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CNN Saturday Morning News
The Novak Zone -- Interview With Robert Johnson
Aired May 17, 2003 - 09:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: In "The Novak Zone" today, Robert Johnson, the head of Black Entertainment Television and owner of a new NBA franchise in Charlotte, he talked with Robert Novak about his venture into sports.
COOPER: "The Novak Zone."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to "The Novak Zone."
I'm Robert Novak at the headquarters of Black Entertainment Television, BET, in northeast Washington.
My guest is Robert Johnson, CEO of BET, and the owner of the new Charlotte, North Carolina, franchise in the NBA.
Mr. Johnson, the recent edition of "Sports Illustrated" listing the 101 most influential minorities in sports has you as number one, ahead of Tiger Woods, ahead of Serena Williams, ahead of Michael Jordan. Does your acquisition of the Charlotte franchise, which was hotly competed for, does that -- is that going to be a big change in sports in America, do you think?
ROBERT JOHNSON, FOUNDER AND CEO, BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION: Well, it tells you what $300 million will buy you these days. It'll buy you number one on the magazine. But, no, is it going to be a big change? Not really, because the fact that, you know, I had the money to buy the franchise is -- was necessary. This was not a minority gift. This was a business acquisition that I made out of money I had.
But I do believe, though, that because of sport's involvement so much with minority players on the field, the NBA for example, 85 percent, approximately, minority players, and other players from more ethnic backgrounds, you are going to see more diversity in the front office of the NBA, all the leagues of baseball, football as well.
NOVAK: Why has it taken so long to have a black owner? Was it just because you were the first guy -- you were the first black billionaire in America, the first one who could pony up that money? Or was there some prejudice, that they just didn't want a black owner?
JOHNSON: I think if you go back when franchises were first awarded, or first started, capital was important, but probably being part of an old boy club was even more important. But in the past, I'd say, eight to 10 years, if you couldn't write a check, black, white, red, or blue, you were not going to get a franchise.
So I don't think the NBA would have stopped Bill Cosby, for example, 10 years ago when he -- if he wanted to buy a franchise and own one. So it's not race, it's more about money.
NOVAK: Mr. Johnson, your friend, and I think he's your friend, Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, has made this his full-time job. He spends full time on the Washington Redskins. How much time are you going to devote to the Charlotte team.
JOHNSON: Well, Dan and I have a little bit different kind of style. Dan has -- is just sort of this -- somewhat hands-on, perhaps even some people might say too many hands-on. But Dan's a good guy, and he has that kind of passion.
I have the same passion for being successful in a competitive world like sports, but I'm more likely to hire really bright people, give them the vision and direction, and let them do the job. So I am going to be just as involved as is necessary to make it work.
NOVAK: What role would you envision for Michael Jordan in the Charlotte operation, if that comes to pass?
JOHNSON: If it comes to pass, Michael would be in charge of all basketball operations and would be president of the franchise. And everybody would report to him. He has such a competitive spirit, he's -- he has such a great feel for the sport, obviously. And he's a businessman in his own right, as well as being a great athlete and a good friend.
So Michael would be absolutely the best choice to be a part of a brand-new slate in Charlotte. We don't have players yet, we don't have coaches yet, we don't have a GM. So Michael coming in would be excellent.
But it's Michael's choice. I've told him that. And whatever he decides to do, I'm going to support him.
NOVAK: Mr. Johnson, one of the saddest days in Washington history was September 30, 1970, the last day of the Washington Senators. They went on that long road trip they've never came back from. You and Dan Schneider were -- have been involved in trying to get a baseball franchise for Washington. Are you still involved in that, despite the -- or even though you have got this basketball franchise? And if you are, what's the chances of getting one?
JOHNSON: Yes, I'm taking more the lead on that. Dan is supportive, but it's really my lead on it. The issue for me, for baseball, is, one, the city must put up the money for the stadium. This is what happened in Charlotte. The city came up all the money for the arena. D.C. must come up with the money for the stadium.
And they could either do that by building a new stadium or by completely refurbishing RFK, which I think would be cheaper.
The second is, baseball must sell the team based on its current value, or some portion of the team at its current value, not on what would be the perceived new value if it were in a brand-new stadium.
NOVAK: And now the big question for Bob Johnson.
Mr. Johnson, there have been at least six high school players who have announced for the NBA draft, headed by the famous LeBron James. You're a graduate of my alma mater, the University of Illinois, in history, you got a master's degree in international relations from Princeton.
Do you have some misgivings about these young men going into the NBA, not going to college, not having the benefits of a college education, even though they're going to make millions of dollars playing basketball?
JOHNSON: Yes. Certainly have misgivings. Everything being equal, the smartest thing for anybody to do is maximize your education. But everything is not equal. And some of these kids feel that they can take care of their families more immediately, they can protect themselves from the potential downside risk of getting hurt while playing ball, that they think the time is right for them to move on to the NBA.
The key question is, is, once they make that decision, can the NBA and the individual teams surround them with the right kind of influences, the right kind of direction, that can allow them to make the transition from a high school player, as well as a person with a high school kind of focus on life?
So really it's a nurturing process that's probably more important with a high school player than it is with a college player, a guy who spends four years of just the experience of being in an educational environment.
NOVAK: Thank you, Robert Johnson.
And thank you for being in "The Novak Zone."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 17, 2003 - 09:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: In "The Novak Zone" today, Robert Johnson, the head of Black Entertainment Television and owner of a new NBA franchise in Charlotte, he talked with Robert Novak about his venture into sports.
COOPER: "The Novak Zone."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to "The Novak Zone."
I'm Robert Novak at the headquarters of Black Entertainment Television, BET, in northeast Washington.
My guest is Robert Johnson, CEO of BET, and the owner of the new Charlotte, North Carolina, franchise in the NBA.
Mr. Johnson, the recent edition of "Sports Illustrated" listing the 101 most influential minorities in sports has you as number one, ahead of Tiger Woods, ahead of Serena Williams, ahead of Michael Jordan. Does your acquisition of the Charlotte franchise, which was hotly competed for, does that -- is that going to be a big change in sports in America, do you think?
ROBERT JOHNSON, FOUNDER AND CEO, BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION: Well, it tells you what $300 million will buy you these days. It'll buy you number one on the magazine. But, no, is it going to be a big change? Not really, because the fact that, you know, I had the money to buy the franchise is -- was necessary. This was not a minority gift. This was a business acquisition that I made out of money I had.
But I do believe, though, that because of sport's involvement so much with minority players on the field, the NBA for example, 85 percent, approximately, minority players, and other players from more ethnic backgrounds, you are going to see more diversity in the front office of the NBA, all the leagues of baseball, football as well.
NOVAK: Why has it taken so long to have a black owner? Was it just because you were the first guy -- you were the first black billionaire in America, the first one who could pony up that money? Or was there some prejudice, that they just didn't want a black owner?
JOHNSON: I think if you go back when franchises were first awarded, or first started, capital was important, but probably being part of an old boy club was even more important. But in the past, I'd say, eight to 10 years, if you couldn't write a check, black, white, red, or blue, you were not going to get a franchise.
So I don't think the NBA would have stopped Bill Cosby, for example, 10 years ago when he -- if he wanted to buy a franchise and own one. So it's not race, it's more about money.
NOVAK: Mr. Johnson, your friend, and I think he's your friend, Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, has made this his full-time job. He spends full time on the Washington Redskins. How much time are you going to devote to the Charlotte team.
JOHNSON: Well, Dan and I have a little bit different kind of style. Dan has -- is just sort of this -- somewhat hands-on, perhaps even some people might say too many hands-on. But Dan's a good guy, and he has that kind of passion.
I have the same passion for being successful in a competitive world like sports, but I'm more likely to hire really bright people, give them the vision and direction, and let them do the job. So I am going to be just as involved as is necessary to make it work.
NOVAK: What role would you envision for Michael Jordan in the Charlotte operation, if that comes to pass?
JOHNSON: If it comes to pass, Michael would be in charge of all basketball operations and would be president of the franchise. And everybody would report to him. He has such a competitive spirit, he's -- he has such a great feel for the sport, obviously. And he's a businessman in his own right, as well as being a great athlete and a good friend.
So Michael would be absolutely the best choice to be a part of a brand-new slate in Charlotte. We don't have players yet, we don't have coaches yet, we don't have a GM. So Michael coming in would be excellent.
But it's Michael's choice. I've told him that. And whatever he decides to do, I'm going to support him.
NOVAK: Mr. Johnson, one of the saddest days in Washington history was September 30, 1970, the last day of the Washington Senators. They went on that long road trip they've never came back from. You and Dan Schneider were -- have been involved in trying to get a baseball franchise for Washington. Are you still involved in that, despite the -- or even though you have got this basketball franchise? And if you are, what's the chances of getting one?
JOHNSON: Yes, I'm taking more the lead on that. Dan is supportive, but it's really my lead on it. The issue for me, for baseball, is, one, the city must put up the money for the stadium. This is what happened in Charlotte. The city came up all the money for the arena. D.C. must come up with the money for the stadium.
And they could either do that by building a new stadium or by completely refurbishing RFK, which I think would be cheaper.
The second is, baseball must sell the team based on its current value, or some portion of the team at its current value, not on what would be the perceived new value if it were in a brand-new stadium.
NOVAK: And now the big question for Bob Johnson.
Mr. Johnson, there have been at least six high school players who have announced for the NBA draft, headed by the famous LeBron James. You're a graduate of my alma mater, the University of Illinois, in history, you got a master's degree in international relations from Princeton.
Do you have some misgivings about these young men going into the NBA, not going to college, not having the benefits of a college education, even though they're going to make millions of dollars playing basketball?
JOHNSON: Yes. Certainly have misgivings. Everything being equal, the smartest thing for anybody to do is maximize your education. But everything is not equal. And some of these kids feel that they can take care of their families more immediately, they can protect themselves from the potential downside risk of getting hurt while playing ball, that they think the time is right for them to move on to the NBA.
The key question is, is, once they make that decision, can the NBA and the individual teams surround them with the right kind of influences, the right kind of direction, that can allow them to make the transition from a high school player, as well as a person with a high school kind of focus on life?
So really it's a nurturing process that's probably more important with a high school player than it is with a college player, a guy who spends four years of just the experience of being in an educational environment.
NOVAK: Thank you, Robert Johnson.
And thank you for being in "The Novak Zone."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
