Going out together on a date is an entirely different situation. You've both already decided there's some interest in one another, and presumably with the date going well and a bit sense in reading the other person's feeling, explicit permission obviously may not be necessary. And you probably still wouldn't do a surprise sneak-attack kiss in a very public setting.
What happened here was terrible and was completely unwarranted. He used his position of power to take advantage. They had no intimate or any relationship outside of professional sports and there was literally no reason for this dude to think she wants me to kiss her.
Doing it to people with whom you have no intimate relationship and without asking is exactly how you get sexual assault charges.