NBA Plans To Utilize '12 London Games To Boost U.K. Expansion Push
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Stern Looking For Basketball To Make Gains
In U.K. Following '12 London Olympics |
Having already made "huge inroads into the Chinese market, ... Britain is next on the list for NBA expansion," and the '12 London Olympics "offer the perfect opportunity," according to Simon Hart of the London TELEGRAPH. NBA Commissioner David Stern: "We have encouraged our own players who have a connection to the UK in terms of participating. We like that. We think it's going to grow, but it's going to grow slowly. Basketball will enthral a much larger group at the Olympics in 2012." The accompanying marketing push "has already begun" with preseason games at London's O2 Arena, as well as "clinics and the creation of new basketball courts." Stern: "I think there will be a lot more grass-roots basketball activity post-Olympics. There will also be a recognition by sponsors that basketball is a good thing in which to invest and there will be a recognition by retailers that certain products are good to carry." Hart also notes that increasing participation is "one thing," but "persuading people to follow the NBA is another when Premier League football is so dominant." U.K. media coverage of the Magic-Lakers NBA Finals "has been almost non-existent," but Bulls G Ben Gordon, who was born in England, said the Olympics "will change attitudes" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/12).
DIFFERENT KIND OF TEAMWORK: In New Jersey, Al Iannazzone noted one way NBA teams are being "more fiscally responsible" is by "having mass workouts" of NBA Draft prospects. The Nets last year had three picks in the NBA Draft, and "worked out more than 50 players and it cost them well over $100,000." But this weekend 36 players "will visit their facility over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it will cost the Nets between" $2,000-3,000, as 20 other NBA teams "will watch these prospects and share the expense." Nets President Rod Thorn: "From my perspective it's a heck of a lot ... cheaper and you get to see everything you want to see." Iannazzone noted the T'Wolves and Warriors "hosted big workouts last week for 48 and 24 players, respectively," and the Nets "attended both and chipped in roughly $2,000 for each." Thorn estimated that if the Nets "brought in 24 players on their own, it would cost them between" $50,000-75,000 (Bergen RECORD, 6/11).
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