NBA Q&A: David Stern
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, December 05, 2012 with No comments
Courtesy of John Reid
Q: New message boards have been put up on each side of the Arena and plans are already in place for upgrades to the building. What are the benefits you see in those improvements?
Stern: At the end of the day, the message boards outside make everyone know that’s the Arena. Presumably with those sort of iconic structures it’s going help people identify the Arena and I think make a big naming rights sponsor even more anxious to have their company represented there. It also gives an opportunity for partners to express themselves. On the whole arena itself, it’s about the fan experience. Whether it’s the entertainment option, the dining options, the suite level being renovated. ... The governor helped us secure it and I’m sure it’s going to be make the experience of the Arena better than what it is.
Q: Do you hope to get a naming rights sponsor soon?
Stern: They will because what the governor and mayor understands is that New Orleans Hornets or whatever else they might be named are going to be representing the state of Louisiana on a global basis every night for 82 games, plus playoffs and exhibition games. That’s a strong statement that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region is opened for business. As that happens, with our games being shown in 215 countries in 46 languages, you get a sense of the impact of having a naming rights deal.
Q: Have you been monitoring the progress the Hornets' franchise has made since the sale to Tom Benson?
Stern: Our team marketing and business operations department has been down there at least twice. I spoke regularly with Dennis Lauscha and with Tom. So I think it’s fair to say that we’re tuned into what’s going on.
Q: How frequently do you and Tom Benson talk?
Stern: I speak to Tom probably once every 10 days or so. If I can think of some ways to jab him I do (laughing). Tom and I have been talking about the New Orleans basketball club for a number of years. Only more recently did we sort of get back together. So we’ve known each other, we have mutual friends. In the language of diplomacy, I would say an open and frank relationship. I always like to tell him that they had only eight games to sell in that football thing they are involved with. Football is a piece of cake, eight games. You got to work harder in the NBA. I very much enjoy working with Dennis, Rita, Tom and Gayle. It’s great. I’m so happy and really gratified for New Orleans.
Q: When you were looking for a local buyer, you said it would bring long-term stability to the franchise. What do you forecast as the ideal situation for Hornets’ franchise to be in within the next five years?
Stern: I think five years is too short of a time frame. We got the next 12 years. We’re locked in there, we got a young team and lots of space under the salary cap. A good building that’s going to be made better. Solid ownership so the entire area will be continually developed. I think there’s a special agenda other than seeing the new ownership group can make good on its promise to deliver championships.
Q: How important do you think the Fox television deal will be to help attract fans around the Gulf Coast. The Hornets can now be seen in Mississippi, Alabama, etc.
Stern: That’s a big deal. To be in 2.1 million homes and make a new deal with DirectTV. To be on the north shore. It was like they were doing it with one hand behind their back and now they’re getting fans engaged, getting sponsors engaged and helping to sell tickets in the long run. Pardon the mixed metaphor, but it’s a home run.
Q: Do you hope to never be in a situation like you were with the Hornets with the NBA having to take over a franchise?
Stern: That’s not a situation that is good for the league. But in the right circumstance I would do it again because when you make the commitment to the community, you’ve got to do what you got to do.
Q: What’s your assessment of the Chris Paul/Eric Gordon trade one year later?
Stern: I wish Eric was a little healthier. But I would say is that you got a good draft pick, we got a couple of few good good players and I think Al-Farouq Aminu is playing well. I think Anthony Davis is going to be what everyone predicts for him. I’m hoping Eric Gordon comes back healthy. The team is in good shape and they have an enormous amount of cap room.
Q: From a New Orleanian's point of view it seems like this city means more to you than just another NBA market. Is that accurate? Why are your feelings so strong?
Stern: Honestly, I don’t consider myself as having done so much. I just think that New Orleans was welcoming to us when we moved there. It supported us and it was tragically implicated by Katrina and I felt a sense of commitment that caused us to schedule the All-Star Game. Not the current one, but the last one. To play the first regular-season game back there because I thought New Orleans had been good to us and we should be good to New Orleans. That being the case I thought once we went back there after Oklahoma City, New Orleans deserved its best shot to show us it was a major league city. Because I believe it was. It was great that we could get it in the strong hands of Tom Benson. We love what Mayor Landrieu, Gov. Jindal have done for us. I love the way they work together and the way they work with Tom Benson. We very much appreciate the respect they show to us and to Jac Sperling when he was down there representing the league. So for us basically a good news situation with what I’m sure will be a happy ending.
Q. Any 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans updates? Will you be part of that weekend or is that going to be when Adam Silver really gets introduced to the world?
Stern: It will be Commissioner Silver’s All-Star weekend.
T-P: It’s still early but do you have any concerns about attendance at the Arena?
Stern: You know, what you’re suffering from is the team that doesn’t quite have his identity together yet and is losing games. So the proposition for walk-up is not as compelling as it might otherwise had been, but I have no concerns. Putting together a winning streak, I’m sure your fans will be ready to go. Between Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon, it’s easy to see that you had a lot of players who were figured for backup roles being forced up to starting. That’s a good thing because they get a chance to develop and show you what they have. We’re getting an opportunity to see all kinds of interesting players. I think in a normal course of events, I think you might have had the sixth man, the Rookie of the Year and lot of other things. Look at us we got all kind of teams that are having issues. Steve Nash for the Lakers, Andrew Bynum for the 76ers, Eric Gordon for the Hornets.
Q: New message boards have been put up on each side of the Arena and plans are already in place for upgrades to the building. What are the benefits you see in those improvements?
Stern: At the end of the day, the message boards outside make everyone know that’s the Arena. Presumably with those sort of iconic structures it’s going help people identify the Arena and I think make a big naming rights sponsor even more anxious to have their company represented there. It also gives an opportunity for partners to express themselves. On the whole arena itself, it’s about the fan experience. Whether it’s the entertainment option, the dining options, the suite level being renovated. ... The governor helped us secure it and I’m sure it’s going to be make the experience of the Arena better than what it is.
Q: Do you hope to get a naming rights sponsor soon?
Stern: They will because what the governor and mayor understands is that New Orleans Hornets or whatever else they might be named are going to be representing the state of Louisiana on a global basis every night for 82 games, plus playoffs and exhibition games. That’s a strong statement that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region is opened for business. As that happens, with our games being shown in 215 countries in 46 languages, you get a sense of the impact of having a naming rights deal.
Q: Have you been monitoring the progress the Hornets' franchise has made since the sale to Tom Benson?
Stern: Our team marketing and business operations department has been down there at least twice. I spoke regularly with Dennis Lauscha and with Tom. So I think it’s fair to say that we’re tuned into what’s going on.
Q: How frequently do you and Tom Benson talk?
Stern: I speak to Tom probably once every 10 days or so. If I can think of some ways to jab him I do (laughing). Tom and I have been talking about the New Orleans basketball club for a number of years. Only more recently did we sort of get back together. So we’ve known each other, we have mutual friends. In the language of diplomacy, I would say an open and frank relationship. I always like to tell him that they had only eight games to sell in that football thing they are involved with. Football is a piece of cake, eight games. You got to work harder in the NBA. I very much enjoy working with Dennis, Rita, Tom and Gayle. It’s great. I’m so happy and really gratified for New Orleans.
Q: When you were looking for a local buyer, you said it would bring long-term stability to the franchise. What do you forecast as the ideal situation for Hornets’ franchise to be in within the next five years?
Stern: I think five years is too short of a time frame. We got the next 12 years. We’re locked in there, we got a young team and lots of space under the salary cap. A good building that’s going to be made better. Solid ownership so the entire area will be continually developed. I think there’s a special agenda other than seeing the new ownership group can make good on its promise to deliver championships.
Q: How important do you think the Fox television deal will be to help attract fans around the Gulf Coast. The Hornets can now be seen in Mississippi, Alabama, etc.
Stern: That’s a big deal. To be in 2.1 million homes and make a new deal with DirectTV. To be on the north shore. It was like they were doing it with one hand behind their back and now they’re getting fans engaged, getting sponsors engaged and helping to sell tickets in the long run. Pardon the mixed metaphor, but it’s a home run.
Q: Do you hope to never be in a situation like you were with the Hornets with the NBA having to take over a franchise?
Stern: That’s not a situation that is good for the league. But in the right circumstance I would do it again because when you make the commitment to the community, you’ve got to do what you got to do.
Q: What’s your assessment of the Chris Paul/Eric Gordon trade one year later?
Stern: I wish Eric was a little healthier. But I would say is that you got a good draft pick, we got a couple of few good good players and I think Al-Farouq Aminu is playing well. I think Anthony Davis is going to be what everyone predicts for him. I’m hoping Eric Gordon comes back healthy. The team is in good shape and they have an enormous amount of cap room.
Q: From a New Orleanian's point of view it seems like this city means more to you than just another NBA market. Is that accurate? Why are your feelings so strong?
Stern: Honestly, I don’t consider myself as having done so much. I just think that New Orleans was welcoming to us when we moved there. It supported us and it was tragically implicated by Katrina and I felt a sense of commitment that caused us to schedule the All-Star Game. Not the current one, but the last one. To play the first regular-season game back there because I thought New Orleans had been good to us and we should be good to New Orleans. That being the case I thought once we went back there after Oklahoma City, New Orleans deserved its best shot to show us it was a major league city. Because I believe it was. It was great that we could get it in the strong hands of Tom Benson. We love what Mayor Landrieu, Gov. Jindal have done for us. I love the way they work together and the way they work with Tom Benson. We very much appreciate the respect they show to us and to Jac Sperling when he was down there representing the league. So for us basically a good news situation with what I’m sure will be a happy ending.
Q. Any 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans updates? Will you be part of that weekend or is that going to be when Adam Silver really gets introduced to the world?
Stern: It will be Commissioner Silver’s All-Star weekend.
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