LOS ANGELES — In 2005, then-Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver declined to sue YouTube for copyright infringement despite recommendations from the NBA’s lawyers because he had the big picture in mind.
“There was a conga line of companies that were suing YouTube, and (the NBA) had a meeting with lawyers, and Adam Silver presided over the meeting,” NBA SVP of Global Digital Strategy Melissa Brenner recounted at Variety’s Sports and Entertainment Summit. “The lawyers were pretty aggressive in wanting to sue YouTube, and (asked Silver), ‘Should we join?’”
Silver responded, according to Brenner: “Look, this is where the world is going.