Individual organizations and other sports leagues, take out your notebooks.
The NBA continues to lead by example when it comes to handling the coronavirus pandemic, announcing that they will reduce the salary of their 100 top-earning executives by 20 percent to help combat any current financial hardship.
The NBA is reducing base salaries by 20 percent of approximately 100 of the league office’s top-earning executives around the world, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 26, 2020
Throughout the week, salary reduction has become a hot topic, as the NHL announced their league office employees would be taking an indefinite 25 percent hit. Then, the Philadelphia 76ers tried to dip their toe in the water when owner Josh Harris announced his plans to have team employees take a 20 percent reduction.
However, immediate backlash online – as well as internally from staff members and players – put pressure on the ownership group to head in a new direction. Only a couple hours later, Harris announced the organization would look for alternative solutions.
Commissioner Adam Silver – the man with the most power – is now showing all folks how it should be done. He and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum will be among the first group to take a salary reduction.
This salary reduction includes commissioner Adam Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, sources said. There are no widespread cuts to the rest of organization; no support or administrative staff are impacted. Top executives and senior leaders are first to takes these cuts now
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 26, 2020
Obviously, those at the top of the totem pole are far more equipped financially to take such a loss. It pretty much goes without saying, a 20 percent loss for them will also save the league more money than if it was from a lower-ranking league worker.
While there is no telling whether or not more salary reductions will be made in the future, this is at least the appropriate first step. Hopefully, individual teams will now look at this as the model. Owners around any league should look at themselves and those with the highest-ranking positions to be the ones to sacrifice. The more money you have, the more you should be able to help out.
Adam Silver continues to hit home runs (#WrongSportsReference) in some of the most complicated situations. And while it’s never necessarily appropriate to root for anyone to lose money, especially in these circumstances, this is yet another public relations W for the NBA.
In general, no other sports league has handled this situation thus far with as much poise and professionalism as the NBA. I think it, of course, starts with the direction of Silver, but even individual teams and players have shown tremendous support when it comes to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
On the Bulls alone, we’ve seen Zach LaVine and Denzel Valentine donate money to their respective hometown communities, and the Reinsdorfs stepped up to cover all game-day employees. In addition, the Bulls and White Sox teamed up to donate $200,000 dollars toward Chicago relief and the United Center will be used as a COVID-19 logistic hub in the fight against the virus. And fortunately, the Bulls are only one of many franchises that continue to find ways to help out.
Ugh, only if the Bulls could make similar right decisions when it came to actual basketball operations.