NBL Canada Commissioner Audley Stephenson On His League’s Commitment To Change

1Tell us about your role as Deputy Commissioner of Canada's longest standing pro basketball league NBLC and what does a typical day look like for you?

I’m entering into my fourth season as league commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada and the primary function of my role involves the management of all aspects of league operations.

This includes things such as game schedules, oversight of our live stream broadcasts, enforcement of league rules, player discipline, officiating etc. 

After working closely alongside previous commissioners going back to the league’s inaugural season,  the NBL Canada board of governors appointed me to the role in 2017 and I haven’t looked back ever since.

The role is a multi-faceted one as you can imagine and the thing I like best is that while there are some similarities, no two days are alike. 

Our teams are located in Ontario, the Maritimes and Newfoundland so there’s also a fair amount of travel that I do throughout the season.  I probably enjoy that aspect of my job the most as it provides me with an opportunity to engage with fans and obtain direct feedback from their perspective.

2When was the point you realized that you were meant to do this career? Take us through that realization.

I can certainly say that the pathway that brought me to this point wasn’t a straight and narrow one and having a career in sports management was nowhere near the original plan. I initially started out with the aim of working in the social service industry and specifically wanted to be a youth counsellor. 

At the same time, I also had an interest in broadcast media and communications.  Basketball was something that I was always passionate about and I was fortunate to find a way to combine my love of the game with media and created an online NBA basketball podcast with a friend of mine.  This was at a time when the platform was relatively new and we had a fair amount of success early on which led to using eventually being credentialed by the Toronto Raptors and other NBA teams.  

I've always loved podcasting because it provided an excellent platform to help establish myself and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to expand their brand regardless of the genre.  I honed my craft podcasting for a few years and when NBL Canada came along in 2011, I brought my newly developed expertise to the league. 

As time went on, my role expanded and I started to work closer and closer with league staff, team officials and operations crews.  I quickly gained hands-on knowledge from a sports management perspective and I loved it.

3What surprised you the most about starting a career in the sport industry?

Considering my social service background, I was probably most surprised at the level of impact that our teams and players have in the community. 

NBL Canada doesn’t solely exist to just play basketball.  We want to make a real tangible difference in the communities that we’re in.  It’s for this reason why our players are in schools, youth shelters, food banks and at community events teaching real-life skills to young people or talking about things like self-esteem, adversity and perseverance or just pitching in and lending a hand.

We will definitely be looking to increase our focus on social injustice and equality give the events over the last several months. If our players aren’t practicing, playing or travelling, we want to be positively impacting others in whatever way we possibly can.  Our community reach is very important to our league and will continue to be a focal point of how we operate. 

I was also surprised at the level of fun I get to have in my work, I didn’t see it coming but love every second of it! Hands down, the best job I’ve ever had!

4What would you say are the top biggest moments or accomplishments in your sport management career?

The beautiful thing about the industry today is that it's moving so rapidly so today’s achievements can always be built and improved which I love because there is always room for growth and development.  I’m certainly proud of the role I’ve played in the execution of initiatives by our teams and we’re looking forward to expanding that work.

When I was a kid, basketball was far from being a mainstream sport and it was oftentimes a challenge to find appropriate coverage or attention for the game I loved.  Fast forward to today and things are very different. 

The success of the Raptors has certainly played a key role in raising the profile of the game but there still is lots of work to do.  I am proud to be a part of the change that’s been taking place and it’s my belief that my biggest accomplishment is on the horizon in terms of elevating the game of basketball to new heights.

Given the fact that I had worked there throughout the height of Vinsanity, here it goes...

December 14th, 1999 was the very first game I ever worked and it was against the Indiana Pacers. The Raps won that one and I was on cloud nine.  I remember trying to keep my cool when Reggie Miller walked by me.  It was the beginning of an incredible 13-year ride.

Watching Vince Carter go off for 51 points vs Suns at home during the Raptors very 1st national TV debut was memorable.  He did everything that Sunday afternoon from hitting three's to big dunks. The roof was on the verge of exploding when Vince was fouled before leaking out for what would have been a memorable fast-break dunk.

The Raptors drafted Demar DeRozan at the age of 19 and I vividly remember his introductory press conference like it was yesterday.    He went on to have a marvellous career in Toronto before being traded and it meant a lot to say that I was there right from the beginning.

Beating the Knicks in a must-win at home in game four of the 2000/01 playoffs.  They went back to New York and won game five to advance to the second round for the first time in franchise history.
The Raptors had an incredible series in the next round of the playoffs and watching Vince Carter and Allen Iverson trade 50 point games were special to watch.

The Raptors won the NBA Championship just over a year ago! You were at the ACC for a lot of ups and downs for the Raptors. How great would it have been for them to win it while you were there? Talk about how you felt when they won.

I was thrilled and excited like the rest of the world the moment the Raptors reached the ultimate goal and won the NBA championship and you’re right, it certainly would have been incredible to witness first hand.  I’ll admit that I would have felt differently if they won it in Toronto but thankfully for my benefit, that didn’t happen.  The Raptors winning felt surreal initially and I remember the feeling of disbelief at one point but it was real and we earned the right to call ourselves champs.