NBA Commissioner David Stern was a guest on last night's edition of FSN's "The Last Word" where he discussed the state of the league, including the NBA's new TV deal with ESPN/ABC. FSN's Jim Rome asked Stern if he had "any concern about the game being taken away from the masses and given to a more narrow number, more of a niche programming." Stern: "Cable and satellite (programming is) increasingly available to everybody who wants it. On ABC, you're going to see us on as many or more Sundays during the regular season as NBC is now, but fewer triple-headers and double-headers, and frankly, we think that the triple-headers and double-headers, which we favored in the past, don't work. It's too hard to get people to sit through six and eight-and-a-half hours of NBA on (TV), and it's good to be on cable during the week because that's where our fans are looking for our games" ("The Last Word," FSN, 6/4).
FRANCHISE RELOCATION: Stern discussed the NBA returning to the New Orleans market and said, "Times change. It didn't work the first time with a basketball team playing in the (LA) Superdome as opposed to the brand new arena that's only three years old. ... Different ownership, different time and I would say to you that the last time it didn't work the NBA was a different sport and (LA) was a different place. ... We think it'll work this time and it's going to work very well" (FSN, 6/4).
TIP-INS: Stern, on Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban: "He's not a nemesis of mine. He's an owner who's full of lots of good ideas and some ideas I don't agree with, but those are just part of the job."
 |
|
Meanwhile, Stern said the WNBA is "an extraordinary success story." Stern: "This is a sport that has arrived ... and the quality of the basketball in year six is higher than it's ever been and we're going to be attracting legions of new fans to the WNBA." When asked by Rome if the WNBA has made money, Stern said the WNBA "has lost less money than (MLB), the NHL and the NBA. Is that a good answer to your question?" Rome: "It sounds like a no, it hasn't made any money yet." Stern: "It has made more money that the NBA, (NHL) and (MLB)." Rome: "Commissioner, you are spinning hard. That was one of your best answers yet." Stern then told Rome, "I've never heard you ask (whether a league is making money) of a men's league. I need to get you as a new-age, sensitive kind of a guy, instead of these difficult questions." Rome: "I didn't think that was such an insensitive question. 'Has the league made any money yet?' You said it was such an extraordinary success." Stern said the WNBA "investment continues. The league is not profitable, but we think that we are making a very good, long-term investment, and it's a very modest investment compared to the ultimate payoffs that we're hoping for" (
"The Last Word," FSN, 6/4).
