Stern wants more microphones at courtside
David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, says teams will face sanctions if they are tempted to eavesdrop on any opponents. However, Stern said that James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks did not break an league rules by ordering more microphones be installed inside Madison Square Garden following the recent suspension of his star forward Carmelo Anthony.
However, some have said Dolan has done this to take the attention away from his team and put the spotlight back on him.
On Thursday, Stern was in London and spoke prior to an NBA game that was scheduled for that night. Stern said it would be good to have more listening devices available so fans could listen to referees, coaches and players similar to the way NFL fans are able to. However, he said any acts of espionage are strictly against the rules of the league.
Stern said any team that tried to eavesdrop would be sanctioned immediately by the league for breaking league rules. However, he said there is a difference between putting microphones around courtside to pick up available sounds from players, coaches and referees and putting them in locker rooms and team huddles to hear what teams are calling for plays.
Stern said that through the league’s broadcasting partners, they only aim microphones towards the court.
Stern said he enjoyed watching the NFL since you can hear the quarterback yelling the call or making an audible at the line of scrimmage since microphones are designed to pick up those types of sounds to enhance the viewing experience of NFL fans. Stern says that overall more mics are needed around the court and will suggest that to owners.
Adam Silver the deputy commissioner at a news conference in London confirmed the NBA is planning to have more games during the preseason in Europe next season, including one in Manchester, England. However, there has been no decision made yet on whether any city in Europe would host another game during the regular season next year.
That decision will be left up to Silver, who will be taking over the commissioner’s job in 2014 when Stern retires, to push ahead with proposals that have been made often to create new franchises based on the other side of the Atlantic.
That concept is risky as it failed in the NFL, whose minor league European league shuttered after 15 seasons in 2007. However, Silver believes the lack of success of the NFL in Europe is not a good model for the NBA as the two games are very different and the fan base is much bigger for basketball in Europe than football.
The infrastructure needs to be improved said NBA officials but they are very encouraged by what they have seen during their trip this time to London.
