Ex-NBA commish David Stern defends daily fantasy sports

Ex-NBA commissioner David Stern defended the controversial daily fantasy sports industry at the Sports Business Journal Intercollegiate Athletics Forum in New York on Thursday.

"The current issues around it are ridiculous,” Stern told reporters. “It's clearly a game of skill."

The NBA, which Stern was commissioner of from 1984 to 2014, has embraced daily fantasy sports the most out of the four major North American professional sports leagues. The NBA has partnered with the DFS company FanDuel, in addition to taking an equity stake in the company.

The New York Attorney General, however, has claimed the sites are akin to tradition sports betting in violation of state law. Stern feels such a view is hypocritical.

"You have an equal chance of winning (the lottery) whether you buy a ticket or you don't," Stern added.

Stern went on to say that he feels Congress is investigating the DFS issue simply to meet superstar athletes.