A group of MLB owners, "in search of a full-time
commissioner (and in desperate need of revitalizing
baseball) are considering NBA Commissioner David Stern,"
according to columnist Michael Sneed of the CHICAGO SUN-
TIMES. Sneed: "Stern's an important guy. Maybe he can help
out a dying sport" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/19).
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK: Stern's "global outlook" is
examined in the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES by business reporter Jim
Kirk. Kirk: "As the NBA grinds through its golden
anniversary season, Stern is presiding over a sports brand
that is second to none in garnering a healthy return on
investment." While Stern faces a "natural slowdown" of the
NBA's growth pace, "at least domestically," his eyes "are
set clearly on markets outside the homeland." Other
challenges for Stern include "keeping the game entertaining
enough to fill seats ... and then there's the eventual
retirement of [Michael] Jordan." Stern, on Jordan's
retirement: "Everyone said there would never be another
Dr. J. We've been running a series of ads that addresses
that. You want people to recognize that there have been
greats throughout the whole history of the league, and that
won't change." Kirk writes Stern has been "vilified by the
fans who think he's let too much of corporate America take
over the sport. And yet, many corporate marketing
executives say the NBA is the toughest negotiator in all
sports, with Stern guarding his brand like a grizzly bear
protecting her cub" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/19).
WHERE HAVE ALL THE SHOOTERS GONE? In Washington, Tony
Kornheiser looks at the lack of scoring in the NBA this
season: "The biggest challenge is that with DIRECTV you can
see every game. You can see basketball until your eyes pop
out. And one of these days somebody's bound to make a 15-
footer" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/19).
