Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) today announced Dianna Boyce has been named Vice President, 2021 NBA All-Star, Inc. and Mariah Bird has been named Manager of Event Activations and Venues as plans begin to ramp up for the February 2021 weekend. Boyce most recently served as Senior Director, Corporate Communications at The Finish Line, Inc. and began her NBA All-Star duties last week. She will strategically lead the planning and implementation for marketing and communications as well as coordinate the operations, host committee and legacy components.
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“Dianna has a proven track record in sports management and implementation including serving as a senior member of the staff for the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee,” said Mel Raines, Senior Vice President, PS&E and President, 2021 NBA All-Star, Inc. “She brings a wealth of experience with organizing multiple facets of major projects as well as engaging and activating community involvement. I am confident she will work with our Host Committee to deliver the most successful All-Star event in NBA history.” “Alongside our 2021 NBA All-Star Co-Chairs, Board of Directors and Pacers Sports & Entertainment staff, I am thrilled to take part in developing and implementing plans for 2021 NBA All-Star,” said Boyce. “With an international stage during that 2021 February weekend, our city and state will once again share our greatest strengths with visitors, the NBA and our local communities. It’s an honor – and humbling – to be part of an event that will impact and engage communities throughout Indiana for generations to come.”
Borrowing from European football, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday his league should look at replacing the All-Star Game with an in-season knockout-style tournament and a shorter season schedule. The 57-year-old sports supremo, who has spent more than five years running the $9 billion league, told The Economic Club of Washington the move could create new excitement and solve some headaches. “In international soccer, they play for different cups throughout the year,” Silver said in wide-ranging comments about the NBA. “I’ve said to our teams, maybe we should shorten the number of games and play a tournament during the season.”
With teams and players wary of injuries in an exhibition, the game has evolved into a highlight show of dunks and shotmaking. “If they and their teams don’t really want to play an exciting All-Star Game, we’ve got to come up with a new concept,” Silver said.
A knockout tournament could let the NBA sustain record television revenues with a reduced schedule and give teams a new prize to seek, even though stars might not get as much of a break. The NBA has had an 82-game schedule since the 1967-68 campaign. “As a league we may need to revisit the number of games we play,” Silver said. “Maybe that’s too many games.”
22 Mar
I have to ask this because I know fans are curious: Will you compete in the dunk contest again? I know you didn’t enter it this year because you didn’t want to be tired for the second half of the season as you fight for playoff positioning. But will we ever see you in the dunk contest again? Donovan Mitchell: Yes. For sure. I don’t know if it’s going to be next year, I don’t know if it’s going to be the year after that, but I am going to do it again.
