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[12:03] ..." is back again to that as every media cuts back on coverage Stanley Cup World Series who. Let's assume both so when they it may be that will look finally to those. Media that will make"...
[14:44] ..." has created. Up a bit of -- huge event at the US open this time of year where -- before the NBA finals had a window. -- really the only championship event. Are you concerned"...
[15:14] ..." No I tell you we look at at who covers the US open. It's ABC isn't. And BC NBC and US okay I just. You know to us we look at it and we really we're programmed away from it indeed and we like sporting events to do well we think that that's good for us the fact that the NHL had a good Stanley Cup. We think is a positive fool sports the fact that the Super Bowl holds up. You know we worry that all sporting events over the pass over years have had a decline in their big events. And to see that reversing. Where where it was reversed this year in the Stanley Cup it's going to be reversed this year and it has been reversed. You know playoffs and our conference finals in double digits"...
[17:04] ..." they give me a conference finals there was that I'll play where Brent Barry was foul by. Derek Fisher and -- came out the next day. And said that that the call should have been made generally do you feel that"...
[0:00]" Okay thanks for everyone for coming the commissioner welcome with some opening statement to -- type questions David when opening statements will be short. There's nothing that you haven't heard before we you coming off what we think is one of our best seasons in years. Exciting young stars exciting. Little older stars exciting international players terrific terrific race in the west pretty good race in the east. And a surprising playoffs east at least in terms of the competitiveness is great -- in the west. And lo and behold we've had a good playoffs. Both ways and the number one seeds which is not uncommon have made it through into the finals. And so the two teams with the best seats are showing America what NBA basketball is about coast to coast. You know we're very excited we're. If there are additional highlights for me of the year in addition simply the quality of the basketball that the development of our players. It really harking back to all star. Where in New Orleans since all star sort of this last time we gathered. Has become a great story to tell. The combination of the NBA cares effort to bring in all of our 2000 guests and partners to do something for that town. Together with a winning record the team make it. Considerably more likely. Than not that that team resurgence as it is is going to have a very long and successful stay in the world -- Which makes this particularly rewarding for last week. We had an NBA -- here event here on Monday. Was among the -- on Friday I'm trying my name on Friday. We're going to have one next week in in LA. It's it's what we do with who we are. -- players with our NBA family members and it's a pretty exciting time review all around but most importantly. It's exciting because of the basketball. And we've been talking a lot of basketball and I'm here to answer your questions about basketball and non basketball issues so thanks for being interest that in. And us -- anything."
[2:26]" There again just raise your hand if you have a question will bring the microphone decisions -- name and affiliation. Who would like to start resolves."
[2:36]" Would go to the fact job that's going to be short. I don't know why big ground didn't win."
[2:42]" Yeah I can't explain it to the John -- espn.com. How what are if you could talk about with the rookie salary cap and players coming from. You're up we're kind of hitting a new situation that where players to actually make more in Europe and they can under the rookie salary cap in the states and it seems to be preventing some teams from getting. Players that they've drafted over here is that a worry for the league."
[3:07]" No I don't think so I in most cases that is not accurate. Well we had a situation just with that TI got us letter obviously with the -- first for example sometimes it's hard to know with respect to our teams whether or not just as happy to have a player complete his contract. Develop until exactly the right time. I've seen -- play in the European final four is a heck of a player he's ready to I'm sure. He currently has on the contract through the years and he signed a new contract you know there are plenty of players who have decided that it would be you know. Frederick vice comes to mind. That it would be better to stay players shorter season and do what they're gonna do so right I think you're generalization that is not exactly accurate but we're we're not concerned about that if players actually stay in Europe because they can learn more that's fine. We we think that European basketball which we tried to support might be the better forward and that's good."
[4:11]" Fourth from the right guys mark price of Los Angeles Times David can you bring us up to date army and you'll seeking question. The annual seeding question."
[4:22]" You know we. There was no particular interest in discussing it at the competition committee. But we told the competition committee we were going to bring it up again for at the governor is meeting in October. When we since is a pre season. Anything that the board wants to do with respect to next season can be accomplished there. And and will bring it up again there is seems to be no. Great support for changing the seeding process. At all and where in this case happy to hear from our teams and put anything on the agenda that them that they would like to."
[5:05]" Questions on the left in the back please. Tom and -- magazine Belgium is there any news about expansion plans in Europe and if so what is news and if not why not."
[5:20]" that one question is there another one coming that would be okay there are no current plans for expansion right now. Our our basketball clans in Europe are. Nets and heat. In Paris and London in October. And Wizards and Hornets in Berlin and Barcelona in London there but but you know went looking at -- long way. A year ago we played in London which had a an NBA ready arena. It was a great experience of going back and this year we're going to playing in Berlin which has an NBA ready. Arena and I would say over the next several years as those Arenas. Get to be more NBA ready to dialogue we'll heat up but we have no current plans."
[6:07]" It's second -- on the -- David. David I'm David Aldridge TNT David if if the Seattle situation is. Result they're moving and that's over what do you see as the next step towards. Getting some team back there is it possible that there may never be another team's well I I think that's Seattle's been a terrific."
[6:29]" Market for us. Great fans unfortunately they weren't able to Marshall. Timely support for a building of the future. But that doesn't change to who feel about Seattle on a positive way but we don't have any specific plans. Firm re placing the team but that doesn't preclude us from be visiting Seattle Italy today. And it I don't know was that no specific plans but but good feelings about. About Seattle I guess I would take come back and see how we feel if the trial. But we'll see how that goes."
[7:10]" Back on the right Brian. Prime -- Associated Press. David after they accomplish between meetings there were reports that there was going to be penalties for flopping next year where are you out of trouble on me I don't see it anyway thanks for the environment affects. I read somewhere that those unauthorized reports from the companies -- committee. If that's upon whom the nation's the commissioner of the goat yes no action taking you understand that I yes okay. But somebody want to know it's -- I think it's a bad thing you wanna -- not a good I've read you -- don't watch our."
[7:47]" I'm not sure how you exactly deal with -- it feedback as a rule it's not that much influence we know. Football has in soccer as a rule. It's I don't think it's the most is not the best part of our game. Because it's either designed to fool the official order to make the crowd thing that the official that a bad thing by not giving him a call. And so we're struggling with -- exactly how the best way to deal with -- if that'll. But you know I'm allowed. It is as this is my 25 finals I'm allowed to say that it's we gotta do something about flopping. And we have to do something about fireworks at games. The fireworks have been much more popular with the media than the flopping. But I daresay that will will we'll talk to the board about it. I we did make one rule okay no matter what you do pregame. It is a very important that the fans the players and television audience be able to see the court. When the game starts. That's my line in the -- okay and we're going to enforce that very strictly. But -- okay it then and it hasn't always been enforced so we're there but beyond that. I we're we're trying to find something that does not. Change the essential exciting nature at -- but. Maybe there's something to do with no ways versus fire. We want to be is welcoming as we can to the broader array of ways that our teams like to. Entertain their fans and indeed really the question is how the."
[9:42]" Fans like to be entertaining and that's that's we're trying to find them. Second -- in the middle yeah -- David not sure on the Palmer journal -- yesterday which came up -- dot was asked about it's 232 format. And he made the comment that. We worked we've once 66 games to get the home court advantage and game five is on the Baker's court and put you pointed out that. In there in the Celtics playoff run they've won well three critical game fives here. Any observation that comment -- I'm on the high."
[10:24]" We had to do a little research on it because I think under 232. I think that the team with the better record has won the finals about 60% of the time. I don't know if that's good or bad to me that's not so bad I don't think it's about game five it's about how do you do under the format. And this is tends to be a pretty even format I guess it was only 60% of the time up but it's a little higher. It's 75% 75% of the series of -- 60% of the games but K 75% of the time. So it's even higher when I misspoke when. Okay so I don't know. I mean you could talk about all of the in can't Haitians about game five gave him but at seventy event you have a 75% win rate. And for the better team with the better record I don't know what else to say about it I will say. I guess if you wait long enough everything comes around there were two reasons that I think we went to 2321. Although he's not here to defend himself and the nine I tell you that read said to me. Back in 84 this is too much. Playing travel played travel played travel it's us would use you said it was terrible that we changed the 232 but that was. A young commissioner was motivated by the father of assault. And number two we thought. That with a three game format in the middle we could induce media to cover us and guess what. It may be that's what's is back again to that as every media cuts back on coverage Stanley Cup World Series who. Let's assume both so when they it may be that will look finally to those. Media that will make the exception to their cutbacks as they do buy outs and lay -- and and analysis of how many pages each journalist is responsible for doing that they'll say well what the heck we'll send. You know will send one. Reporter after the three games in the in the in the second -- so that's. You know that's it then will everything's open we'll take it up with the board wants to do what we're not married to that."
[12:42]" Get back on the right -- But I didn't waltz than Newark Star Ledger how certain stone -- that not a clock starts. You know in the future and if they are outcomes and how much concern is there over kids. Who have bad times like that I can think three and a half he looked at times at age thirty who. Yeah see any of the games nothing is set."
[13:04]" And stone we wrestle with -- because. If the idea is to let the the longest audience see the game including youngsters there's no doubt that at 11:30 eastern. That's when the largest audience -- that -- we we get the quarter analysts it's you wouldn't think that. And second of all. We're you know we're looking we're wrestling with a time in where where if you take. ESP in Yahoo! espn.com Yahoo! NBA dot com foxwoods dot com. CBS sportsline dot com we literally. Having billions of visits a year. To those sites and hundreds of millions of downloads of video streaming and we're spending a lot of time focusing on the kids. That a very much involved than that and video games and alike. So we wrestled with a you know. IE I was excoriated on Boston radio for this issue and having thought about it and wouldn't be a terrible thing to have a Sunday night game at 7 o'clock. But our network partners tell us that your ratings will be Lola and that to me. That is just about selling it on the means you'll you'll have by lower forties capped. And why would you want to have a lower audience -- so that's the dilemma that we face but it's not set in stone it's something that we're prepared to. To look at on a continuing basis."
[14:34]" But on the subject of media competition in the last ten years since the end of the Jordan Chicago era. Did the the coming of tiger has created. Up a bit of -- huge event at the US open this time of year where -- before the NBA finals had a window. -- really the only championship event. Are you concerned about that and a larger scope you know as the world gets more and more connected. Now we have Euro 2008 on ESP and the next couple weeks is that a concern that of a championship event like -- to get a little diluted in terms of you know the competition at this time of year."
[15:14]" No I tell you we look at at who covers the US open. It's ABC isn't. And BC NBC and US okay I just. You know to us we look at it and we really we're programmed away from it indeed and we like sporting events to do well we think that that's good for us the fact that the NHL had a good Stanley Cup. We think is a positive fool sports the fact that the Super Bowl holds up. You know we worry that all sporting events over the pass over years have had a decline in their big events. And to see that reversing. Where where it was reversed this year in the Stanley Cup it's going to be reversed this year and it has been reversed. You know playoffs and our conference finals in double digits as can be reversed. In our finals and Dutch double digits. We would like to see holes -- events do better that's really not a concern for arsenal and as we do become more global we've seen. More and larger audiences at -- we understand the Euro. And Switzerland which is you know taking place but. We we think that we get thing ends in a sports mind and that's good for a so where. We're okay and our fans have an enormous way an intriguing way of finding. I sat. On as our games are both televised and stream. We seemed to be connecting to more and more fans with respect to our game so we we like sports to do well."
[16:53]" What is it about the she's made noises about the -- I think that I've been elected to handle we have special treatment for you. -- throw on the right Steve."
[17:03]" Steve springer with the LA times they give me a conference finals there was that I'll play where Brent Barry was foul by. Derek Fisher and -- came out the next day. And said that that the call should have been made generally do you feel that it's more important to set the record straight or do you worry about undercutting your officials by coming up the next them pointing out."
[17:21]" Ernie didn't come out the next day the league made a terrible mistake it and gave an honest answer to an honest question. So is that something that in the future will be BC will be -- serves us right. Yes yes if or ask something and keep playing and by the way that doesn't on the cut the officials at all we spoke to the officials in question before we didn't. And and it actually isn't about one official. It's about the reality today that with the benefit of the eighteen different angles and slow moment there are things that you can know. That are unknowable in the speed of the game. And if everybody knows it. It doesn't seem like a great idea for us to tonight. And so we're not going to go crazy on this subject but we are known to be tried to be. More direct on it and more open so that would everybody knows we can think ouch that's all. And certainly it was not meant undercut anybody and I think that you know it's it's kind of interesting to me it's sort of like. We don't say anything. We're covering up and we say something we're undercutting I accept the fact we can't win on that one but we're gonna we're going to give. You know we're not going to go rushing out to give everyone the box score. Correct incorrect correcting correct although we haven't. Okay and we could do we and we do it for every game. But on something like that where people were asking the question in the very important -- we gave an honest answer to the -- question but we did rush out all the press conference."