The box and I

Sporting News, The, Dec 22, 1997 by Dick Ebersol

From the vast viewing options to the magic and power of Michael, there has never been a better time to be a sports fan

Since you are reading The Sporting News, you are likely a sports fan. And if you are the typical sports fan, you may attend one or two games, matches or tournaments a year.

Beyond that, the rest of your sports diet is provided by television. And there has never been a better time to be a sports fan. There are more games on TV. more reports and news services. more information, more options, more interest in everything.

In some way. almost all of the people on The Sporting News' 100 Most Powerful People in Sports list have an impact on what sports you see on television, how you see them and when you see them. In a few cases, they determine if you will pay to see your favorite team on TV and how much. To put it simply, a commissioner, a television executive, a beer or automobile marketer and a cable distributor all have reached the same conclusion: Because fans watch sports on television, that is the conduit through which they can reach their customers.

Though some may feel that sports have been overcommercialized in recent years, sports fans actually have to be thankful that so many advertisers see sports television as good business. How does that affect the fan? Let's look at two examples.

First, if television did not have the sponsor support it currently enjoys, fans would not have the options that currently exist. Take the NBA. Many marketers, particularly those who represent automobile, beer, softdrink, fast-food and athletic-shoe companies, realize that the best way to reach the largest number of 18-to 49-year-old men from April through June 15 is by advertising with the NBA. Because of that support, NBC and Turner Broadcasting will televise--beginning next season--every NBA playoff game without overlap. And to think that in 1980, even if you were the biggest NBA fan in the world, you had to watch the Finals on tape delay.

Second, look at the impact of television on the growth of sports. Because advertiser interest is strong, the broadcast and cable networks are in a position to pay much more money for rights than anyone could have imagined 15 or 20 years ago. That means more money has gone to the leagues and teams. The results? Expansion. newer stadiums and the ability of many of these teams to attract free agents.

As long as sports--particularly sports on television--is a worthwhile business enterprise, the people at the top of The Sporting, News' list will keep the tent poles firmly in place. If interest falls, the poles will crack and the whole tent will come down. And the interest is from the fan. Your living room is the voting booth, and your remote control is the voting device. Though you did not elect us, your "votes" send us a clear message about what you want to see.

Perhaps the one person you have wanted to see most often is this year's Most Powerful Person in Sports, Michael Jordan. Though he is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, he had to have an impact on and off the court to get to the top of this list.

Between the lines, Michael Jordan is like nobody we've ever seen. Largely because of the confluence of his peak years and championships, the explosion of interest in the NBA and the television/information age, he has made more of an impression on us than perhaps any other athlete in history. Those factors have helped him grow into an American cultural icon, which may be a heavier task than carrying the Bulls in an NBA Finals game while suffering from the flu. He has done this all under incredible scrutiny, knowing that his every move, every reaction, every comment will be recorded, reported and digested around the world.

Over the past seven years, in addition to winning championships, MVP awards, an Olympic gold medal, etc., Michael has hosted Saturday Night Live, starred in a hugely successful movie; launched a cologne product, a line of clothing and now underwear; been the subject of several books; completed a music video with Michael Jackson; retired and come back; and even made baseball tripper than ever for a summer.

There is virtually nothing he does that is without consequence. Whether it be shaving his head, wearing long shorts or branching out into a variety of business ventures, he gets us to line up behind him without reservation. We'll watch him play, buy his clothes, try to look like him--and play baseball or golf when we're not doing those other things.

Why? Because despite whatever temptations he may have, whatever opportunities he may get to let down his guard, he makes sure he has a public persona worth following. He's simply, "Michael." We may not know what he is really like, the way his family knows, but we feel like we know him and are sold on what we see. Nobody in sports has ever had that kind of impact on America. The only one who comes close, by virtue of his supreme skill, worldwide recognition and role in the civil-rights movement, is Muhammad Ali.

Michael Jordan makes us stop what we are doing. He makes us watch. He makes us listen. He makes us marvel. And he does everything with grace and class. We willingly give him our adulation because he does not court it and yet treats it as a responsibility. And when he was riding highest, the public drama of his father's murder allowed us to offer our sympathy and sorrow.