Brian McIntyre, who has directed the NBA Communications Department and later the Basketball Communications Department, since 1981, is stepping down from daily oversight to become Senior Communications Advisor to Commissioner David Stern, the NBA announced today.
A 32-year NBA veteran, McIntyre joined the NBA office under then-Commissioner Larry O’Brien and is the longest-serving league office executive hired by Stern.
“Brian has made numerous and invaluable contributions to the growth and success of the NBA, the WNBA, the NBA Development League and USA Basketball over his distinguished career,” said Stern. “Although he will be stepping down from his broad responsibilities, I am pleased that he has agreed to continue to make his skills and experience available to the NBA, albeit on a less intensive basis.”
“It has been a privilege and an honor to have worked in the NBA the last 30-plus years,” said McIntyre. “I’ve enjoyed immensely working with our teams and media and have had the incredible fortune to have worked with so many talented and dedicated individuals. I want to thank David and so many others for the incredible journey, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the NBA and the game of basketball in my new role.”
The NBA also announced that Tim Frank, a 16-year NBA veteran – the last seven at the NBA as Vice President, Basketball Communications – has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Basketball Communications and will now oversee NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League basketball communications efforts, while Mike Bass, Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications, will continue to oversee all business and marketing communications for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA Development League and related initiatives.
“Tim is one of the best communications executives in any business,” said McIntyre. “He has great people skills, great instincts and a love of the profession and the game. This promotion is a great recognition of what he has done, and will continue to do, for the NBA.”
McIntyre was hired by the NBA in November 1981 as Director of Public Relations after three and a half years as Director of Marketing and Media Information for the Chicago Bulls. He was promoted to Vice President, Public Relations in March 1989. Under McIntyre, the Public Relations Department expanded to become the Communications Group, and he was named Senior Vice President in November 1997.
He has overseen public relations activities for every major NBA event since 1982, including The Finals, NBA All-Star, the NBA Draft Lottery, the McDonald’s Open and other events. He was involved in the launch of both the WNBA and the NBA D-League. He developed and implemented many of the communications policies and procedures currently in place for all three leagues. McIntyre also created numerous awards, including the Defensive Player of the Year award, the Sixth Man award and the Most Improved Player award. He was responsible for initiating White House visits by NBA Championship teams, creating a media training program for players, instituting the use of satellite postgame feeds at major events, and a host of other initiatives. In conjunction with USA Basketball, McIntyre has been actively involved in public relations planning, activities and onsite execution of the 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics and the 1994, 2002 and 2006 World Championships of Basketball.
A graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, McIntyre has served as a member of the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) News Council and the USA Basketball Media Advisory Committee. He was inducted into the Loyola (IL) Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and was honored with a Merit Award by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) in 2009. The Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) honored McIntyre in 2010 when the organization named its annual team media relations tribute the Brian McIntyre Media Relations Award. McIntyre serves on the Board of Advisors for Loyola University’s School of Communications.
