The Playmasters

The dominance of the NBA in popularity and profit over other professional sports leagues was largely achieved through the blood, sweat, and tears of Michael Jordan. Now that Michael is gone and the fans have the bitter taste of the lockout in their mouths, the question is, can the NBA maintain its high public visibility and avoid financial chaos?The Playmasters details how NBA insiders -- such as David Stern, Rod Thorn, Jerry Reinsdorf, and Ted Turner -- subtly collaborated with Jordan, his agent David Falk, Nike, and television media to engineer the greatest entertainment-marketing partnership in the history of' Professional sports. Unfortunately, with this boom hats come $100 million-plus contracts, outrageous incidents on and off the court, rising ticket prices keeping fans at home, and a general distaste for players' attitudes. This book takes an unabashed look at the NBA that no fan will want to miss.
-- This book follows on the heels of the first NBA season after Jordan's permanent retirement and the lockout
-- The NBA is one of the most watched, most discussed, and most analyzed professional sports leagues in the world
-- Ham covers more than 50 years of pro basketball's evolution, from dingy gyms to glamorous arenas