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Mark Cuban Continues
Postseason Media Tour |
Since Mavericks Owner
MARK CUBAN bought the team six years ago, any “fair-minded observer would concede that [he] has been a far more positive influence than many of the established, corporate-style owners,” according to a profile of Cuban by Jack McCallum of SI. Cuban: “I get almost as much satisfaction knowing I can have a positive impact on the league in general as watching my team do well.” McCallum writes NBA Commissioner
DAVID STERN “appreciates how Cuban responds to his customers.” Stern: “Fans take that for granted ... that the arena experience should be a place that (is) welcoming, (where) the fans (are) treated in a way that they deserve to be treated. I think that here in Dallas, that is an absolute, at the top of the list.” When asked if the game itself has “taken a backseat to the circus going on inside his arena,” Cuban said, “The game is ancillary. If this (were) about pleasing basketball purists, the Finals would still be on delayed CBS-TV, and nobody would watch it” (
SI, 6/19 issue).
ORDINARY, AVERAGE GUY: Cuban appeared on CBS’ “Late Show” last night where he wore a Steelers QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER No. 7 jersey. CBS’ David Letterman told him, “To me, you don’t look like an NBA owner. You look like somebody who would be in the audience.” Cuban: “I was a couple of years ago.” Cuban said of his recent fine for criticizing the referees: “There were 20,000 people in Miami screaming, ‘The referees suck, the referees suck.’ ... I walk out and I go, ‘Excuse me,’ and they hit me with $200,000.” Letterman: “If the Mavericks win (the NBA championship), is this the kind of thing that David Stern and the NBA are just going to go crazy?” Cuban: “I hope so. What could be better? I got my Speedo all picked out” (“Late Show,” CBS, 6/14). Cuban previously joked he would wear a Speedo to accept the championship trophy from Stern if the Mavericks win (THE DAILY).
