SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the Sacramento Kings will file an application with the City of Sacramento to create a new address for Golden 1 Center – 500 David J. Stern Walk. Commissioner Stern served as the fourth commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 30 years, retiring in 2014.
Commissioner Stern oversaw the NBA’s expansion, the creation of two new leagues – the Women’s National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League – and the launch of the NBA’s digital assets, helping grow basketball across the globe.
As the game grew, his intense commitment to social responsibility led to the creation of national and global initiatives to address important social issues. NBA Cares, a global social responsibility program that supports a host of community outreach initiatives, now is the model for public service in professional sports.
“Commissioner Stern worked diligently to create a premier sports league that entertains fans and drives positive impact in communities around the globe,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “We’re truly honored to show how much we appreciate his dedication to making the world a better place, and highlighting his impact on Sacramento.”
The address is a nod to Commissioner Stern’s enduring legacy that evolved the game of basketball and created a culture where sport impacts our global community promoting inclusion and equality. It also serves as a tribute to the team’s foundation, when he inaugurated the Kings first home, Arco Arena I.
“Kings fans have fought long and hard for their team and a new home,” said Commissioner David Stern. “I’m thrilled to see that dream realized and extremely honored and humbled by the team and City’s gesture.”
In his first full season as commissioner, the Kings moved to Sacramento transforming the city for the first time. More recently, Commissioner Stern oversaw the negotiation and sale of the Kings to Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé, and the landmark arena deal, which together secured the team’s long-term future in Sacramento. That arena, Golden 1 Center, is not only the world’s most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly arena, but has served as the catalyst to the revitalization and transformation underway in downtown Sacramento, and throughout the region.
