Isiah Thomas, former NBA great, and now front office guru extraordinaire, has been making news lately in a sexual harassment case involving New York Knicks employee Anucha Browne Sanders. Although word of the case spread long ago, the verdict, a cool $11.6 million in favor of Miss Sanders, was recently handed down. However, the one thing that has not made headlines, as pointed out by J.A. Adande in his article, "Stern's silence speaks volumes about NBA's sense of fairness", is the leagues reaction to the case, mostly because they have not made one. The question though is not when the league is going to respond, but why they have not responded yet.David Stern, the NBA commissioner, has gone through a lot of trouble throughout the past few years to make the NBA attractive in order to "sell its product to Corporate America" as Adande so eloquently put it. As recently as a season ago, a dress code was put into place for the players as they entered and left the arena
s. No longer can they wear baggy clothes and be dripping with jewelry, but must be wearing suits just in case they get those two seconds of airtime on the pre-game show for TBS. This was done for the money, for the sponsorship the NBA receives. The more professional and controlled it looks, the easier it is for the big spenders to invest. This is why, as strange as it might seem now, the NBA has not made a real move.If you are asking why it is strange that there has been no response the answer is easy. Punishing Isiah Thomas and James Dolan, the Knick's owner, would show that there is control of the league by Stern and that instances like these do not fly in the current regime. Who better to make an example of then a former NBA all star and the owner of the largest market team in the NBA? But, this is the snag. They would punish them to make to the league look controlled so the NBA can once again "sell the product" to the investors, but, at the same time, tarnish the image of the largest market team in the NBA costing them fans, in what we know is the most scrutinizing fan base in the U.S. (just look at A-Rod), and ultimately money. The same money they would hope to receive from the investors by punishing these men. It seems to be the perfect catch-22.
A similar in
cident happened to Jerry Buss, the Lakers owner. He was arrested on DUI charges with a blood alcohol content of .13 and Stern made no move. Could this be for the same reason? Los Angeles is arguably the second largest market in sports and brings in a lot of revenue as well. Plus, owners like Buss and Dolan know how to make the money. How many other owners made as much money as these two did for the league without their respective teams making the playoffs? Many would venture to say there were no others.Sterns predicament is an interesting one, but the NBA is still a business. They need to make money for the league to run. Stern and his associates must tread lightly, and it seems that they are. Recently, there has been talk of Dolan only having limited say or control in the organization. Sounds like a facade for the fans and investors. However, for now, I am just going to sit back and watch it all unfold. The world will soon see what the NBA is concerned about the most.
1 comment:
Overall, this is a very interesting topic. It is unfortunate to know that had something this happened in a different environment, there would have been consequences. You do a good job by immediately delving to the topic but introducing Isiah Thomas and his case. You go one to present your argument which is very interesting. (I would like to know why there has been no response by the league).
However, it just seems kind of ironic because you argue how Stern has gone through so much trouble to make the NBA attractive in order to "sell its product to Corporate America". He even made a dress code for the players. As corporate and eloquent as your make David Stern out to be, I feel like if he really is as eloquent and by the rules as you say that Stern would take action about something as “un eloquent” as an act of sexual harassment.
I understand about the league not wanting to loose money but maybe you could have expanded on how the fans would feel if Thomas was removed or even his likeability before and after this sexual harassment case. Also, I feel like you could have given more of an argument why Stern has not responded. Even in your post, you have a link to an article that really explores all the possible reasons for why there has been no response. The main purpose of your article is to discuss why there has been no response but the only reason your mention is that the NBA would loose money. Even in your blog presentation you said that this is just a civil suit and that technically no laws were broken….i feel like that would have been such a strong argument to use to support your argument. Overall, it is a very interesting topic but I wish you had given other reasons than the NBA loosing money (just because it is such an interesting topic).
I really like the pictures used, you could have maybe even made them bigger. Also, make sure to tie them in to the post (for example, David Stern (as pictured to the left)). But everything else looks good.
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