Adam Silver encourages Boston to apply to host the NBA All-Star Game
Boston hasn't hosted the event since 1964.
Boston is set to be one of the centers of the basketball world for the next couple of weeks. It could also be the center of the basketball world during the winter in the near future.
The Celtics are preparing to make a bid to host the NBA All-Star Game in the coming years, The Boston Globe‘s Gary Washburn reported in April. NBA commissioner Adam Silver seems more than open to holding one of the league’s yearly marquee events in Boston.
“I encourage that application from Boston. Wonderful city and obviously we’ll be there soon,” Silver told reporters at his annual press conference ahead of the NBA Finals on Thursday. Silver added that there is a “long list of NBA cities” that would like to host the All-Star Game in the near future.
In his April report, Washburn detailed that the Celtics’ bid for would likely be for either the 2025 or 2026 All-Star Game. Boston mayor Michelle Wu is supportive of the bid, according to Washburn.
Boston hasn’t hosted the NBA’s star event since 1964. That All-Star Game became famous for what transpired prior to the game, in which the players refused to play unless the league recognized the players’ union.
Silver’s happy to see cities like Boston, as well as Salt Lake City (host for the 2023 game) and Indianapolis (host for the 2024 game), show interest in hosting the All-Star Game.
“There was a period, maybe it seems 10-plus years ago, where it became disfavored to have All-Star Games for whatever reason, and now they are back,” Silver said. “I’ve got a long list of NBA cities that would like to have All-Star — it’s not even a game anymore. It’s not even a weekend. It’s a week of activities. We’re thrilled to be in Utah. It’s not just Salt Lake City next year but it’s Utah; it’s the Salt Lake City environs. They push it out to the skiing and hiking in the mountains and everything else.
“For us, we only have that as our neutral site event, meaning where the league can host guests from around the world and has lots of tickets. Here we are scrounging for tickets here, like everybody else in San Francisco and will be in Boston. It’s a great opportunity for us, and also just we love it as a week to shine the world’s attention on basketball”
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