The NBA All-Star Game earned a 8.3/13 overnight Nielsen
rating, and in Dallas, Barry Horn writes that the league's
"first post-Michael Jordan All-Star Game turned in ratings
that have to bother the suits at the league office and NBC"
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/15). In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich
called the rating "poor" and the "latest in a series of
blows for the NBA" (TORONTO STAR, 2/15). In Boston, Howard
Manly, on the ratings: "Part of the problem is that the
broadcast seemed to be one long infomercial for the NBA.
The NBC announcers seem to have no desire to provide any
edge to its coverage" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/15).
IS IT SENSORY OVERLOAD? In L.A., Mark Heisler called
the NBA All-Star Game "overproduced" and wrote, "Going for
maximum glitz, the league had the players introduced as they
stepped through a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge,
festooned with jets emitting smoke. [Lakers coach] Phil
Jackson, who is anti-hype, pretended to wave the smoke away
when his turn came" (L.A. TIMES, 2/14). Democratic
presidential candidate Bill Bradley, on the "glitzy
theatrics" at NBA games: "There's too much dancing and loud
music during timeouts. It's just too much. It's taking
away from the game" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/15). In S.F., C.W.
Nevius called All-Star halftime show, which featured singers
such as LL Cool J and Martina McBride, "hip, smart and
multimedia. ... Mary J. Blige was terrific. The NFL would
have chosen Pat Benatar" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/14).
WHY THE EMPTY SEATS? In DC, Tony Kornheiser writes that
while the league boasts of "new stars and all this
electrifying showmanship," he wonders why he sees "an NBA
where the lower tiers of seating have large gashes of empty
seats" in cities such as Cleveland, Charlotte, Detroit,
Orlando and DC. Kornheiser: "I see an NBA where bright
yellow seats near the floor are empty each night in Miami,
in a brand new arena. Probably the seats are sold, and
these are no-shows. But something is wrong here, there can
be no denying." Kornheiser: "If people buy season tickets,
but choose not to go to the games when the market is
booming, what if the market flattens out, or, God forbid
falls?" He writes that part of the problem is that ticket
prices are "too darn high" and the leagues stars, other than
Spurs C Tim Duncan, haven't "won anything." Kornheiser:
"We've got sizzle, not steak. ... The question facing the
NBA is which comes first: The new young stars growing into
dependable, accomplished, revered veterans carrying the
league forward? Or those empty seats at these oppressive
prices reaching critical mass?" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/15).
CARTER SHOPPING IN WRONG MARKET? NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay
writes that though Raptors G/F Vince Carter "has been
anointed as an heir" to Michael Jordan, marketing Carter
"won't be as simple as" it was with Jordan. Zipay: "Toronto
isn't even a Nielsen-metered market, which hurts ratings.
So don't expect to see the Raptors as regular Sunday fare.
Another problem: The Raptors might not make the postseason.
That eliminates another lofty platform" (NEWSDAY, 2/15).
Also in Toronto, Jim Hunt rates Carter's popularity in that
city behind Maple Leafs G Curtis Joseph and C Mats Sundin
(TORONTO SUN, 2/15). In Toronto, Garth Woolsey: "The NBA
has a crop of young players, led by Carter ... who seem to
be making it easy for fans to look ahead, rather than in the
rearview mirror" (TORONTO STAR, 2/15). FSN's Jim Rome:
"Quick memo to the NBA: Stop jamming the All-Star Weekend
down our throats. We don't need to be hit over the head
with how cool Vince Carter, Allen Iverson and Shaquille
O'Neal are. We get it. We know. You're promoting it so
much it's actually turning people away. David Stern, back
away, we've all had enough" ("Last Word," FSN, 2/14).
