NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NBA Commissioner David Stern appeared on NBC Sports Network's "Costas Tonight" Thursday night, where the pair covered a wide range of topics facing both leagues. Host Bob Costas asked Stern whether he talked to Bettman during the NBA lockout this fall for any advice. Stern said, “I think it's fair to say that we talk to each other regularly and have a wide-ranging discussion about relevant topics.” When the topic came up concerning HBO's Bryant Gumbel calling Stern a “modern plantation overseer” during the lockout, Bettman said, “Let me answer that first, because I worked with David for 12 years. That is probably the most ignorant, stupid statement I've ever heard, okay? Anybody who knows David knows that nothing could be further from the truth.” Stern said to Bettman, “Thank you, dear friend Gary.” Stern added, “I actually enjoyed it to a degree because the flood of phone calls that I got from a very diverse community said, ‘What is this guy's problem,’ and I said, ‘His ratings are going down, it's a slow news day, he wants some headlines.’" Bettman declined to comment on Stern’s handling of the Chris Paul trade from the league-owned Hornets after Costas wondered whether Bettman would ever stop a trade involving the Coyotes, which is controlled by the league. Bettman said of Coyotes GM Don Maloney, “We give him a budget, and as long as he stays within the budget, he makes the hockey decisions. The league approves all trades in terms of cap compliance and making sure we have the terms, but we don't get involved in the hockey decisions at all."
NHL CBA TALKS YET TO BEGIN: Bettman said the league's CBA negotiations "haven't even begun," as NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr has been "going through a learning curve learning our system, learning our league, learning our game and getting familiar with his constituents." Bettman: "I've made it a practice not to talk about collective bargaining because we're having a great season and it's not something we're engaged in right now.” Costas said Fehr “was a very hard-line guy in his dealings with baseball, and until the end, he generally prevailed. He'll be a worthy adversary.” Bettman replied, “I have no doubt about it, and I look forward to dealing with somebody who is smart, who is committed and who knows how to make a deal.” Meanwhile, Bettman noted the N.Y. Times “seems to have a fascination" with the issue of fighting in hockey and banning it from the sport. Bettman: “The fact of the matter is we're constantly reviewing our game on all aspects, and the fact that there may be discussions going on at other levels of hockey I think is a good thing because this is a subject that's going to continue to require serious discussion."
STERN REFLECTS ON ENDING THE LOCKOUT: Stern noted the NBA “came very close to not making a deal" to end the lockout, which would have "catapulted us to another place with an enhanced chance of losing the season." Stern: "I think we were right there. The day we made the deal, if we didn't make it, I think we were going to spiral out of control.” Costas said, “There is no question that the NBA won concessions from the players. The question is, is it enough to truly fix what ailed the league or the league's small-market franchises, who were the ones clamoring the loudest for the change?” Stern replied, “Actually, they weren't. ... The bloggers said they were, but uniformly without regard to market size, there was a unanimity that we had to make a deal that had a new paradigm for us, and as a result ... the deal is easily described, and I think it does what it had to do for us. We reduced player cost by 12%, which is a huge give. We guarantee the players 50% of a very much expanding gross, which is a nice thing to have. We have an enhanced luxury tax” ("Costas Tonight," NBC Sports Network, 3/1).
