Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has gained a bit of a reputation as the “cool billionaire” by repeatedly attacking Republican candidate Donald Trump and calling out his inconsistencies. But in his capacity as Mavs owner, he just recently displayed some uncomfortably Trump-like tendencies in denying press credentials to two longtime Dallas-based reporters for ESPN.
Marc Stein is possibly ESPN’s most well-connected basketball reporter, and he’s covered the NBA nationally for years. Tim McMahon was, for a while, the network’s Mavericks beat reporter, but his duties have expanded beyond one team. The Mavericks, reportedly dissatisfied with the lack of a dedicated beat reporter, decided they would no longer tolerate ESPN’s national journalists in their arenas for this past weekend’s games.
Additionally, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that the ban extends to all ESPN journalists. However, Cuban told USA Today’s Sam Amick that only Stein and McMahon have been banned.
Ramona Shelburne, another ESPN NBA reporter based out of Los Angeles, explained in detail and nuance the problem with Dallas’ decision.
My visceral gut reaction as a journalist was to protect our own and denounce the action
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
But yelling isn't going to be productive. I think we've gotten to the point where freedom of press must be explained & not simply defended
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
There is a social contract in addition to a real collectively bargained contract that protects journalists from this sort of treatment
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
The players, owners and league all have an agreement that not only does objective coverage of the NBA matter to their business
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
The key word here is objective, not coverage. Anyone can create their own coverage in this era of social media
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
In a way, the Mavericks actions demonstrate that they believe that wholeheartedly in that they are asking for MORE coverage
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
The problem is the precedent this sets. Bullying individuals by revoking credentials is a massively slippery slope
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
If this is allowed to stand, what's to stop teams from revoking credentials of people who write things they simply don't like?
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
Or revoking credentials of journalists who try to investigate them? Or break news?
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
There was once a time the NBA begged for coverage. The league was growing and it needed all the attention it could get to build an audience
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
We've obviously gotten to the point where coverage has been saturated to the point that players/owners feel empowered to try to deny it
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) November 7, 2016
To deny credentials to a blog or regional outlet is one (still not good) thing, but this is ESPN we’re talking about, a broadcast partner for the NBA. Cuban has fired an opening salvo in what could turn out to be a war over access and coverage, and it’s anyone’s guess how this will play out.
(Via ESPN)
