As another day passes, hope for an agreement to be reached between the NBA and its Players Union diminishes like the rust on an old bike. Embattled in nasty negotiations carried through by the media, the likelihood of the NBA locking out its players for the entire 2011-2012 season is beyond plausible. This same scenario almost took shape in the 1999 season but the two sides eventually came to an agreement in January and played a shortened season. That still very well could be the outcome of this season but NBA Commissioner David Stern sounds pessimistic about that happening. A Federal Mediator will now preside over the case as the sides reconvene on Tuesday, and sources say if significant progress is not made that games could be canceled through Christmas Day, a marquee event that brings in millions of viewers on Santa's Day. If there is a lockout, it not only hurts the players and fans, it hurts a lot more people than you think....
Owners are complaining they are losing money just on operations and can't afford to pay player's salaries that have ballooned the past few years. They are calling for a 50/50 split of Basketball Related Income (BRI) while the Players refuse to budge off a 53/47 deal. This isn't even the main issue as owners are trying to create a hard cap that will limit teams such as the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, and Mavs from spending over the salary cap and paying a dollar for dollar luxury tax. They want more competition and fairness spread across the league. While these are all understandable points, I think owners who invest their money into their team are the most successful. Why do you think Mark Cuban just won a championship? He is not afraid to shell out dollars to make his team better. Same goes for the Lakers ownership and the Celtics. Let's not forget it is the OWNERS who agree to the contracts with the players. No one is putting a gun to their head saying they have to sign Joe Johnson to a 6 year/$120 million extension. If you are going to overpay for an average player, its your own fault. Do not blame the system, blame yourself!
Many middle of the road NBA Players have already signed oversees with out clauses that if the NBA season does begin, they can leave whenever that date is set. That's why I think the players have leverage because they can go to Europe for a few months, collect a paycheck, while the owner's suffer and lose out on the money they could be making from tickets, concessions, and merchandise. The players have been saving for years knowing this day may come, and now that is has arrived, Union leader Billy Hunter has them prepared. I can not see them caving. Another group that stands to lose from a lockout are the employees of the 30 NBA teams. The security guards, valet attendants, the old guy selling beer. They will lose 100% of their gross income if there are no games. That money cannot be replaced! These people will be considered temporarily unemployed and will have to look elsewhere for work. And lastly, the fans. For crying out loud we want to see basketball back. A Knick fan myself, there is still a bitter taste in my mouth from the disappointing defeat the Celtics handed us in the playoffs (which would have been different had Billups and Amar'e not been hurt). The NBA is coming off the best season since Jordan's Bulls Dynasty. Viewers tuned in to watch the Dream Team Miami Heat falter while Dirk Nowitzki raised the banner. The NBA partially caught up to MLB and NFL in terms of hype and media coverage. If they lockout, who knows what will happen.
So I am urging the owners and players to put their differences aside, come to an agreement, and get back on the court to do what they do best-put on a show. I firmly believe there will be basketball in 2011-2012, I just don't know when.
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