Stern announces NBA dress code

[funkykingston]

The NBA is a business.

Players are fond of pointing that out in a variety of circumstances, especially when they sign for more money and leave a team.

That being the case, the NBA can't afford to alienate casual fans who might be turned off by things like last years Indiana-Detroit brawl or a negative image of the players, based in part on their appearance.

I'm not in favor of an NBA dress code myself, but I certainly see the league's motivation and right to enforce one. If the players may not like it, but they are free to seek employment elsewhere, just like everyone else.

 

[mcsluggo]

I agree totally, how could the nba make players wear a uniform?

Especially those silly colorful ones they make 'em wear on the court: with shorts and the sleaveless shirts, how juvenile.

 

[vj9999]

uhh...what has that got to do with dress code??

Nothing really, but what does dress code has to do with professional sports?! They are basketball players, not bankers; Unless Stern is trying to strike a deal with Armani as a sponsor I just personally see that the way they dress has anything to do with their professional image (and most of them dress up decent as it is).

Are they going to have Hawaii shirt fridays?

 

[vj9999]

I'm not in favor of an NBA dress code myself, but I certainly see the league's motivation and right to enforce one. If the players may not like it, but they are free to seek employment elsewhere, just like everyone else.

Will Cleavland tell Lebron to take a hike because he showed up in his jeans?!

 

[VF21]

I don't know how to express it, probably its something like what you were saying about being a long time fan, even when your team is a losing team. You have different perspective at looking at the Sacramento Kings than some of us who started following them or even came to know about them once they became the winning team with Webber, Vlade and rest of the guys.

So when being in India where everything starting from the economy, dressing, way of interacting with everyone around you is bounded by rules and regulations, you look at US as a place where everything is much more libralised.

For example, Andre Aggasi rebelling against the ATP and getting rid of the plan clothing and strating the current trend of clothing.

The way I look at it the sportmen are kind of harbingers of new fashions and trends, just like stars in other fields. So restricting their dress code off the court does't sound too good to me, especially in USA which I have always looked up to as the "Land of Freedom".

Probably all this doesn't make much sense to you. But that's how I look at it.

I think I understand what you're saying but I think you've got a misunderstanding about the whole dress code concept. It's not restricting their clothing selection off the court. What it's doing is saying that while they're acting in their official capacity as official representatives of the team and the NBA, they'll have to look a little more professional. They can still wear whatever they like when they're not "on the job," so to speak, but they're not going to be able to look like thugs when they're representing the rest of the league.

 

[Warhawk]

There is absolutely no reason for the players not to dress respectfully when they are at official functions (read: their job) and not wearing their team uniform. LBJ may not be fired, but they sure will fine him for not following it. As it should be. The league pays you millions to work for them, they can tell you how to dress at work as well. You don't like wearing a collared shirt and something nicer than jeans to work - find another job if it means that much to you. Put your $$$ where your mouth is, baby.

 

[love_them_kings]

There is absolutely no reason for the players not to dress respectfully when they are at official functions (read: their job) and not wearing their team uniform. LBJ may not be fired, but they sure will fine him for not following it. As it should be. The league pays you millions to work for them, they can tell you how to dress at work as well. You don't like wearing a collared shirt and something nicer than jeans to work - find another job if it means that much to you. Put your $$$ where your mouth is, baby.

I agree completely! Players are free to wear whatever they want when they're not at "work", just like the rest of us. And, most of us, when we're at work adhere to some kind of "dress code" whether it's formal or informal. I wouldn't just show up at a clients place of business in a bikini, even though they don't tell me what to wear. Honestly, I think for what they are paid, they can show up to official NBA events dressed nicely. They have the money for the clothes, it's a work event... suck it up. I fully appreciate the talent of these players that allows them to demand large salaries, and I love basketball & won't argue with being able to see incredible athletes play.. but, when they start whining about being able to wear whatever they want during their "work" hours... I lose sympathy!

 

[slugking50]

I like this idea.





< marks down that stern actually did something good for once >

 

[Warhawk]

I like this idea.





< marks down that stern actually did something good for once >

Now that should have been a title in the book contest!

 

[Gargamel]

Now, I am about to start a job for the State of CA.

Welcome to the clan.

 

[Bricklayer]

I wouldn't just show up at a clients place of business in a bikini, even though they don't tell me what to wear.

Why not? I think there should be a lot more of that -- good for business.

 

[VF21]

And what's up with all this bs about having to spend 15 mins with the media after practice, etc.....? These players are not animals. Let them do what they do and when they have time or when they feel like signing autographs and speaking to the medai, they will.

Oh, poor little gazillionaire athletes. How dare we mere mortals try and force them to actually acknowledge we who must grovel at their feet and worship from afar?

Let them do what they do? When they have time or when they feel like signing autographs and speaking to the media, they will???

You're kidding, right?

They're making obscene amounts of money to entertain US, the fans. We pay - through tickets, jersey purchases and all the other NBA-related stuff we buy - their salaries. If there weren't fans, they wouldn't be able to live the outrageous life style they live.

Did you SEE Michael Jordan's house in the NBA forum? Hello? That is so far outside the realm of reality most of us face every day that it's totally beyond comprehension. That isn't a movie set - or a community center complex. That's his HOME.

It is NOT unreasonable for the NBA to make sure that players make themselves accessible for short periods of time to the media and the fans. It's 15 minutes, for God's sake. One quarter of an hour.

As far as the outfits go, some of these PROFESSIONALS have the clothing acumen of aardvarks, and that's probably not fair to the aardvarks. It isn't too much to ask of them to set a decent example and to look like the paid professionals they enjoy being.

If they're going to accept all the money, glamor, prestige, perks, etc. of the job, then they can put forth a little bit of effort in return.

 

[allrightythen]

Oh, poor little gazillionaire athletes. How dare we mere mortals try and force them to actually acknowledge we who must grovel at their feet and worship from afar?

I actually liked your whole post, but this part was classic. Gotta give an AMEN

 

[Venom]

Good call by Stern. I've often wondered why, since all these guys worship Jordan, none of them actually emulate him? Jordan was the most professional and cool dude around, and always came to games in a suit. You saw Jordan come off that bus looking dapper, and you knew he meant BUSINESS. These guys have been wearing their ghetto fabulous stuff for too long, and it's hurt the image of the league. It's simply not professional to dress that way. It's all about attention to detail, and when you look like a professional, you act like a professional.

 

[Bricklayer]

and when you look like a professional, you act like a professional.

There is some truth to that last part, cliche or not. I think it changes your mindset, and it DEFINITELY changes the way people treat and react to you, which might well be a good for some of these kids who really grew up putside the lines. No miracle cure or anything, but I could see it actually changing the way some of them think of themselves. Time to grow up and all that.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I agree totally, how could the nba make players wear a uniform?

Especially those silly colorful ones they make 'em wear on the court: with shorts and the sleaveless shirts, how juvenile.

Doc wins the thread.

 

[Gargamel]

Did you SEE Michael Jordan's house in the NBA forum? Hello? That is so far outside the realm of reality most of us face every day that it's totally beyond comprehension. That isn't a movie set - or a community center complex. That's his HOME.

ONE of them.

 

[Kev.in]

You're right, this is entertainment. And when the movie stars make work-related public appearances there's usually a red carpet involved and thousand (if not tens of thousands) dollar dresses and sharp tuxedos and suits.

NBA players get paid millions of dollars. Is it so much to ask that they dress like it when they are "at their job?" I mean, I get paid a very very small fraction of what they earn, yet I'm required to dress a certain way at work. Why shouldn't they?

What are those things called that they wear when they're on the court, doing their job?

Oh, and I have a job where the dress code is pretty loose. So I'm going to use that as an argument that the NBA should have a similar dress code.

 

[Bricklayer]

Oh, and I have a job where the dress code is pretty loose. So I'm going to use that as an argument that the NBA should have a similar dress code.

But do you have a job where you are doing PR for the company? I suspect not. And that is really the difference when it comes to most dress code/non-dress code distinctions. If you're just going to sit in a cubicle, or work in a warehouse, or whatever, then a dress code is mostly gratuitous, although possible enfoced anyway to try to bring order to chaos. But if you work in a service industry, you work as PR, a frontperson, even a cashier etc., the vast majority of the time the company is going to have a vested interest in how you represent them. That is the situation here. The players are both the product and the pitchmen. Just as how they conduct themselves as people is of interest to the league in a way that the conduct of a member of the secretary pool in NBA offices is not, how the company's pitchmen and PR guys dress is also of significant concern to them.

Clothing is a very personal thing, and many people indeed try to specifically send a message through their clothes. Individuality and all that. All fine when you're at home on your own time. But when you are effectively at the office representing the company which pays you VERY well, its THEIR image you have to represent, not yours. You're on their time. So if you're a lawyer, you don a suit (preferably charcoal or blue in NY), if you work at McDonald's, you put on a paper hat, and if you're in the NBA now you try to look classy and successful. Then if you want to go be a poser in your spare time and pretend to be the world's only street thug with a fleet of BMWs in the garage of his private gated estate, that's your business. But not on company time.

 

[loopymitch]

A lot of it is about image, NBA suffering right now after the brawl last year and Stern is trying to improve it. For once I agree with him and if the players don't like it, get another job and see how they like the dress code there. It could be a lot worse. They can afford the clothes so they can wear them.

 

[tyrant]

Iverson to fight NBA's off-court dress code
Posted on Tue, Oct. 04, 2005
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/12811765.htm

Iverson to fight NBA's off-court dress code

By PHIL JASNER

jasnerp@phillynews.com


HE CAME INTO the NBA at 21, and couldn't fathom why people almost immediately wanted him to act, speak and dress as if he were 30. He said so even then, and some people reacted as if he were somehow being defiant or belligerent.

blah blah blah blah

 

[VF21]

So what exactly is he going to fight? The dress code is part of the new CBA, which has been ratified and accepted by the player's union and the players.

 

[tyrant]

big name players have a way of complicating things. if iverson doesn't like it, better believe stern is gonna hear about it. i think iverson makes good points. he says

one way I haven't changed is my aggressiveness on the court, and when I feel a certain way about something I still stick to it when I think I'm right. I didn't change the way I dress like they're trying to make me do. I feel that is who I am; I dress to make myself comfortable. I really do have a problem with it. It's not fair."

"Just because you put a guy in a tuxedo, it doesn't mean he's a good guy," Iverson said. "It sends a bad message to kids. If you don't have a suit on when you go to school, is the teacher going to think you're a bad kid? I never wore a suit going in any park I ever went to when I was coming up. I just came from Japan, where I saw thousands of kids; all of them dressed like me, from the biggest guy to the smallest.

i know the players probably had their eyes locked on the dollar sign thus ignoring minor detail about the dress code, but c'mon.

 

[thesanityannex]

my quick 2 cents.

1. I think the dress code is ridiculous.
2. They are paid millions, puting on a suit and tie is no big deal.

 

[Padrino]

seems like david stern can't make up his mind about the "look" of the nba. last season, it seemed like he embraced the hip hop culture of the nba(which i despise). this season, it looks like he wants to try and shed that image a little bit. i for one, think its ridiculous. i may not care for the excessive jewelery nba players wear, but who cares? the nba may be a business, but lets not act as if it were like any other business around the globe. the entertainment industry (which includes sports) is about entertainment. its not about wearing a suit and tie to work every day. but, at the same time, if stern imposes a dress code, who cares? think of stern as the business owner. he runs the show how he wants to. and, i agree, thesanityannex, there are people around the world who wear suits and ties to work and make far less money. it should be no big deal.

 

[VF21]

"Just because you put a guy in a tuxedo, it doesn't mean he's a good guy," Iverson said. "It sends a bad message to kids. If you don't have a suit on when you go to school, is the teacher going to think you're a bad kid? I never wore a suit going in any park I ever went to when I was coming up. I just came from Japan, where I saw thousands of kids; all of them dressed like me, from the biggest guy to the smallest.

Whoa. Iverson simply doesn't get it IMHO. Having people dress in suits sends a bad message to kids?

Oh, that is so rich, especially conisdering the types of messages AI has sent to kids over the years.

His last comment, however, is the clincher. Yeah, I'm sure seeing lots of Japanese dressed as NBA thug wannabes is a real turn-on.

Good lord.

 

[Bricklayer]

Iverson is kind of the king of not getting it.

Be amusing to watch Stern lower the hammer on him if he insists on being a child. Note to Allen -- being good at bouncing a ball does not mean you never have to grow up.

 

[rhuber]

I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

Personally, I think the mere act of a player, or anyone for that matter, publicly complaining about a dress code is a slap in the face to the organization they represent, and a hell of an indication of a bloated ego. I think it's a nice rule, and I hope that the few who scream foul over such an simple policy are penalized to the fullest extent. I know that sounds callous, but that's how I feel.

What's worse, an organization wanting to promote a little professionalism, or players that are paid by that organization publicly demonstrating their unwillingness to show them even the most basic respect? I think if we’re worried about setting examples to kids, we should strive to teach them that you’ve got to give respect to get it.

 

[VF21]

I think if we’re worried about setting examples to kids, we should strive to teach them that you’ve got to give respect to get it.

What?!?!?!?

That's just crazy talk, rhuber!!!

 

[rhuber]

what can I say... I'm a rebel