Stern smacks ESPN.

NBA Commissioner David Stern was not pleased with an ESPN the Magazine report on the NBA’s image issues.

To coincide with NBA All-Star Weekend, ESPN the Magazine had a comprehensive report on the negative perception of the NBA. The issue was headlined “Perception is not reality“, and included several polls showing just how badly sports fans view the league.

While responding to a question by the Portland Oregonian regarding the league’s image problem, Stern had some biting comments about the piece, and ESPN.

“We have a much more sophisticated analysis than walking up to somebody as ESPN The Magazine does and say, ‘Which one of these sports would you say the following about?’ OK. It’s not even close. … We’re having a great year, so ESPN decided that what you should do if you’re a magazine is you write an article going into All-Star (weekend) about how terrible things are. Maybe it’s because (the game) was on TNT. What do I know?“

It is exceedingly rare for a sports commissioner to make such candid comments in regards to vital network partner like ESPN. While the relationship between the NBA and ESPN is not nearly as strained as the relationship between baseball and ESPN, perhaps Stern’s candor is indicative of a behind-the-scenes conflict.

Stern did go on to say that the league has “rebounded amazingly well” from the 2004 brawl between players on the Indiana Pacers and fans of the Detroit Pistons.

Link to Portland Oregonian article found via The Sports Business Daily.