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Leagues and Governing Bodies

STERN SAYS DIPPING NBA RATINGS A SIGN OF THE TIMES

          NBA Commissioner David Stern talked with Barry Jackson
     of the MIAMI HERALD about the state of the league, and said
     that while "NBA on NBC" TV ratings are down 19% this season,
     "I said before the season the ratings would drop, but I
     would like to wait until the end of the season before I
     express my concern or dismay.  I do know 'Monday Night
     Football' had its lowest rating in history.  The only
     question is which sports can save the most of their ratings
     as they all drop" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/26).  CNN/SI's Nick
     Charles said that while "NBA on NBC" primetime telecasts are
     averaging "about a million fewer viewers than watch
     wrestling on cable Monday nights," the NBA "isn't the only
     major league to see their slice of the TV pie shrinking." 
     Charles: "There is no need for the NBA to panic because
     advertisers still have money to spend and consumers to
     reach."  The Boston Globe's Howard Manly cited
     "overexposure" as one reason for the league's ratings drop. 
     Manly: "There's a lot of games the NBA has on, but you
     wouldn't want to watch them" (CNN, 3/26).  In Baltimore,
     John Eisenberg wrote that Tiger Woods has had a significant
     impact on NBA ratings. Eisenberg: "The NBA keeps waiting for
     the next Michael Jordan to appear and start drawing in a
     curious public, but the next Jordan has arrived, and he's
     carrying a putter, of all things. ... The NBA's fall ...
     obviously is more pronounced than anyone thought.  And Tiger
     is getting big, folks" (Balt. SUN, 3/26).  In Milwaukee, Tom
     Enlund wrote under the header, "Do Fans Still Love The NBA? 
     TV Ratings, Attendance Lagging" (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/26).
          SOUND OFF: Stern, on in-game arena entertainment: "I
     value my hearing and the hearing of our coaches and fans. 
     It should not be left to some youngster with his hand on the
     meter to demonstrate that they're going to do a great job
     driving their team to victory by deafening everyone else in
     the arena."  In Miami, Jackson wrote that Stern's comments
     came "before hearing the irritating firecracker-type
     explosions that the Heat regrettably subjects its fans to
     during pregame introductions" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/26).   
          DEVELOPMENT PLAN: In Providence, Kevin McNamara wrote
     on the NBA's plan to launch a developmental league in fall
     2001.  McNamara: "Hallelujah. ... With a more direct link to
     the NBA, the new league would clear out a ton of academic
     riffraff that currently dots the rosters of major college
     teams. ... Will the college game be hurt?  No question. 
     Will the sport become cleaner and filled with more kids who
     truly want an education?  I hope so" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL,
     3/26).  NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik "emphasized"
     that the developmental league "is not intended to function
     as an alternative to college basketball for high school
     graduates, as some have suggested."  Granik: "I don't know
     where that is coming from."  He added that the NBA is not
     looking to hurt the NCAA: "Certainly that's not our intent. 
     Our intent is more to deal with the guys who are going to
     come out anyway, maybe get drafted by [the] NBA and aren't
     really ready to play" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/26).
     ESPN.com's David Aldridge wrote that Stern's plan is "not
     worthy of the best commissioner in the history of sports.
     ... How can this possibly do anything other than encourage
     dozens, if not hundreds, of high schoolers from foregoing
     college altogether?" (ESPN.com, 3/24).

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