentage of all basketball fans, and hoops gambling clearly is dwarfed by betting on NFL football -- especially among casual gamblers.

Anyway, it all gets back to my conversation with Stern, and I asked him if the potential for corruption -- players fixing games or shaving points -- was a significant concern of his.

His answer was no.

"We've always understood the reality that all sports betting is closely monitored, so it's not about corruption, it's about the relationship between the sport and its fans, that's all," said Stern.

"And you know, a lot of the sports leagues forged their policies when gambling itself was prohibited on a national basis. I worked on this subject 40 years ago for the NBA when every league and every religious organization and every law enforcement organization was opposing the legalization of gambling in Atlantic City.

"But the reality of it is, in the intervening 40 years, based upon changes in law, 48 states have lotteries, casinos, video poker, Indian reservations. Gambling has become the American way, and we're all changing our attitudes with respect to it."

~Espn Insider Chris Sheridan

[BillyBarooooooo]

Originally posted by NittanyLions94

Gambling has become the American way, and we're all changing our attitudes with respect to it."



Yes because the US government wants us to gamble! Unless of course they are not getting there cut. IF that is the case they will ban it and throw you in jail. Hmmm sort of reminds me of the MOB! Today we call it Corporate America!

[larry4498]

Originally posted by BillyBarooooooo
Yes because the US government wants us to gamble! Unless of course they are not getting there cut. IF that is the case they will ban it and throw you in jail. Hmmm sort of reminds me of the MOB! Today we call it Corporate America!


AMEN brother!!!

You can play the lottery whenever you want. In Michigan we have Keno at almost evey bar. And someday on line gambling will be back!!(not that it's completley gone, but it's sure heading that way) It will be run through Vegas casinos and the goverment will get their cut:bang:

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Stern did a similar thing when he granted the Toronto/Vancouver franchises. The dealbreaker was the provinces had to take all NBA games off the government-run Sports Gambling, Pro-line. They did, and Stern gave Canada the teams.

[Stifler's Mom]

Stern is, and always has been a moronic jackass.

First of all, who has more pull in Vegas? The Sportsbook/Casinos, or some local yokels who want an NBA team? Does ANYONE in Vegas even give a fuck about going to an NBA game? I'm guessing there is a REASON why there are no pro sports teams in Vegas....cause no one there gives a fuck about going to a live game. There's plenty more to do than go watch a bunch of guys jump around and throw a ball through a basket. Seriously, I like basketball, but I'm guessing I could find better things to do in Vegas than be a season ticket holder to the Vegas Vandals or whatever queer name they'd come up with.

Second, exactly as S&B said, I would be willing to bet that AT LEAST 50% of those who watch the NBA do it because they have a wager on the game. If lines were to become unavailable on NBA events, ratings would go right down the toilet on the nationally televised games, and subscriptions to "NBA League Pass" would become so scarce that they might as well just air a few channels of tumbleweed bouncing across the screen and video of herds of buffalo grazing out in the plains somewhere.

It all comes down to that these douche nozzles don't understand, or are to stupid to realize, that a big portion of their revenue is coming from gamblers.

Me pay $159 or $169 or whatever for NBA league pass, if i can't put action on the games? Yea f'n right. I bet i'd watch about 3 NBA games a year if i couldn't bet on it....on like xmas day when there's nothing better on....and maybe game 7 of the finals.

Screw you Stern, you bumbling moron.

[NittanyLions94]

I can safely say that I would not watch that poor excuse for basketball if it wasn't for the games I bet on, and I still find it hard to watch all of them the whole way through.

[Troubleduke]

Why would you go to an NBA game when you can spend your entertainment dollar on Celien Deon or Elton John :dunno: