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ShareMumbai: Guess who is Lalit Modi's newest fan. He's from across the Atlantic, is at the helm of one of the world's richest sporting leagues and has big plans for India. NBA commissioner David Stern is particularly pleased with the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and firmly believes that India is the next big destination as far the NBA is concerned.
"We are closely watching as to how the IPL has been a game-changer in sport. It has adopted a number of Western sporting practices like the franchise system, player bidding, the home-and-away games, double-headers and the like," Stern told DNA during the NBA annual pre-season interaction with the media on Friday night. The 2009-10 NBA regular season begins on October 29.
To put things in perspective, the NBA -- and other sporting giants like the English Premier League -- are looking at Asia big time. The ever-growing popularity of club football and basketball -- among other sports -- is heartening in a cricket-mad country like ours.
And this is exactly what the NBA wants to cash in on. "We are aware of the fan interest in India. This is exactly why we joined hands with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) earlier this year. I reckon we will have one or maybe two NBA offices in India by the end of 2010," an enthusiastic Stern added.
When asked if NBA accessories and goodies would be made available in India, Stern was quick to reply, "Adidas, our global sporting partner, already has stores in India. They are in touch with retailers so as to facilitate the sale of NBA accessories," Stern said. This effectively means that you don't have to buzz your folks or friends in the US for your favourite Kobe Bryant jersey. Forget the fake ones stocked up on Linking Road or Crawford Market too.
