More David Stern.

In an interview conducted prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and published today by the Sports Business Journal, NBA Commissioner David Stern spoke on the state of his league, the record-low NBA Finals ratings and the upcoming TV deal with Disney and Turner.

Here are some excerpts:

SBJ: Television ratings for this year?s Finals are down significantly from last season. What are your reasons for the declines?

Stern: Number one, both games [Games 1 and 2] have been blowouts, so I wouldn?t try to sell them as classic contests. In some ways the games got the ratings they deserved.

SBJ: Were you surprised that ?The Sopranos? finale attracted far more viewers than Game 2 of the Finals?

Stern: It did and it didn?t. [?The Sopranos?] was on for one hour. We are a three-hour programming block and we carried the night against all competition, as we usually do. We did for Game 1, too, and increasingly that?s the key. We?d like our ratings to be higher, but whenever our games are on, we win the night against the appropriate demographics. But we see the landscape and we see where the stunting is. We brace for it, but it doesn?t mean we accept it. We think that if we had a couple of better games, we would have better ratings.

SBJ: The league?s new television deal is getting close to completion. What will be different in terms of the structure of the new deal?

Stern: What is getting close is June 21, which is the date I boldly announced we would announce the deal and I?m still sticking to it. I spent the day locked in a hotel room with a phone glued to my ear with lawyers representing all parties involved. The NBA is going to remain a staple of live prime-time network television, TiVo-proof programming, and it is going to remain a staple for its Finals, playoffs and late-afternoon time slot on ABC. We are trying very hard to bring it all to bear.

SBJ: You started the year with the issue over the composite ball, then came the Carmelo Anthony suspension followed by the all-star controversy in Las Vegas. After that was the Amare Stoudemire playoff suspension and finally the Finals ratings. But at the same time, you had another record gate. Sum up the state of the league as you head into the offseason.

Stern: The NBA is like an ocean liner as it sets a certain course and picks up speed. As a league, it has gone from steerage to luxury liner. On the good days, you make corrections to the course, but you also take a hit here and there. Given its size, there are hits, but you learn something about yourself, the league and the fans. Yes, the ratings aren?t where we?d like them to be. But our partners are very satisfied with the product, with the state of the business, with the improvement of our player reputations, and with the sophistication of our marketing. We think we are in a good place. Not as good as where we want to be, but if we ever say that we are happy where we are, it is time to get another job.

Other topics discussed surrounded city/arena issues in Seattle and New Orleans, as well as talk of the proposed NBA China venture.