Former NBA commisisoner David Stern attends Jazz at Lincoln Center's 2019 Gala - The Birth of Jazz: From Bolden to Armstrong at Frederick P. Rose Hall, on April 17, 2019. Credit: Getty Images/Noam Galai
PHILADELPHIA – David Stern is no stranger to the long battle against legalized betting in American sports. In 1991, he testified in the U.S. Senate hearings that led to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
The Supreme Court overturned that law 18 months ago, opening the door to expanded sports betting, and now the former NBA commissioner is all in.
“When I stepped away [in 2014] and Adam Silver came out in favor of sports betting, I agreed,” he told Newsday on Wednesday before appearing at the SeventySix Capital Sports Innovation Conference at Citizens Bank Park.