With the presidential election top of mind as the '12 Covington & Burling Sports Media & Technology conference got under way today in N.Y., NBA Commissioner David Stern commented on how social media has influenced athletes. Stern: “I went over some of the tweets of our players this morning. It’s a new day. You wouldn’t hear players talking about or tweeting about voting and outcomes a decade ago. I think social media has changed that. It has made them more publicly aware, more socially aware.” Stern was a panelist in the event’s opening session, titled “From The Top: Insights On Sports Media.” He was joined by ESPN President John Skipper and Turner President of Sales, Distribution & Sports David Levy.
Skipper commented on discussions between the network and league partners with regard to on-air talent. He said, “When we’re doing games, we of course consult with our partners. We’re licensing their product to put on our air. I will state categorically that the decision not to hire Stan Van Gundy was my decision and only my decision.” He added, “We brought Stan Van Gundy in to audition. He did very well. We did proceed with a discussion with him about potentially hiring him and then I decided not to. The only time I had a discussion with David (Stern) was when I told him, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’”
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