The Serve Grill: Rick Burton
Rick Burton was the head of the National Basketball League. Until this week. He ran the league from 2003, his achievements not exactly known. The Serve gets some intriging answers.
G’day Rick, thanks for joining us.
Pleasure.
Your four year run as NBL commissioner has come to an end. What would you say was your greatest achievement?
Oh, so many to choose from. I’d have to say though changing the title of my job to ‘commissioner’. It sounds so much more significant than ‘CEO’, doesn’t it?
I suppose. Given the problems the sport has, four years as commissioner is a pretty good run. What would you say was the key to your longevity?
Without doubt, the American accent. It gave me so much cache. Can you imagine if, say, an Australian did what I did in that period? He would’ve been out the door in six months.
When you took over in 2003, you pointed towards free to air television as the key in returning the NBL to its former glory. Channel Nine run a little highlights package on Sunday mornings, but let’s be honest, you haven’t really succeeded, have you?
I would beg to differ. I think it’s wonderful that we get an hour of our product in such a key timeslot, hosted by the girl that used to read the sport on SBS. I think it’s given the game a real buzz.
You recently said that you’re comfortable in the knowledge that you’re leaving the game in the best financial shape it’s been in for over a decade…
Certainly am.
But hasn’t the competition has basically been a basket case for that period?
Yes it has. But it’s less of a basket case now than it has been in years.
By all reports, the Singapore Slingers are struggling to keep their heads above water. Has that been a failed exercise?
Definitely not. You know, when I arrived one of the great problems of the sport was playing our games in front of near empty stadiums across the country. We needed a new direction. I don’t want to boast, but with the vision I brought to the package, we can now showcase a sport that now plays out of near empty stadiums in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. It’s so much easier to go to sponsors now and sell our game on the idea of being ignored right across the southern hemisphere, instead of Australia only.
You were noted for getting in amongst the fans…
I loved going to the venues, because that’s where you meet the real hard core fans, which I figure number in the dozens. I always wanted to be a commissioner of the people so I made a point of getting the people’s perspective, and I guess the most popular questions I got when I approached fans were “Who are you?”, “Waiter, can I please have four beers?” and “When are you getting back together with The Animals”.
What’s next for you, Rick?
I’m proud to say I’m going to be the chief marketing officer for the United States Olympics committee. It’s going to be a very different challenge.
How so?
Did you see how much marketing we did for the NBL?
Thanks Rick.
I think we once took out a quarter-page ad in the Illawarra Mercury. Oh God, the excesses!
Interview may not have actually happened
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