The Height of Hip-Hopracy

By Dylan Webster
In his relentless quest to overcome the loss of Michael Jordan and globalize the NBA, Commissioner David Stern has been very proactive in shaping the image of the league. Unfortunately, he has also become contradictory in his methods.

While on the surface the NBA’s new policy of players being required to wear suits to press conferences seems harmless, it shines a spotlight on the hypocrisy of the league itself. Along with the guidelines for attire is an order not to wear large gold chains to the press conferences.

Stern himself has frequently stated that the target audience for the NBA is the “hip-hop generation.” This demographic is primarily comprised of 14- to 24-year-olds who happen to wear “throwback jerseys” and gold chains. The statement made here is plain: “We want your money, but not your culture.”

Furthermore, this is a league whose teams regularly send scouts to high school games, and make multi-millionaires of young men of barely 18 years of age. While the NBA has a new policy in place to curb high school seniors from forgoing college to enter the pro draft, it does not apply to foreign players, and is toothless.

Allen Iverson, once promoted as the next Jordan, saw the sales of his merchandise skyrocket after an arrest. If one actually has the chance to go to a game, one will find every timeout and play stoppage filled with scantily clad dancers and the latest hip-hop sounds.

Urban youths, who make up the majority of the hip-hop generation, normally cannot afford even nosebleed seats to an NBA game. Suburban America (which can afford the tickets) still has reservations about the culture that provides the league with nearly all of its talent. What Stern seems to want is to have his cake and eat it too.