$280 Million in Economic Impact: The Bigger Picture Behind NBA Summer League
This year, NBA Summer League generated a projected $280 million in economic impact for the city of Las Vegas, announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
What started as a handshake and a box of flyers has grown into a full-scale business ecosystem, one that now includes 76 nationally televised games, 550 credentialed media (a new record), 130,000 hotel room nights, and thousands of fans, players, coaches, and staff descending on Las Vegas each July. But what makes it special is the work behind the scenes and the people who come together to make it happen.
As NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said during his press conference:
“Warren LeGarie and Albert Hall do a fantastic job here at the Summer League. They have instructional programs for burgeoning sports executives… a robust internship program… It’s a training ground not just for players, but for coaches, staff, and people looking to get into the industry.”
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS: BY THE NUMBERS
NBA 2k26 Summer League boasted strong attendance, viewership and social media engagement numbers.
136,130 total fans made their way through the Thomas & Mack Center doors during 11 days of the 2025 event. The 21st Las Vegas Summer League garnered 255,000 average viewership on ESPN Networks (+27% vs. 2024) throughout the event and a 420,000 average viewership during the championship game on ESPN. Cooper Flag’s debut against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers was the most viewed game with 955,000 viewers (fourth best in VSL history).
SUPPORT FOR SURROUNDING NBA EVENTS
The on-court action is only a microcosm of what the NBA 2K26 Summer League brought to Las Vegas; it has become a gateway for more partnership activations & ancillary pieces to host outside of the game. What made this year’s basketball festival more impactful were the surrounding NBA-related events and announcements, including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s Press Conference, NBA Creator Cup, NBA Basketball Tech Expo, NBA Launchpad Demo Day, NBA Rookie Photoshoot, and Team Japan’s Exhibition Game.
ADAM SILVER PRESS CONFERENCE
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the media during this year’s NBA 2K26 Summer League, highlighting the event’s evolving role as a launchpad for not just players, but also coaches, executives, and young professionals across the league. He called Summer League a “training ground” and praised the robust internship and executive development programs in place, underscoring how the environment fosters meaningful career growth and behind-the-scenes learning.
VSL supported the setup and execution of the press conference inside the Strip View Pavilion, handling event operations and outfitting the space to meet league standards. VSL’s social and digital media team was also on site, providing real-time coverage and capturing a milestone moment in another record-setting year for Summer League.
PLAYSTATION NBA CREATOR CUP
The PlayStation NBA Creator Cup kicked off NBA Summer League with a high-octane blend of basketball and digital culture. With a collective following of over 150 million, this year’s roster of content creators, hoopers, and entertainers brought unmatched energy and viral moments to the Las Vegas hardwood.
VSL Properties and HallPass Media partnered with PlayStation to support event production, digital marketing, and on-site activations. That included concourse branding and engagement, digital ad runs across in-arena signage, email marketing, and cross-promotion across HallPass and NBA Summer League channels. The Creator Cup continues to grow in scale and impact, tapping into a new generation of basketball fans and amplifying creator-led content from inside the Summer League experience.
NBA 2K26 SUMMER LEAGUE TESTING – TISSOT CLOCKS
Each year the NBA uses Summer League as a time to test out different rules and in-game operations before bringing them to the big stage. This year includes the use of the Tissot Circular shot clocks, which were previously seen at NBA All-Star in San Francisco. These new clocks will officially be used for all NBA games starting in the upcoming season.
The RGB Full-color LEDs allow standard red/amber signals but also can glow green for coach’s challenges or custom colors for special moments. They also allow for enhanced touchscreen controls and IP-based digital integration, including real-time monitoring and seamless updates. The circular shape is also a nod to Tissot’s roots.
ROOKIE PHOTOSHOOT
A signature moment of NBA Summer League, the NBA Rookie Photo Shoot brought together the league’s newest stars for an exclusive media day experience in Las Vegas. Rookies rotated through a full slate of content stations, ranging from NBA partners like Bleacher Report and Amazon to in-house NBA media, capturing everything from portraits to dynamic branded content.
The event offered fans a first look at top draft picks like Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, and Yang Hansen, while also giving teams and partners the chance to build storytelling around the league’s rising talent. With curated sets, high-production visuals, and an efficient, collaborative workflow, the Rookie Photo Shoot once again delivered premium content that will be used across the NBA’s digital ecosystem throughout the season.
