With attendance and TV ratings "down," the NBA and its
TV partners "are hoping to get a much-needed bounce" out of
All-Star Weekend in Oakland, according to John Jackson of
the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Jackson notes that Sunday's game is
the league's first All-Star Game in two years and is also
the first since Michael Jordan retired, making it the "first
opportunity for the next generation of stars to step into
the spotlight and introduce themselves to casual fans who
haven't followed the NBA this season." But in looking at
the ratings, Jackson adds, "So far, the youngsters haven't
resonated with the fans" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/11). In
Toronto, Craig Daniels writes that Sunday's game "will be
available to 750 million households around the world" and
will be shown in 205 countries in 42 different languages
(TORONTO SUN, 2/11). In Baltimore, Milton Kent notes that
Sunday's game on NBC and Saturday's All-Star events on TNT
will feature several players and coaches being miked during
the competitions: "There may be no perfect way for the NBA
and its [TV] partners ... to replicate the kind of ratings
magic that Michael Jordan brought, but you have to give them
credit for the attempt" (Baltimore SUN, 2/11). In St.
Petersburg, Ernest Hooper also writes to "credit the
networks for trying" (ST. PETE TIMES, 2/11). Meanwhile,
Saturday's Slam Dunk contest on TNT will feature
Sportvision's AIRf/x vertical leap technology which allows
replays of each dunk and displays the player's vertical leap
in inches through on-air graphics (Sportvision)
WEBBING OUT: USA TODAY's Chris Jenkins reports that
during Sunday's game, fans can "spend the entire game
listening to what players such as Shaquille O'Neal or Vince
Carter are saying live through streaming audio" on NBA.com.
The site's audio feed "will be synchronized" with NBC's
telecast, meaning it's "mostly up to the players to avoid
using profanity and limit trash talking." NBA VP/Internet
Services Brenda Spoonemore: "They know it's going to be live
on the air. It's as important for them to have a good
public image as it is for us" (USA TODAY, 2/11). The
NATIONAL POST's Chris Cobb calls the weekend a "television-
meets-Internet event," which is "what all-star games seem to
have developed into" (NATIONAL POST, 2/11).
NBA TELLS TSN, "ALL-STAR WEEKEND ON US!" In Toronto,
Chris Zelkovich cites sources as saying that TSN "had
planned to send one reporter" to All-Star Weekend, but the
NBA wanted "more exposure. So, it paid everyone else's
way." TSN Senior VP/Programming & Production Keith Pelley,
on the arrangement: "I'm not worried about that at all.
It's really important for both TSN and the NBA to promote
the game as much as we can." Zelkovich: "From a business
standpoint, that's true. But it's all part of the cozy
relationship between leagues and networks everywhere. ...
The NBA is spending the money to boost ratings." NBA Canada
Communications Manager Alison George said, "For something
like this, we're going to bend over backwards to get
coverage" (TORONTO STAR, 2/11).
