Steve Hill, the head of Las Vegas tourism, mentioned he will meet with the lead investigator on Tuesday. This investigation focuses on whether WNBA rules were violated when sponsorship deals were offered to Las Vegas Aces players last month.
On May 18, Hill informed the players that each of them would receive a $100,000 sponsorship annually for the next two years from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The WNBA has hired the law firm Kobre & Kim to look into potential circumvention of the league’s salary-cap rules. Steven Kobre, a founding partner of the firm, is leading the investigation.
The sponsorship amount exceeds the average yearly value of contracts for five Aces players, as reported by Spotrac.
Hill, who serves as the CEO and President of LVCVA, stated on Monday that the authority followed all WNBA policies. They handled the sponsorship agreements independently from the Aces and ensured that several contract drafts sent to player agents were signed.
“We made a commitment to the players, and we intend to honor that commitment,” Hill emphasized. “We are confident that we have acted within the rules. The players have the right to enter into sponsorship agreements, and this is a legitimate arrangement… We have fulfilled our initial obligation by featuring the players and broadcasting their images, so we are proceeding accordingly.”
According to Hill, LVCVA informed the Aces about their intention to sponsor players but did not disclose specific details beforehand. Before proceeding, the Aces informed LVCVA that sponsorship of the team would be necessary to obtain rights to use the club’s logo and other assets in promotional materials. Hill noted that LVCVA has similar agreements with the NFL’s Raiders and NHL’s Golden Knights.
Furthermore, LVCVA sought permission from the Aces to access the locker room to inform players about the sponsorship offer. However, they did not provide specific details about the proposal, and the Aces have stated they were unaware of the specifics beforehand.
