Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson questions whether it’s appropriate for Harrah’s New Orleans Casino to be a prime sponsor for the Hornets at New Orleans Arena.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson questions whether it’s appropriate for Harrah’s New Orleans Casino to be a prime sponsor for the Hornets at New Orleans Arena.
His comments came in response to casino ads on display in the visiting locker room at New Orleans Arena. Given the league’s problems in the offseason when referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to jail time for betting on games, Jackson questions whether the Harrah’s sponsorship sends the wrong signal to fans
"We talked about this last year," Jackson told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "We thought it wasn’t a good message at all. One side of it says don’t gamble, and the other side you are advertising for it. This is a franchise that is led by a good Christian leader. He has prayer (sessions) before the games. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing."
Still, Jackson’s decision to address the issue in New Orleans is odd, to say the least. First, there’s no sports betting in New Orleans casinos. Second, the NBA has tightened relationships with the casino industry, holding All-Star games in Las Vegas and selling a WNBA franchise, the Connecticut Sun, to the Mohegan Sun Casino. And many NBA teams sport casinos as major sponsors.
