Business casual, by the way, is considered sweaters or long- or short-sleeved shirts with a collar or turtleneck; dress slacks, khaki pants or dress jeans; and dress shoes and socks - no sneakers, sandals, flip-flops or work boots. Then penalty for non-compliance? Fines and possible suspension.
Why the change?
There is concern that NBA players are perceived as "thugs," that the older generation cannot relate to the players, and therefore, that the fan base (money base) of a sport that is clearly dominated by black players, is shrinking.Expressing the validity of this concern, NBA Lakers coach Phil Jackson, 60, who is white, told the Los Angeles Times that he thought players have been getting away with dressing in "prison garb" and "gangsta, thuggery stuff."
So, what's the problem?
At least one player has publicly referred to the prohibition as "racist." Although players have agreed to wear suits, it's the specific prohibition against chains and medallions that have caused them to feel targeted - "...guys who are wearing chains are my age and are black," said one player.What's the bottom line?
In business, image is extremely important. Professional basketball is a business. As such, issues including branding, marketing, and meeting the needs and interests of a diverse customer base (not just ethnically but generationally) are of prime importance. Therefore, the NBA must appeal to as wide a base of consumers as possible.Former NBA star Charles Barkley, while conceding that there are racial overtones to the new dress code, points out that there is a dress code in every business in the country. "It's dictated by the boss," he said on NBC's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno".
Larry Bird, one of the profession's few white players, suggested one year ago that the NBA needed more white players to retain its mostly white fan base, even as he acknowledged that "the greatest athletes in the world are African American."
NBA Commissioner Stern is considering how players are viewed by the public. Forcing players to wear business-casual clothes accomplishes several things:
- It establishes a positive example for young people wanting to emulate their heroes, helping them to distinguish between the appropriateness of dress during play and leisure time and the importance of appropriate dress in business/professional situations. Barkley supported this point by saying, "Young black kids dress like NBA players … Unfortunately, they don't get paid like NBA players. So when they go out in the real world, what they wear is held against them." He feels that those who are making $10 million a year or more playing basketball should use their fame and wealth to do some good for society.
- It will likely hold wider appeal for a broader audience.
- It also shows respect to older generations - black, white, asian, latin, etc. - who may hold negative associations with urban styles of dress.