http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/jack_mccallum/12/09/top.five/index.html The Top Five NBA's sinking popularity should prompt image makeover Posted: Thursday December 9, 2004 12:18PM; Updated: Thursday December 9, 2004 12:18PM Last week I spoke at a gathering that included about 75 boys' high school basketball players. Before I began I asked: How many of you like the NBA better than you like college basketball? One youngster raised his hand. One out of 75. That sums up the disastrous public relations shape the NBA is in these days. And, no, they weren't all Caucasian kids from private schools. I then asked the kids why and got a range of answers: NBA players don't try as hard as the college players. The NBA game is too slow and boring. I don't like the players all that much anymore. I liked the old guys, like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, better. So it went. Not a single kid mentioned the horrible brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills, which didn't surprise me: The problems of the league may have been crystallized in that near-riot. But they didn't begin there. Commissioner David Stern never wants to hear about these things. He blames journalists for writing negatively about his league, ignoring the fact that the people who cover pro hoops are the ones who most stoutly defend it, as I regularly do and did at that gathering. But it's time for some serious action. To reiterate a theme I've sounded off on before: Players in the NFL act more reprehensibly during games than NBA players do. Pro football has just as many criminals, convicted and otherwise, as pro basketball. But the NFL gets a pass because it has become our corporate sport. Likewise, baseball is in the midst of a steroid scandal, which shouldn't surprise anyone who happened to notice that the University of Nebraska offensive line had seemingly taken up baseball. But though the Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi stories have been played prominently, their steroid intake will not taint the entire game. But drug revelations in basketball (which, incidentally, there have not been many of lately)? Hey, they're all guilty is the conclusion. That's just the way it is. Perception or reality, it doesn't matter anymore. The popularity of the NBA is at an all-time low, which shouldn't be the case with the NHL locked out. It should've been the time to build but, instead, it's been one black mark after the other. So for this week's five-pack, here are things the NBA must do to try to climb back into the good graces of the public. 1. At season's end Stern must immediately convene an all-star panel of players to discuss image. His Dream Team would include players such as Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Grant Hill, and Tracy McGrady. He probably wouldn't get half of them to show up. But he better keep working at it. If not Kobe, then Dwyane Wade. If not Duncan, then Ben Wallace. If not Hill, then Dirk Nowitzki. Players, and the players' association, must get invested in the notion that the league is in trouble. That's partly why the NBA underwent a renaissance in the 1980s. Players such Magic, Jordan, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas understood the give-and-take involved in selling a sport that has never been America's favorite. 2. The league and the players' association had better sign off on a new collective bargaining agreement (they agreed jointly to extend the old one through the end of the season) with minimal headlines and jaw-flapping. Any labor disagreement -- repeat, any -- is going to result in a near-revolution from the public. Do you hear a resounding hue and cry about the NHL's absence? I'm not. Sure, basketball is more ingrained in the culture than hockey, but management and labor better not take the chance that fans simply won't miss pro hoops. 3. The league must hold individual meetings -- call them seminars, clinics, if you like -- with each of the NBA's 30 franchises to explain both what constitutes civil behavior at an arena and establish standard procedures regarding game operation. Eliminate a lot of the noise, the distracting sound effects made at the expense of the visiting team, the yahoo public address announcers who act like carnival barkers and do nothing but suck up to the home crowd. Invite in the season ticket-holders and young fans to talk about sportsmanship. Kids, and adults, sometimes have to be instructed on how to act. That's just the way it is. Pro basketball arenas have gone way, way too far to create what long-time NBA observer Jan Hubbard calls the "sensory overload" that fires up fans and turns crowds into uncivil mobs. 4. Keep looking at ways to increase scoring. As I write this, five teams -- Phoenix, Washington, Sacramento, Orlando and Seattle -- are averaging more than 100 points and Minnesota is on the verge. Heaven bless them. Last season only two teams finished averaging triple figures. The NBA game needs running and more running. You know what's funny? NBA fans in the '50s and '60s never complained that their heroes didn't play defense, even though almost every team routinely scored better than 100 points. But fans today have the feeling that players don't D it up. Why? Because fans really don't know how to analyze defense. If fans like the players, like the game and feel that the players like the game, they will assume that it is being playing hard at both ends. 5. Market the game with more diversity and goodwill. The NBA can hardly deny its connection to urban culture, nor should it. And if white people don't like it, that's tough. The problem is, there's little alternative. The only message that gets out is a message that many fans can't connect with. The TNT commercials notwithstanding, it's been a long time since I've seen an NBA marketing campaign with humor, or seen any kind of effort to sell the game in a way that is soft and subtle rather than in-your-face. Use some of the players who were popular --Magic, Bird, Jordan (if you can get him) -- to either interact with today's stars or make a plea for fans to return to the game. Use players from opposing teams in spots to jack up competition. Show a different side to these guys other than the I'm-superhuman-and-you're-not message sent out by the shoe companies. Detroit Pistons coach Chuck Daly used to say, half-jokingly, that coaching an NBA team required him to deal with 12 individual Fortune 500 companies. Right now, that's all the public sees -- a league of selfish millionaires. Reality or perception? It just doesn't matter anymore. Seventy-four out of 75 agree.
wow 75 hs kids lend credence to the whining blathering that follows. All the hs kids I know, bball players and otherwise, enjoy nba much more and don't really pay attention to college until march madness. But I don't presume to use that as a true sample. This article is simply trash, on that and the other fronts. I would bag on his little list of suggestions, but it's a waste of time and my eyes nearly rolled out of my head while just glancing at the material.
I disagree. If you don't think there is a problem with the NBA, you're not watching. Too much dilution of talent, while a select few teams stockpile players every year. Too little scoring, horrid shooting, and, as accurately pointed out, a league full of generally selfish millionares. It is why Yao, skill aside, IS such a valuable asset.
I agree..NBA is more popular and people still watch it and follow it..and only watch college basketball for final four thing. I do wish offenses would improve though. And I wish I had League Pass NBA TV
lets show this article to jvg so he can realize what kind of boredom his bringing to the nba and us rockets fans and basketball fans in general.. but nice read though, nba is starting to deteriorate because of all the scandals and negative publicity for both players and management..
first, like you, i'm calling BS on HS kids liking college more than the nba. back in high school, if basketball ever came up, it wasn't wow did you see shane battier and elton brand last night for duke, awesome. it was always about the nba. two, they liked magic better? it's been five years since i've been in high school so maybe things have changed, but back then most of us were in the 15-18 year old range, meaning the guys he was talking to were about 5 years old when magic (and bird) retired or sucked. but apparently they loved watching them. i won't deny the nba is struggling somewhat, but the suggestions (was he talking to morons when he came up with these), people saying they don't play D (again was he talking to morons when he came up with this), and saying to eliminate the noise (is he the moron), come on. eliminating the noise? great homecourt advantages throughout the years have prided themselves and massive crowd noise to intimidate the opponent. key arena used to measure the decibel level. should football fans start being quiet when the opposing team has the ball from now on. that's the most ridiculous thing i've read in a while. and maybe no one raised their hand b/c more often than not you can give people two options and ask who supports which and not get more than half of the people to raise their hand for either. maybe they wondered why they had to listen to jack mccallum speak. and finally, i always like how people call for more running then kill the teams that do for not being able to hang in the playoffs. the mavs should be everything people like about bball the last 5 years or so, but they are always crucified for being soft, no playing D, and not having a style that can hang in the halfcourt playoffs. what do people really want? apparently an uptempo team, as long as it isn't their team so they'll have a chance in the playoffs.
The NBA will never be as popular as baseball or the NFL... and this is a sport that had possibly the most recognizable sports figure of all time (Michael Jordan). That alone should tell you that the NBA cannot afford to go thru another stretch where none of the fans are relating to these players (and trust me, they aren't). Had Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan played in the Magic-Bird era, they'd be heraled as the true talents they should be... instead, they're playing in this "me me me" era, where players would rather be the center of attention, then let their play speak for itself, and do nothing else but focus on championships (yes, I'm referring to a Kobe Bryant with that last statement). Stern did as good a job as anybody, banking on the Magic-Michael-Larry era and propelling the NBA worldwide to enhance the globalization of the game... but now, that "magic" that was created in the 80's and throughout the mid-late 90's has almost vanished.
I didn't feel that's what the writer was saying. I think he was referring to the need for every team to have every second of your stay in their arena filled with noise and action. There's a difference between piped-in noise and music and the cheering generated by fans who are genuinely into it. I went to a game this year and was incredibly annoyed by the Rox announcer, who would try to start a chant, get nothing, and respond with, "LOUDER". It felt like he was reprimanding the fans, which is a horrible, horrible feeling to pass along. Seattle in its heyday, the Kings, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Indiana, and even Houston back in the 1990s had loud stadiums because they were winning or keeping it close. But do you remember when Indiana had that annoying Indy 500 racecar sound they started playing when the opposing team had the ball? That caused a response from the NBA, I think (or maybe just so many fans commented on it), and the Pacers lowered the volume. I don't know if it would be that out of place today. Fan noise = good. Generated noise = bad, especially when its trying to take the place of fan noise.
reading it again i guess that's what he meant. although for some reason i was thinking of sound effects like the cowbells in sacramento. i didn't even know they were allowed to make noise over the PA when the other team had the ball? it seems like whatever song is playing always stops at the end of a timeout or as soon as the other team has it. of course, watching rockets games, i'd kill for some noise, pumped in or otherwise, so i have no problem with it. and that's what i forgot in my other post. popularity is at an all-time low? can you say "tape delayed finals?" it may be lower than it's been in a while but all-time? and lebron will bring the nba back.
