David Stern, Commissioner Emeritus of the National Basketball Association, Named McCormack Executive-in-Residence at UMass Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts is proud to announce that NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern will serve as the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management Executive-in-Residence at the Isenberg School of Management this fall.

 

Stern served as the commissioner of the NBA for 30 years, from 1984 through 2014. He currently serves as the CEO of DJS Global Advisors and senior advisor to the NBA, investment bank PJT Partners, and venture capital firm Greycroft. He is also an investor/advisor to a group of fifteen sports technology start-ups.

 

The keynote event of Stern's visit to UMass Amherst will be the Mark H. McCormack Sport Innovators Lecture, to be held on Wednesday, October 16, at 7 p.m. in room N151 of the Integrative Learning Center. His lecture, "The NBA: Technological Innovation, Social Responsibility, and Grass Roots Activation Lead to Global Success," is sold out, though it will be live-streamed here.

 

Along with his lecture, Stern's residency activities will include classroom visits, roundtables with McCormack students and faculty, and participation in the McCormack Collection Oral History Project.

 

Stern's innovative methods remade the model for professional sports league operations, public service, marketing, media distribution, digital technology, and international expansion. In his time as commissioner, Stern headed the development of seven new franchises, a more than 30-fold increase in revenues, a dramatic increase of national television exposure, and the launch of the NBA G League and the WNBA.

 

"We are honored to have David Stern join us as the McCormack Executive-in-Residence this fall, adding to the impressive group of speakers who have already shared their stories of innovation and career insights with our students and faculty," said Professor Steve McKelvey, associate department chair for external relations and graduate program director. "His eye for innovation, anticipation of the digital age, and commitment to social responsibility exemplify the spirit of the sports industry. It’s the kind of leadership that remains the hallmark of Mark McCormack's legacy."

 

The NBA now has twelve offices outside of the United States and has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 50 languages. Stern anticipated the growth of the digital age, launching NBA.com, NBA TV, and NBA League Pass—the first global streaming service. Under Stern, the NBA moved to the top of the world’s major sports leagues’ social media presence. Stern's strong commitment to social responsibility led to the creation of NBA Cares, a global social responsibility program that builds on the league’s mission to address important social issues in the U.S. and around the world.

 

Stern has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame (2014), Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame (2014), and the International Basketball Hall of Fame (2016). He is a recipient of the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal (2013), awarded by the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University in recognition of contributions to black history and culture.

 

Contact: Marissa Randall: mrandall@isenberg.umass.edu, (413) 577-0526