March 4, 2008 David Stern Chat Transcript
Mr. Stern's tenure has been marked by an intense commitment to social responsibility both in the United States and around the world. In 2005, the league launched NBA CARES, through which the NBA, its players and teams have committed to donating $100 million to charity, providing a million hours of hands-on service and creating 250 places where kids and families can live, learn or play. NBA CARES supports a host of community outreach initiatives including the league's award-winning Read to Achieve program, which encourages young people to develop a lifelong love of reading; The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program that helps young people develop the fundamentals of the game with a focus on sportsmanship and teamwork; and Basketball without Borders, an initiative designed to bring international communities together through grassroots basketball and community building efforts. Through NBA CARES, the league also works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. The NBA and its players have also supported, among other causes, volunteerism, child abuse prevention, drug abuse prevention, hunger relief, HIV/AIDS awareness and the Special Olympics.
Commissioner Stern was in Portland visiting the Trail Blazers on Wednesday March 4 and chatted live online with fans. Check out the chat transcript below:
John Portland: When will you bring the NBA All-Star Game to Portland? Portland is a fantastic NBA city with one of its top arenas. It seems like a no-brainer that Portland would host a world-class NBA event.
David Stern: Thank you John. I think it's a fair question and the answer remains the same. The arena is terrific, but the hotel stock required to accomodate all the visitors, to my knowledge, is not yet available. There is increasing pressure from some owners that warm weather sites should be given a higher priority as well. Those are some of the issues that are driving our decisions.
Gabriel: What was the reaction in the NBA offices when the news about Gregg Oden's knee first hit?
David Stern: It was the largest series of sighs. This was so unfair to a lovely young man with a spectacular future, and to a franchise that had gotten some unexpected good luck in the draft, and had some previous tough luck with Sam Bowie. He's a very nice young man with a very promising basketball career.
Chris (Portland): What do you think of the situation in Seattle with the Sonics? Are they going to move, or are they going and try to fix the arena situation?
David Stern: Well, up to this point the City Council actually initiated legislation that would make it very difficult for them to give financial assistance toward an arena and the state legislature refused to give a basketball arena the same financial benefits they've gave Qwest and Safeco Field. So, it doesn't look very promising. And based on that track record, in good faith, the ownership of the Sonics has applied to move to Oklahoma City. And they've offered to pay out the remaining two years on the lease. They're also offering to pay down the arena debt that will be still owed at the end of the lease, which I think is a very fair offer, or at least the framework for a fair settlement here. But we'll see.
James (London, Eng): Do you think this idea of a European expansion, with franchises in places such as London, Rome and Paris, is really something that will become a reality in the near future? Do you believe it will take a long time? Or i it all fool's talk?
David Stern: It certainly has been fools talk and I've been the No. 1 fool. But now, it may be a realistic possibility, not soon, but perhaps in 10 years. If there are NBA style arenas there, and if the fan fervor is there and if the price structure is there, it can happen. We have the O2 Arena in London and another in Germany, both ran by AEG, so there is some thought this may happen.
nathan (san antonio): hello Mr.Stern, was it a difficult decission to let Chris Anderson continue playing or has he really shaped up his act?
David Stern: We have very stringent requirements about being clean and submitting to drug tests. Two years is an enormous time to take out of a career. I think this decision is now the right thing to do.
Steve (portland): Hey David,
Welcome to Portland! pleasure to have you. My question is how do you think the blazers handled rebuilding a great team and a great image in this city from where it was at just a little while back?
David Stern: I just had a meeting with the Blazers staff and I told them to relax for a moment, because they've done a terrific job. The community feels this team represents Portland in a first-class fashion. They have developed a roster of winners off the court...and oh, by the way...on the court too.
Walter, pdx: If you could take two teams of all times to play in the finals, who would you want to watch go head to head?
David Stern: I'd like to see the Willis Reed Knicks, because I'm an old Knicks fan and their opponent..that's a tough one. I'm thinking Bulls, Lakers, Celtics and I'm having trouble flipping the coin here. So, maybe the Michael Jordan Bulls. Which really maybe doesn't give credit to the Bill Russell Celtics. But those Willis Reed Knicks, I'd like to see them play anybody.
PTBFAN Fairview, OR: Welcome to P-Town Mr. Stern- since it takes less wins for the East Teams to enter into the Playoffs than it does for the West, how can this be leveled out more?
David Stern: I guees our historic view on that...and it's something we're willing to reconsider..is that we have an unbalanced schedule. We play teams in the other conference twice and teams in your own conference several times. So unless you think the National and American League teams in baseball should be playing each other before the World Series, we may not move in that direction. But, as the chorus along these lines grows, perhaps we''ll reevaluate this.
Sean (Portland): Mr. Stern,
I think you've done a wonderful job with the NBA. Still, I'd like to read what you believe to be the NBA's current weaknesses and how you plan to address them.
David Stern: Our weaknesses are not in the area of the game. Our players are great and constantly improving. We need to do a better job with our fans, letting them know what our rules are. We need to do a better job in some cities in drawing fans. Also I think we need to continue to focus on social responsibility. We are doing a good job there...we are leaders...but we need to improve even more and improve in letting our fans know the good works we are doing in that area.
David Stern: To the fans of Portland, thank you for the support today and most importantly thank you for supporting your Blazers. Go Blazers.
