NBA Teams Are Now Publicly Refusing To Stay At Trump Hotels This Season

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, sources are telling ESPN that at least three NBA teams have made the decision to avoid any Trump-branded hotels during road trips this season. The teams in question, the Dallas Mavericks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Memphis Grizzlies, will no longer book travel at the Trump properties in New York City and in Chicago.

The same source says that another Eastern Conference team will sever its relationship with the Trump Soho in Manhattan after its contract with the property expires at the end of the current season, citing a desire to distance their team from the president-elect.

While many expected a significant drop in business for all things bearing the Trump brand, data remains elusive, especially on privately owned properties. That said, CNBC dug into the issue several months ago before the election took place to offer some insight:

Seven other NBA teams have disclosed that they will continue to stay at Trump hotels, though the identities of the teams haven’t been disclosed for privacy reasons during their travel.

The owners of the Mavericks and Bucks, Mark Cuban and Marc Lasry respectively, were high-profile supporters of the Clinton campaign this year. Cuban and Trump, both reality show participants, have engaged in public social media feuds in years past as well.

Players and coaches in the league have been especially vocal in voicing their disappointment with Trump’s election. In the past week, coaches Stan Van Gundy, Steve Kerr, and Gregg Popovich have all made scathing statements about his election.

As for the likelihood of more teams abandoning Trump hotels as their accommodations, the itineraries and arrangements are normally made in August once the schedules are released, so it’s likely we’ll see more teams jump ship at that time.