NBA Commissioner David Stern’s nightmare summer continues. While the Tim Donaghy saga remains to be played out before a court of law, there remains lingering issues that hang over the National Basketball Association. Mr Donaghy has suggested that other NBA officials may have acted contrary to league policy. No specifics were given and no names were given. The implications cast a shadow over the league.

In recent weeks, two former referees have spoken out about the quality of the refereeing. Present employed officials are restricted from making media comments. As a retort, Commissioner Stern has taken a shot at the quality of the work put in by these two former referees, Mr Hollins and Mr Mathis:

“…The former referees the commissioner spoke of were Mike Mathis and Hue Hollins, who have been critical in some recent newspaper stories of the current state of the profession under director of officials Ronnie Nunn. NBA officials are generally prohibited from speaking to the media.

“I think that their statements about current referees, which they’re happy to take shots at, are kind of interesting,” Stern said. “And I guess that’s all I’ll say, is that . . . Mathis and Hollins at the end of their careers were not model referees.”

link: Stern awaiting more information before doling out gambling punishment

The situation is obviously messy. What looms in the coming months is a fresh NBA season. The challenge before Commissioner Stern and other league officials is a matter of damage control. At issue is presenting a product whose integrity the basketball fans will accept, in light of recent events. Commissioner Stern has been known to exercise strict control of his league. However, this matter is not entirely under his control. The judicial system is involved and this restricts what, as league commissioner, he can do. Commissioner Stern knows that it is a precarious position for the league. The basketball fans are questioning the validity of past game results. The marketing, in the forthcoming months, will be unprecedented. Commissioner Stern has to convince the NBA fan base that they ‘still love this game’.

Catherine Forsythe

[tags]nba, david stern, fans, marketing, referees[/tags]