David Stern’s first talk with the media came in Milan, Italy, Sunday, where the Celtics were about to play an exhibition.
And it’s a city where the jersey of the most popular team says “Fly Emirates” across the chest, while the logo for AC Milan is a smaller crest. In Europe, the idea of ads on jerseys is not a debate, it’s an accepted form of revenue nobody blinks at.
Stern was asked about where that stands in the NBA, and A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com was there to get the answers. Bottom line, he said the owners are very divided on the issue.
“It’s something that’s being discussed by the NBA Board of Governors,” said Stern who was in attendance at Boston’s 105-75 win over EA7 Emporio Armani. “This is the one forum that understands that advertising on team jerseys has gone on for decades, both in football and in basketball, virtually every other sport…
“As a personal matter, I am not in favor of it, but I’m not standing in the way of it,” Stern said. “If my board wants to do it, we’ll do it.”
Two other notes from Stern’s press conference:
• On bringing NBA teams to Europe: “I don’t think having a single team in Europe is practical. I never have. What I’ve said is if we’re going to have an NBA presence here in terms of the league, it should be five teams. I’m safe to say that there aren’t enough buildings, there aren’t adequate TV arrangements, we don’t have owners, and I’m not sure we could charge the prices that would be necessary. I don’t think our fans are that avid yet.”
Just my guess, if the NBA did this they would absorb five powerhouse squads from there, teams like Barcelona and EA7 Emporio Armani.
• Stern also talked flopping: “Since I happen to think basketball players are the greatest athletes in the world, I think they should play basketball rather than act. I think we will eventually find a way to remove flopping from our game.”
