He was arguably the most successful sports commissioner in history. Under him, a semi-major niche sport became mainstream and major, everyone prospered, and the fan base just kept growing. He was a tough, pugnacious s.o.b., so he made enemies, but he ultimately made all of that tension work for the league.

And he was also lucky enough to have MJ show up at exactly the right time.

This says it all:

“A league that couldn’t get its finals on live television in the pre-Stern era began to eclipse its fellow pro leagues in follower counts and influence. The NBA’s explosive growth since Stern took over in 1984 is a tidy narrative: The Portland Trail Blazers, as just one example, were sold for $70 million in 1988 and are now valued at $1.6 billion.”

He was arguably the most successful sports commissioner in history. Under him, a semi-major niche sport became mainstream and major, everyone prospered, and the fan base just kept growing. He was a tough, pugnacious s.o.b., so he made enemies, but he ultimately made all of that tension work for the league.

And he was also lucky enough to have MJ show up at exactly the right time.

This says it all:

“A league that couldn’t get its finals on live television in the pre-Stern era began to eclipse its fellow pro leagues in follower counts and influence. The NBA’s explosive growth since Stern took over in 1984 is a tidy narrative: The Portland Trail Blazers, as just one example, were sold for $70 million in 1988 and are now valued at $1.6 billion.”