- NBA Commissioner David Stern‘s news conference surrounding the Tim Donaghy referee betting scandal is airing live on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, CNN, CNBC and FOX News Channel. MSNBC is not covering the news conference, staying with “Super Tuesday” coverage.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joins CNN later this hour.
- CNN.com: “LIVE: NBA commissioner briefing
” is top headline. - MSNBC.com: Breaking news banner — “WATCH LIVE: NBA commissioner discusses referee betting scandal“
- FOXNews.com: Breaking news banner — “Press Conference on NBA Ref Accused of Fixing Games: Watch Live“
- CNN using footage from Pacers/Pistons brawl in video loop.
- CNN leaves conference at 11:18; anchor Tony Harris says Stern is “taking his time”, calls it “frustrating”.
- CNBC leaves at 11:19.
- FBI met with NBA on June 20 (possible reason for NBA television deal being delayed from June 21 to June 27). “Federal authorities ‘told the NBA not to’ tell ESPN/ABC and TNT” about the investigation prior to the signing of the league’s new eight-year media deal.
- David Stern: Donaghy bet “on games in the NBA, we’re not positive its games that he worked … I understand that some of those are games that specifically that he worked… I understand that he bet on other games, in which he didn’t work. I understand that he is accused of providing information to others for the purpose of allowing them to profit on betting on NBA games. I am not — I don’t know the number of games, I don’t know which games, and until this moment, I have not deployed substantial amount of people to do the amount of the work that is necessary to satisfy us, because I felt constrained by the FBI’s request that we not communicate this to anybody… the smallest number of people possible knew about this in the NBA office… On July 9, Mr. Donaghy resigned. Suffice it to say that we would like to have terminated him earlier… it was our understanding that the investigation would best be aided if we did not terminate Mr. Donaghy, so we did not and he resigned. We understand that the relevant time period being investigated is the past two seasons … I also understand that Mr. Donaghy is the only referee that has been alleged to have bet on NBA games and disclosed confidential information to others in respect to NBA games … I understand that this is an isolated case involving an NBA referee who engaged in not only a violation of our rules, but in criminal conduct. But let me make it clear that is my current understanding … all of my knowledge is second hand… if there are different facts that have been uncovered, or will be uncovered, we will make them available. Just a couple of other things: there’s been some speculation that we knew that Donaghy was betting this season and we let him work — that’s not true. A lot of speculation about our previous investigation of Donaghy, I’ve told you what we’ve done. … Its a small consolation to me, but doing the best you can doesn’t always mean that criminal activity by a determined person can be prevented. All you can do in many cases is deal with it as harshly as you can when you determine it.”
- Q&A: Philadelphia Daily News: Considering all the security things you’ve laid out for us, are you surprised or shocked that something like this could slip through the cracks?” Stern: “That’s a question I’ve asked myself… yes, I’m surprised, but no more surprised than the head of FBI, the head of the CIA, when the rogue employees turn on their country with criminal activity, despite the best investigative procedures you could possibly imagine.”
- FOX News leaves at 11:32.
- Rachel Nichols, ESPN: “David, can you take us through the range of emotions you felt when you first got this phone call from the FBI?” Stern: “It’s a — no — this is a subject that we discuss at the NBA. The statistical — the institution of the statisitcal development database was at my direction, and the institution of the two most recent annual reviews were at my direction. I am aware, and have been aware, at the threat that is placed on all sports. We follow with particular interest the recent referee scandal in the German soccer league, which is a big deal… and we think about that all the time in terms of how they were found out, what we can do to be better… and my reaction was ‘I can’t believe its happening to us’. Nichols: “What have you been doing, what kind of meetings have you been having…?” Stern: “After this press conference, I’m going to the NBA family picnic, to ensure that a bunch of employees, their families and kids, that the sun is going to rise tomorrow. … We’ve been comparing our procedures … to see if we can adapt, et cetera, because we take our covenant very seriously. … It really had to do with getting everything out. We had hoped — this broke on Friday — we spent Sunday preparing for a press conference yesterday, but in light of various conversations that we were having, we thought it better to schedule a press conference for today or tomorrow, and those conversations allowed us to go forward for today.”
- Liz Robbins, New York Times: “You’ve always been very protective of your referees … what are you going to do to look at your system and perhaps make it more transparent? … What can you do to work with the players to reassure them that the system is honest and above board?” Stern: “I’m going to wait for this investigation to run its course, because we think we have here a rogue, isolated criminal. And we want people to understand our system, and I think I still have to be protective of our officials, including those who have been and will continue to be unfairly besmirched. … By and large, they get it right most of the time, they get it wrong sometimes, sometimes they perhaps carry themselves in a way that is not as modest as we would prefer … with respect to transparency, I’m gonna wait for the summer to yield the results as a fan and the like, I think its important that our referees, who have a very difficult job … we’ll continue to work with our referees to get their accuracy level up … we will continue to recruit and improve our recruitment. … Anything else we can learn, I think transparency is a good thing.” Robbins: “Do you feel betrayed?” Stern: “I feel betrayed by what happened on behalf of the sport, regardless of how protective I’ve been. This is not something that is anything other than an act of betrayal of what we know in sports as a sacred trust.”
- Chris Wragge, CBS: “Can you just describe your thoughts … to see further reports that there may be mafia ties, that there may be death threats?” Stern: “I don’t see it as continuing to escalate. It’s an interesting story, and its’ going to get lots of coverage. That’s the business that we’re in. We expose ourselves, we invite you in … it comes as no surprise to us when things that we would rather not happen are covered as widely as things that do happen. I understand that from years that I’ve been working with or for the NBA. And to me, its fascinating that actually subjects that are interesting and compelling somehow become even more compelling in the context of sports, and allows people to jump in, have an opinion, weigh in, follow it, and thats one of the things that comes with the territory.”
- Newark-Star Ledger: “How certain can you be that this is an isolated incident?” Stern: “I think I was just asked when I stopped beating my wife. How certain can I be, on the basis of my current understanding, this is an isolated incident. This proves i can never be certain of anything, but I understand that this is an isolated incident.. We welcome the most extensive investigation by the [FBI] and justice department, because they can do things that I can’t do, legally. Whether we like it or not, we’re in the process of being vetted in a very thorough way, which is something that we have welcomed.” Newark-Star Ledger: “They are looking into other referees as well?” Stern: “Not exactly … we understand that this is an isolated incident.”
- Armen Keteyian, CBS: “Is it yet to be determined whether Donaghy made calls that affected outcomes of the games?” Stern: “My understanding is that he is currently … that the current state is ‘I don’t know’, but he — I have to choose my words carefully — what we’re dealing with is betting and providing information. I don’t know of any charges yet, or anything else, that relates to the fixing of games. Keteyian: “How did he bet to avoid security?” Stern: “I have a strong idea, but it’s part of the continuing investigation, and I am not authorized to say that. But my understanding is that it wasn’t through oddsmakers.”
- Jack MacCallum, Sports Illustrated: “You must have resigned [Donaghy].” Stern: “No, no. He didn’t come in, we got a letter. He resigned. Termination by us might hamper the ongoing investigation. As a result, even though we knew he was going to be terminated, we did not, because we did not want to be responsible in any way, shape or form, for influencing the investigation.”
- Philadelphia Daily News: “There have been various reports … of anger management situations surrounding Tim Donaghy … was none of that enough to warrant additional action by the NBA?” Stern: “It was enough to warrant investigation by the NBA, it was enough to bring him in to ask him about the veracity of those, it was enough to cause us to interview some of the people with which he was in dispute …”
- Alan Schwarz, New York Times: “Earlier today, you said you were aware of the threat placed to all sports, and you think about it all the time. At the All Star Game in Las Vegas, you were asked by a reporter if game fixing concerns you, and you said … you were surprised he asked the question.” Stern: “You have a transcript of that? … What I understand is that Las Vegas is a check on illegal gambling …”
- Ken Berger, Newsday: “You were very clear that this was the only referee currently under investigation–” Stern: “I am very clear that this is my current understanding… if that understanding changes tomorrow, I will so inform everybody.” Berger: “Are you just as clear that no other player, team or league official is currently under investigation?” Stern: “As I know of, no current investigation.”
- David Aldridge, Philadelphia Inquirer: “You were probably a young man when the betting scandals … nearly destroyed college basketball … How concerned are you that this incident could have a similar effect on the popularity and on the fact that people may not believe what they see when they watch NBA games anymore?” Stern: “I’m very aware of this subject, and I guess what I would say is that college basketball is soaring. I don’t participate in betting in college basketball, but lots of other people involve themselves in the bracket. It’s done better than ever, I’m aware that the World Cup is probably the greatest spectacle in the world of sport, and that is despite the referees that have been found to have fixed games specifically. And it is my hope that the NBA will be similiarly accorded the benefit of the doubt, based on what we have done, what we stand for, and what we will continue to do.”
- Chris Broussard, ESPN: “Did you say Tim Donaghy is accused of betting on games that he did officiate?” Stern: “It is my understanding that he bet on games in which he officiated and possibly in games he did not officiate.”
- Sally Jenkins, Washington Post: “Are you reviewing games Donaghy was involved in and what do you tell spectators looking very hard at the Suns/Spurs playoff series?” Stern: “I would like to await the outcome of the criminal investigation, so I could know if that was one of the games that was bet. In respect to the review of games … I can assure you that in the fullness of the summer and the autumn, we will have the opportunity to investigate Mr. Donaghy, and it will be done.’
- Richard Sandomir, New York Times: “Have your monitors ever specifically looked at especially suspicious patterns?” Stern: “Especially suspicious patterns have not revealed themselves to us… the primary purpose is not a screen for criminal activity. As we seek expert guidance as to bring assurances to our fans, I’m not here to predict what we do and what we don’t do. What I can tell you is that the Referees Union has been very supportive of our endeavors.”
- Chris Sheridan, ESPN: “Did the Nevada gaming commission… alert you to any suspicious activity regarding games Tim Donaghy worked … [and] have [you ever been alerted before]?” Stern: “Once, a long, long time ago. … There was some question where an NBA game was taken off the line… that must have been twenty years ago. And the question there was about a timer.”
- WABC-TV: “To the best of your understanding, do you think its possible to determine if a referee is actually cheating?” Stern: “It’s very hard, but we’re going to give it our best shot. … It wouldn’t surprise me if it proves to be difficult, but I just want to say one thing here — if you bet on a game, you lose the benefit of the doubt, so I’m not going to stand here and say that it didn’t happen because that would impair the credibility the NBA deserves for its efforts.”
- CNN: “You found out on the 24th, Donaghy resigned on the 9th. To the best of your knowledge, when was he told?” Stern: “I was told on the 20th of June, Donaghy resigned on the 9th of July. By the time we had our first meeting, it was my understanding that Mr. Donaghy and his attorney were well aware of … the investigation.”
- Mike McCarthy, USA Today: “How does this impact the possibility of an NBA franchise being in Las Vegas?” Stern: “I don’t know. … In the course of the summer, we’ll think about that as well.”
- New York Daily News: “Any indication that any of Mr. Donaghy’s fellow referees had any inkling of his connection with organized crime?” Stern: “The only inclination was after the investigation began and the buzzing — after June 20th, where there was some chatter about the fact that he was being investigated for something, so the referees knew that. And I believe they knew that either directly or indirectly from Mr. Donaghy himself.”
- Ian O’Connor, Bergen County Record: “You mentioned that referees are allowed to bet at the racetrack in the offseason … why is that an exception?” Stern: “Because it was bargained for by the union, and because we have the most far-reaching prohibition of any sport, that prohibited them from being in casinos. … A summer day in the racetrack is okay…” O’Connor: “Is that something you’re going to reexamine?” Stern: “We are going to reexamine everything.”
- Associated Press: “Commissioner, Mr. Donaghy has not been convicted, or even been charged with anything. So what evidence do you have that he is guilty of betting on games?” Stern: “His lawyer informed us that he’s contemplating a plea on that subject.”
- ESPN guests: Hubie Brown by phone, interviewed by Jay Crawford. Jalen Rose via satellite, interviewed by Dana Jacobsen. Rose: “When you’re talking about mob ties and criminal activity, sometimes you have to understand — is that by choice or circumstance? … There’s going to be a tremendous amount of change through NBA circles… most behind the scenes… technical fouls are a judgment call that directly affects the outcome of the game. … An official’s call directly results in points. … Probably a black eye [for the NBA] that will never go away.”
- ESPN guest: former NBA referee Mike Mathis. Mathis: “There is no doubt” that the quality of NBA officiating has gone down. NBA in-game observers are simply “rear ends in seats.” Mathis: 30 NBA observers do not have good enough credentials to review officials; harps on one observer, whose background is being a football trainer for Boston College. “We’ve gotten to the point where missed calls from three feet with nobody touching the guy are accepted. … The guy is incompetent or something funny is going on. And a supervisor has to detect that.” On Donaghy: “I like Tim Donaghy. … He had the potential to be a really good referee, because he had the moxie to make the big call, he was not afraid if it was superstar or not, and that was all positive. He did have some things that were not too good, as far as personality … he was arrogant … he also had a temper, and it didn’t take long to get to that temper.”
- ESPN guest: former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent: “[Stern] did a very fine job. He’s very good … obviously, he’s been affected by this. You could sense the emotion and the concern. We all know that he knows a lot more than he’s able to talk about. … I’m very impressed with what David said … I think he handled it very well. … I think calling this fellow a rogue is correct. All I know is that gambling is an enormous factor in this country … we all try to keep betting and gambling away from sports, because that’s a lethal combination. It almost ruined baseball in 1919 with the White Sox scandal …” Jacobsen: “If you were in David Stern’s shoes, what advice would you give him right now?” Vincent: “The press conference was very important. … He has enormous credibility, the sport has grown under his leadership. His standing in the sports world is very, very high. He’s the senior commissioner, he’s been in office the longest, he’s done a great job. He has to be out front teaching, explaining, defending, lecturing and responding at every moment. … He will come through it. He is a very outstanding commissioner, maybe the best of all time.”
