David Stern is the longest-tenured commissioner of the big four professional sports leagues, with more than two decades running the NBA. Count the past year as one of the most eventful and productive in his illustrious career.
Miles ahead of other leagues in expanding the NBA’s global footprint, particularly in China.
n A creative new media strategy that includes an agreement giving operations of NBA TV and NBA.com to Turner Sports.
Unflinching approach when dealing with league issues.
Consider that in July, Stern somberly stood before a national television audience explaining how a former referee got involved in a gambling scandal that rocked the NBA. Stern’s honest and direct manner in dealing with the issue was a clinic in crisis management, and the scandal subsequently passed with just a glancing blow to the league.
Stern also nimbly negotiated a raft of new business strategies including the creation of NBA China, the league’s first partnership with the NCAA, a new digital rights deal that gives operational control of NBA TV and NBA.com to Turner, and an updated revenue policy. He completed all this as he presided over one of the most compelling NBA seasons in recent history.
“David Stern is an innovator and calculated risk-taker who was willing to trust a longtime media partner with expertise in digital and linear programming and distribution to jointly manage several core pieces of his business, including NBA TV, NBA.com and NBA League Pass,” said Turner Sports President David Levy.
WHAT PEOPLE
ARE SAYING:
“The NBA faced some off-the-court issues entering this season and David once again showed his leadership and met those challenges head on, bringing the focus back where it belonged, on the court.”
DAVID LEVY
President, Turner Sports
Stern has seen enough during his reign not to get wrapped up in the ebbs and flows of television ratings (up this season) and average attendance (down this season). Yet he was fully and forcefully engaged in dealing with team issues, particularly in Seattle where he took a very active approach in staring down local officials over arena issues that resulted in the SuperSonics winning league approval to move to Oklahoma City. When local lawmakers didn’t blink, Stern, citing what he called the city’s “scorched earth” policy, made good on his hard-line promise to allow the Sonics to abandon what used to be one of the strongest NBA markets.
While Stern battled with Seattle lawmakers, he also crafted one of the most effective cause-marketing campaigns in league history wrapped around the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. The “day of service” featured players, league officials and league partners, all of whom donned work gloves in joining together to help rebuild New Orleans on the Friday of the All-Star Weekend. The effort was pure Stern; brilliant, shrewd, expertly executed as the league not only highlighted a social cause but also buffed its image after the previous year’s All-Star event in Las Vegas.
“The NBA faced some off-the-court issues entering this season and David once again showed his leadership and met those challenges head on, bringing the focus back where it belonged, on the court,” Levy said. “From a television perspective he allowed his TV partners, and ultimately the fans at home, increased access to the players, coaches and the strategies taking place on the floor. With all three of his TV partners up significantly in ratings and key demos, it’s hard to argue that David’s continued passion for his league continues to translate to the marketplace.”
