December 2nd evening, Boston Fleet Center, game day.
After enduring the bleak 1996-1997 season, the Celtics now have a sense of relief and excitement, with home fans arriving early to wait for the game to start.
It’s important to know that just last season, the Celtics not only recorded the worst regular-season record in history with 15 wins and 67 losses, but also the lowest attendance and poorest ticket sales revenue.
The previous worst record for the Celtics was 29 wins and 53 losses in the 1978-1979 season.
With the arrival of Larry Bird in 1979, the Celtics revived, winning 61 games, reaching the Eastern Conference finals, and winning the championship the following year.
Twenty years later, the same miracle happened again in Boston.
When the Celtics secured the first pick in May and confirmed Tim Duncan’s arrival, the season’s regular tickets sold out instantly, and the price of remaining tickets doubled, making them hard to get.
The new season opener saw the Celtics at home against the defending champion Chicago Bulls.
Tim Duncan’s performance of 15 points, 22 rebounds, and 2 blocks helped the Celtics defeat the defending champion, securing a great start.
This victory caused a sensation, and Duncan’s performance became a hot topic in the league.
Wearing jersey number 21, he became the new savior of the Boston basketball market, with Bill Sharman even giving the retired and reserved number 21 to Duncan.
While people often say that casual fans don’t understand basketball, a truly great player can be recognized even by those who don’t understand, "This guy is amazing."
Just like the best pieces of art often require no entry barrier, even those without aesthetic education can immediately feel "this is a good thing."
Duncan is that kind of good thing, and like Ah Gan, Jordan, Bird, and others, when they stand on the court, they provide a massive positive impact on the team, and you quickly realize that he is different from other players.
Although everyone standing on the NBA court is a genius, only the geniuses among geniuses can stand at the pinnacle.
Before the game begins, both sides are warming up.
Cheerleaders in green skirts are performing an eye-catching show in the center of the court.
When every NBA team has its own cheerleaders and mascots, the Celtics have always adhered to the principle of "only basketball on the court."
No cheerleaders, no mascots, no halftime magic show, no Harlem Basketball Team dunking on trampolines, here it’s just basketball.
This tradition is the pride of the Celtics’ management and the creed of Red Auerbach.
But all this was broken by Bobby Berman, who intervened in team operations, demanded the establishment of a marketing department, recruited cheerleaders, designed a mascot, and increased interaction with kids.
This decision naturally faced opposition from the old-fashioned management, but Berman was exceptionally insistent, making continuous proposals, saying that even the oldest college basketball teams have cheerleaders, so why should an NBA team founded in 1946 put on airs?
Back in the day, it was simply because they were poor; they couldn’t even pay player salaries, let alone afford cheerleaders or marketing, and they just gave it a nice name "only basketball," but it was really just having nothing but basketball.
Now the team’s stocks are sold, the league’s revenue has caught up, and there’s a huge income from broadcasting fees, so why not do these marketing activities?
These events can attract new fans, enliven the atmosphere at games, and provide many job opportunities.
The marketing department will eventually have to develop; if it just sells tickets and organizes community activities, the Celtics will find it hard to become a true powerhouse club like the Lakers or Trail Blazers, attracting fans worldwide.
Bobby Berman’s words were very reasonable, and the Celtics’ management understood, too.
But the old glorious tradition and Auerbach’s stubbornness loomed like a mountain, making those below inclined to maintain the status quo, without a real drive to change, and no one wanted to touch Auerbach’s sensitive nerve.
Berman didn’t care; he was qualified, a championship coach, an Olympic Dream Team coach, with an impressive track record.
Meanwhile, having been stifled by the Lakers for years, he was completely free after coming to the Celtics, willing to take risks fearlessly. If you don’t cooperate with me, I’ll harass you every day, mention it every day, release news through the media, create a buzz among fans.
He would even threaten to resign, with an attitude of never giving up until his goals were achieved, exceptionally firm.
Auerbach, who had a heart bypass operation a few years ago, was not as physically healthy nor mentally alert as before and couldn’t withstand Berman’s persistence.
Berman also united a group of internal managers with intentions of reform; everyone worked together to create momentum, and finally, Auerbach relented. Thus, the Celtics now have their own cheerleading squad and new marketing team.
Tonight, Auerbach is still sitting in his familiar front-row seat, wearing brown sunglasses, watching the cheerleaders dance and enjoying himself.
Of course, the main reason Auerbach is happy is because of the Celtics’ outstanding performance and bright future.
This is also the fundamental reason Berman’s various initiatives can be accepted; this guy indeed knows how to lead a team to victory.
Even though Auerbach is stubborn, traditional, and overbearing, and quite harsh to old employees and former subordinates, he is still very decisive on the issue of delegating power for team building.