The NBA "disclosed internally" a reorganization last
week in which the league "eliminated" NBAP as a separate
unit and placed it into its NBAE division, according to
Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK, who reports that the league
eliminated the position of NBAP President, formerly held by
Rick Welts. In an internal memo, NBA Commissioner David
Stern referred to the changes as a "digital evolution."
Lefton, on the moves: "You'd have to believe that as the NBA
tries fervently to position itself as the new-media sports
property, there will be less emphasis on traditional
business like TV, licensing (which the NBA calls Consumer
Products) and sponsorship." Lefton adds that Senior
VP/Media Programs Barry Frey and Senior VP/Marketing
Partnerships Ken Derrett will report to Senior VP/Int'l TV &
Business Development Heidi Ueberroth, who "continues to
report" to NBAE President Adam Silver. Derrett and Frey had
reported to Stern. Also, Senior VP/Consumer Products Chris
Heyn -- who also reported to Stern -- now reports to Silver,
who "emerges as the biggest winner in the exec reshuffle."
As to the "future of consumer products," Stern wrote, "[We]
expect there to be considerably expanded emphasis on
electronic commerce, self-sourcing and products that are
exclusive, at least initially, to NBA channels of
distribution" (BRANDWEEK, 1/17 issue).
THE GAME OF LIFE: In N.Y., Mike Wise wrote that in the
aftermath of the death of Hornets G Bobby Phills, deciding
whether to play Saturday's Hornets-Knicks game was
"agonizing for everyone involved." NBA Deputy Commissioner
Russ Granik: "There aren't any guidebooks for this kind of
thing. Reactions to tragedies like this become intensely
personal. We just tried to do what was right. Hopefully,
we did" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/16). In Newark, Dave D'Alessandro:
"The league earned praise from both the teams and the union
for its decisive act to cancel Charlotte's games on
Wednesday and Friday" (STAR-LEDGER, 1/16). In Charlotte,
Rick Bonnell wrote to "applaud" Hornets C Elden Campbell,
Knicks C Patrick Ewing and the NBPA for "not backing down
under ... pressure" from the league office to play Friday's
game. Bonnell wrote, "The NBA loves to call itself a
family. Thursday it should have acted more like one before
the union forced the issue" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/16).
LEAGUE EXECS ARE WATCHING: In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote
to "forget about low" NBA TV ratings, because "what the
people who run" the league are "really in a panic about are
empty seats" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/16).
