Bad news came from the sports world on the first day of the new year.
According to the official announcement of NBA, former NBA President David & middot; David Stern died of cerebral hemorrhage on January 1, 2020 local time at the age of 77. Previously, he was hospitalized due to sudden cerebral hemorrhage on December 13, 2019.
February 1, 1984, David & middot; Stern officially became the fourth president of the NBA and resigned on January 31, 2014. He is the longest serving president of the NBA. During Stern's 30 years in office, the NBA ushered in a golden age of great development.
Under Stern's leadership, the NBA added seven teams, the annual revenue of TV contracts increased 40 times, the value of franchises rose sharply, and the average salary of players jumped from $250000 in 1984 to more than $5 million.
Stern not only made the NBA one of the most appealing sports leagues in the United States, but also built it into a global brand.
During Stern's reign, NBA events were spread to 215 countries in 43 languages, and the regular season was held outside the United States for the first time, with 13 overseas offices including Beijing and Shanghai.
When stern stepped down in 2014, the NBA had become a basketball league with great influence all over the world. One of the most talked about is stern's achievements in the Chinese market.
At the end of 1984, stern invited the Chinese national basketball team as a visiting team to participate in the NBA through the person in charge of the China Basketball Federation. In 1985, stern promoted the Chinese team to travel and conducted the NBA China team friendship tour.
In 1987, stern visited China and signed a broadcasting agreement with CCTV. NBA provides CCTV with game material videos for the latter to play, and the advertising revenue is shared by both sides.
Twenty years later, stern recalled that he waited outside CCTV's Beijing Office for hours until China's sports director agreed to see him. He recalled: 'this market is too good to give up. And the NBA at that time was not the NBA now. "
Since 1987, Chinese audiences have gradually entered the world of NBA and met 'magician' Johnson and Larry & middot; Bird and other athletes.
David & middot; The year stern became president, Michael & middot; Jordan and Charles & middot; Buckley also joined the alliance. With the help of the Chicago Bulls, the NBA ushered in its era of sweeping the world.
In the early 1990s, NBA's ratings and advertising revenue on CCTV began to increase. Soon, provincial and municipal television stations began broadcasting NBA games.
In addition, David & middot; Stern also completed the American women's Basketball League, the implementation of star strategy and the settlement of labor disputes.
David & middot; When stern left office, the NBA's annual operating revenue exceeded $3 billion. In addition to the three major leagues of NBA, WNBA and NBDL, the business scope of NBA has also been expanded to catering, film and television, clothing and other fields.
After the news of his death came out, the NBA officially issued a notice of mourning, Bill & middot; Bill Russell, Elvin & middot; Stars such as Earvin Johnson also expressed their condolences.