NFL/NBA lockout

[realjd]

Yawn. As long as college football and the English Primere League are still on, I'm happy. Although I was going to try to make it to a Bucs game this year.

[Stephane Dumas]

If the NBA fail, we could ponder if there might be some wise guys who could create a rival league to fit the void? Or even some NBA teams who could decide to left the NBA (just to annoy Stern) to create their own league?

[74/171FAN]

If the NBA fail, we could ponder if there might be some wise guys who could create a rival league to fit the void? Or even some NBA teams who could decide to left the NBA (just to annoy Stern) to create their own league?

Deron Williams has already stated he might play in Turkey if FIBA allows him too, so there's a start.

[Mr_Northside]

I guess half of this thread is now resolved.  And unless for some reason you're really into the Hall Of Fame Game, it seems there's no real damage (to fans) done.

Awesome.

[WillWeaverRVA]

I don't expect the NBA season to happen this year at this rate.

[Takumi]

Me neither. It seems like each side can't even agree within its own ranks, let alone with the other side.

[jgb191]

Players care more about adding to their already ludicrous bank account than they do about the game.  They love the money more than their job.  If they players did love the game, they'd keep playing and take what the owners already offer them, which is astronomical as it is.

[formulanone]

On the other hand, owners don't all agree either. The "smaller" franchises aren't doing well, and the thought of contraction comes up. Revenue sharing works in the other three major American sports leagues, there's no reason it can't work in the NBA. Owner expenses have gone up, and they are the ones that are agreeing to these ginormous contracts (the old collective bargaining agreement and greedy agents are also part of the plan). You can't entirely blame the players for this.

Most people are taking pay cuts left and right in this economy, losing your fanbase over 5-7% is silly, and worse for buisnesses. A third party that's not afraid to explain how ridiculous this is would be helpful. On the other hand, this isn't helped by a couple of players saying things like "master/slave-mentality", and owners getting fined thousands of clams for essentially expressing their First Amendment rights without resorting to slander or other law-breaking.

To paraphrase Colin Cowheard, this is turning into a dumpster fire.

[pianocello]

Players care more about adding to their already ludicrous bank account than they do about the game.  They love the money more than their job.  If they players did love the game, they'd keep playing and take what the owners already offer them, which is astronomical as it is.

At this point, I think they love arguing more than they love the money. Otherwise, they would have given in before the games were supposed to start, so they don't lose the money they're arguing over.

[Brandon]

No NBA this season?  I won't miss it.  Never watched the NBA much anyway.  Back to the NHL, the NFL, and the NCAA.

[1995hoo]

No NBA this season?  I won't miss it.  Never watched the NBA much anyway.  Back to the NHL, the NFL, and the NCAA.

What's pathetic is that Bettman and the NHL owners will find a way to fail to take advantage of the situation.

[mgk920]

On the other hand, owners don't all agree either. The "smaller" franchises aren't doing well, and the thought of contraction comes up. Revenue sharing works in the other three major American sports leagues, there's no reason it can't work in the NBA. Owner expenses have gone up, and they are the ones that are agreeing to these ginormous contracts (the old collective bargaining agreement and greedy agents are also part of the plan). You can't entirely blame the players for this.

Most people are taking pay cuts left and right in this economy, losing your fanbase over 5-7% is silly, and worse for buisnesses. A third party that's not afraid to explain how ridiculous this is would be helpful. On the other hand, this isn't helped by a couple of players saying things like "master/slave-mentality", and owners getting fined thousands of clams for essentially expressing their First Amendment rights without resorting to slander or other law-breaking.

To paraphrase Colin Cowheard, this is turning into a dumpster fire.

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a bad idea to consider following the lead of many of those foreign 'fútbol' federations and have North American professional basketball convert to a promotion-relegation system.  Note that from all that I am aware of, the lower-level professional leagues are not doing that badly and to give their teams a chance to advance to the first division (the NBA) while relegating failing NBA (first division) teams to a lower level league where they would be more competitive could stoke some more fan interest and competitive balance.

This would solve the problem of the ever failing and moving 'patsy' teams and with promotion-relegation, there will be no more need for either a salary cap nor non-league wide revenue sharing.

Mike

[jgb191]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7209093/nba-lockout-players-reject-david-stern-ultimatum-offer-want-further-talks

The players once again bite the hand(s) that feed them.  Tomorrow is the last day to salvage something before the season is lost.

[Takumi]

Looks like the NBA lockout may be over.

Edit: link didn't work from my phone so I'll repost when I'm on a computer.